“While serving alongside Norwegian soldiers in Trøndelag, I was impressed with the way military leaders treated their troops, and the way they mentored young soldiers and enabled small teams to accomplish large projects,” says Ryan Hatch, a third-year student at BI’s Bachelor of Data Science for Business.
Ryan Hatch, third-year student at BI’s Bachelor of Data Science for Business.
After his military service he took a job in construction and was frustrated by the chaotic management of the company. Resulting in longer than necessary travel times for employees, and a wasteful use of resources.
“I decided that if I wanted things to change, I needed to do it by myself. So, I searched degrees in Norway and saw BI offered a bachelor’s in data science in English. I thought that this would be a good way help me understand and solve business problems while allowing me to learn Nordic leadership principles,” he says.
Cultural learning and supportive professors
“Ryan's journey from the military to BI and now to Brown University is a powerful example of what our students can accomplish through hard work. I am extremely proud of him for this remarkable achievement. I am confident he will thrive in his master's program; he has all the tools needed to make that happen,” says Jan Kudlicka, Associate Dean for BI’s Bachelor of Data Science for Business.
“When I started at BI, I had no programming experience and struggled with the limited mathematics I had learned seven years before," says Ryan. "I consider myself lucky to have met such great and patient people at the Department for Data Science. Whether it was programming or multi-variable calculus, the teachers and the learning assistants always went out of their way to help me.”
Asked about the most valuable part of his studies at BI he emphasizes the high quality of professors and their willingness to teach to the individual’s ability.
Kudlicka notes that the combination of rigorous coursework and industry relevance plays a crucial role in the success of the programme.
“As one of BI's newer offerings, this interdisciplinary program combines data science with business knowledge, equipping students with the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to address real-world business challenges. Ryan’s success demonstrates the incredible opportunities this degree can open—whether in industry, research, or top global universities,” he says.
Associate Dean for BI’s Bachelor of Data Science for Business Jan Kudlicka
Ryan is grateful for his class and fellow students, some of whom have become lifelong friends.
“My time in Oslo has been very good overall, but it took some effort to acclimatize and get used to the social norms. I had some challenging experiences,” he says.
“At BI, I was lucky to work at the BI Student Organization. Through BISO I have been able to experience so many amazing events and experiences. It has allowed me to make many great friends and to improve the social experience of international and exchange students.”
From BI to Brown
Ryan recently learned that he has been accepted into Brown University’s Social Data Analytics programme. Brown University is a member of the Ivy League, which is a group of the best universities in the U.S. It is consistently ranked among the best universities in the world, and is particularly strong in computer science, mathematics other STEM fields.
The decision to apply to Brown University came from an ambition to keep pushing limits and a desire to be part of a historic community dedicated to high-level research and academic excellence.
“Brown is known for its high-level graduate work and research and uncompromising high academic standards. It is a great honor for me to be accepted into their graduate school but also it puts a lot of pressure on me to represent both myself and BI at that level,” he says.
His dream career involves a dual focus: enhancing societal systems through data science and eventually stepping into a teaching role after honing his craft and expertise.
“I would love to work in a data or information science role solving optimization problems, specifically focusing on systems that impact social and environmental issues. I think improving quality of life by eliminating inefficiencies and finding optimal solutions would be a dream. I also feel a desire to teach, but think it is important to develop my skills as a data scientist and researcher before pursuing a PhD,” he says.