The field of data science is best-suited for those who love mathematics and working with numbers.

While some projects are tedious and monotonous, particularly on the entry level, there are plenty of exciting and rewarding jobs in the sector for qualified, experienced professionals.

The dawn of big data and next-gen data analytics makes the field even more innovative and exciting by giving individuals access to more data than ever before.

Since we are currently living in the Information Age, it only makes sense to use this data in fun, creative and rewarding ways.

1. Diagnosing and Addressing Personal Health

Personal health and well-being are just as important as they were 10, 20 or 50 years ago. The significant difference comes in the sheer availability of diagnostic machinery, devices and services — many of which can detect most health issues in time for treatment.

Couple this with the rapid advancement of technology, and it’s easy to see how these devices are getting more intelligent every day.

They’re also getting physically smaller, as next-gen chips and processors are more compact than ever before. Some devices are even wearable as an accessory on the user’s body or available as a smartphone app.

But these devices all rely on next-gen data and advanced data collection algorithms — all of which must get organized, processed and analyzed for maximum effectiveness. Modern software and hardware automate many of these processes, but keen human eyes are still necessary to ensure data integrity, verify sources and make critical decisions.

2. Fighting Crime

The criminal justice sector is increasingly using data in new and innovative ways. From local officers performing their routine patrols to the most sophisticated of federal investigations and trials, technology is at the forefront of most operations.

Although some of the data collection and storage practices law enforcement agencies use are controversial, there are many areas where this data has made a real impact on crime. Officers use it to predict and prevent mass killings, fight human and drug trafficking and much more.

Data can uncover white-collar crimes, too, including embezzlement, fraud and other schemes that typically occur on the senior or executive levels.

By paying close attention to corporate statistics and picking up on certain trends or patterns, a diligent and trained data scientist can quickly identify suspicious activity and report it to the proper authorities.

3. Advocating for Improved Customer Service

Most of today’s retailers, including e-commerce storefronts and traditional, brick-and-mortar establishments, rely on data to improve customer service. They use forecasts, statistics and analyses — like regional demographics, shopping histories, recent consumer trends and more — to provide personalized service to their most valuable customers.

Enhancing the customer experience is a crucial strategy in many business models today. It’s also highly effective.

As most consumers would prefer specific, targeted ads and useful deals, as opposed to generic commercials and coupons that cater to the lowest common denominator, many companies are actively looking for qualified data scientists to crunch the numbers.

4. Analyzing Funds for Public Education

The public education sector is always looking for ways to mitigate risks, control costs and accommodate the ever-evolving list of student needs. Many schools receive assistance from state-sponsored lottery systems. For example, the Virginia Lottery contributed more than $606 million to public schools throughout the state in 2017 alone.

By analyzing school-specific payouts, data scientists can easily draw conclusions based on the monies they’ve received, student performance, the presence of extracurricular activities and much more.

Even more importantly, data scientists can use these numbers to provide guidance and direction when developing future curricula and establishing new recreational opportunities.

5. Improving Local Traffic Congestion

Data is useful in other corners of the public sector, too. It’s recently gaining momentum in traffic management, planning and control.

A city in Zheijang, China, recently installed more than 1,000 digital monitoring devices in some of the city’s busiest and most hectic traffic checkpoints. These systems process a terabyte of data every month — which amounts to a lot of work for local data scientists.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, is the driving force behind this system and many others. Not only does it collect data from individual sensors on next-gen cars, buses and trains, but it transmits this information — in real time — to data scientists, IT experts and transportation officials in the area for immediate processing.

6. Growing Better, Healthier Crops

Big data is even useful on modern farms and homesteads. With more Americans adopting a traditional way of life, and with others around the world still living by simpler means, it’s an area that stands to benefit immensely from advanced data collection and application.

Today, data helps make crop predictions with greater accuracy, produce seeds that are more resilient and productive and automate certain tasks in the field. The result is a more intelligent, data-driven farm that offers higher yields with less physical labor.

Finding the Emotional Reward in Data Science

Data science can be a rewarding and fulfilling career.

From helping others overcome personal health issues to joining the fight against crime and even producing healthier food, the value of this information is undeniable.

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