Dr. Graham Ganssle, Head of Data Science
NAME: Graham Ganssle
CURRENT TITLE: Head of Data Science
AREA OF EXPERTISE: Signal analysis
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 10ish
EDUCATION: BS in Physics; MSc in Applied Physics, specialized in waveform inversion; PhD in Physics, specialized in signal inversion and optimization
TWITTER NAME: @grahamganssle
WEBSITE: https://gra.m-gan.sl
What’s your job like?
Insane. Fascinating. Invigorating. I work for a consultancy, so being better than the competition is a prerequisite. The real job is the ability to jump between fantastically complicated projects, simultaneously handle many streams of communication, and balance plates on one of those sticks on your chin.
What’s a typical day like?
I get into the office early so I can hack on some code before the phone and emails start flying. During business hours, I’m mostly on the phone with potential clients, current clients, and partners. In the cracks between communicating with these folks, I work with our internal teams to brainstorm, architect, and build solutions to customers’ complex problems.
What’s fun?
Digging in. I do a lot of context switching, so I don’t often get “into the groove” on a project. When I have the opportunity to go deep on a project, I enjoy shredding it to pieces and manipulating each piece.
What’s challenging?
Everything. My ethos is: if you’re really good at something, start learning the next thing. Sometimes that means inching the bar higher within whatever sub-discipline you’re currently investigating. If I’m not challenged, I do something else.
What’s your advice to students?
Work harder. Sleep less.