Lu Sevier ’16
Data Scientist, Booz Allen
Major:
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As a child, Lu Sevier dreamed of being an inventor. Now, as a data scientist who’s pioneered game-changing initiatives, she isn't too far off from those childhood dreams. At William & Mary, Lu changed majors from international relations to biology, and during a summer AidData fellowship in the Philippines, she worked to map its 7,000 islands to help create better evacuation plans during natural disasters. Inspired by her fellowship, Lu decided to set off on a new path and focus on coding. Her experience at AidData was more than an internship; it challenged her to innovate, make data-driven decisions, fall forward in times of failure and make her own luck. Through her experience, she was able to conduct research with faculty members, present to senior leaders in the U.S. government, provide data and maps to first responders after the Nepal earthquake, and work with partners in the Philippines to better prepare for natural disasters.
Now a Data Scientist at Booz Allen, Lu’s client work is just one component of her contributions to the data science field. A big-picture problem solver, Lu is motivating data scientists to use their skills to give back to the greater community. While she’s inspired by innumerable people around her, Lu’s especially in awe of the female leaders she works with. She leads the Women in Data Science group at Booz Allen, which she describes as the light of her days.
