Now an AI Engineer at Dell, Sstuti Mehra (MSDS ’25) embraced the hands-on opportunities and support provided by DSI to begin her data science journey even before graduation day.

For many grads-to-be, the final few weeks of the semester can mean cramming for exams while enjoying their last few days as a student before having to worry about the “real world.” For students in DSI’s MSDS program, however, working on real-world problems is nothing new: through the Capstone Project program, all final-semester students work on real-world data science and AI problems with mentorship by experts currently working in the field. This unique opportunity lets MSDS students use data science and AI to make a genuine impact beyond the university well before graduation day.

That was certainly the case for Sstuti Mehra (MSDS ’25), whose own Capstone Project focused on ways to improve follow-up care for endoscopy patients. Endoscopy is an important step in diagnosing many gastrointestinal issues–as well as detecting certain forms of cancer–and while post-procedure complications are extremely rare, adequate follow-up communication is essential. Traditionally, nurses have handled patient follow-ups through phone calls, but this time-intensive process makes it challenging to reach every patient with the information they need.

To address this limitation, Mehra’s team–mentored by Dr. Elia Lima-Walton of the Mayo Clinic–designed a chatbot system to provide on-demand support for patients while keeping clinicians firmly in the loop. “We built a chatbot that communicates with patients, gathers symptom data, and helps route them to the appropriate care,” says Mehra. Through close collaboration with Dr. Lima-Walton, Mehra and her teammates developed a risk assessment model that reflected clinical expertise and priorities. “Our goal was to streamline the process, while keeping nurses and clinicians in control,” Mehra explained.

In addition to her work on the Capstone Project, Mehra contributed to community health solutions as a Research Assistant in the lab of Dr. Adana A. M. Llanos at the Mailman School of Public Health. There, she analyzed endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and carcinogens in women’s beauty products. “My work provided quantifiable results,” said Mehra. Through this research, Mehra helped identify “how many harmful chemicals were present in each product and which had the highest concentrations.” In addition to hands-on data science research, Mehra’s work with the lab also gave her the opportunity to develop her science communication skills by contributing to research publications and developing infographics.

Yet another opportunity to expand her skills came through Mehra’s work as a Graduate Student Assistant at DSI’s North East Big Data Innovation Hub (NEBD Hub). During her time at the Hub, Mehra led and produced workshops, trainings, and events–all while spearheading two AI initiatives to enhance both public education and internal processes.

“The best part of working at the NEBD Hub is that they’re intentional about making the experience valuable for your career,” Mehra says. “We’re given real freedom to shape projects around what we want to learn and how we want to upskill.”

For Mehra, this meant translating what she had learned through her Capstone Project into a freely available data science learning tool accessible to anyone through the National Student Data Corps (NSDC). Designed with step-by-step instructions and fill-in-the-blank code sections, the project has since been used by over 200 people since its launch in September of 2025.

Mehra also found a way to create genuine AI efficiencies for workflows within the NEBDHub, building an AI agent to automate the Hub’s data-entry workflows. “Sstuti saw a need and addressed it,” says Emily Rothenberg, Program Manager at NSDC. “Her AI optimization reduced what previously took days to just minutes. It drastically improved our processes,” says Rothenberg.

“It was really rewarding to make an impact,” Mehra says. “The team was super supportive of my ideas and always encouraged me to push my skills forward.” 

Those skills–both academic and applied–were complemented by the support Mehra found amongst the staff, faculty, and peers she met during her time in the MSDS program. “The career advisor, Jackie, helped me refine my resume, connect with companies, and develop effective job-search strategies.” Even in an increasingly competitive job market, Mehra began a new job as an AI Engineer at Dell just weeks after graduation. For Mehra, being part of the MSDS program at Columbia was “nothing short of amazing.”

“I have made lifelong friendships, bonded through shared experiences, felt supported by my academic advisors, and was really prepared for the job market,” Mehra says. “The DSI community has been essential in getting me to where I am today.”