Summer School Alum Story: The impact of data is not underestimated in the Data Visualisation summer course

When asked why he chose the Data Visualisation summer course at Aalto University, Mrinal explained that the university's esteemed reputation made it an easy choice. He saw the course as a perfect fit, given his background in design and UI/UX. Not only did it align with his current work, but it would also open up new possibilities for his future career. ‘It was a very good fit for me,’ Mrinal shared.

He found great value in the collaborative environment of the course. 

"I really enjoyed the group discussions that we had about our work. We had at least two group sessions every day, so we were always exchanging ideas and understanding each other's progress," Mrinal noted. 

These sessions provided a platform for continuous idea exchange and mutual learning. Additionally, he appreciated the personalised feedback from the course instructor Head of Aalto Online Learning Tomi Kauppi. "I also liked the feedback discussions with Tomi," Mrinal added, emphasising the importance of these interactions in shaping his learning experience.

When asked why data visualisation is so important today, Mrinal shared insightful thoughts on the subject. ‘I think there’s a lot of important information that might seem confusing or hard to understand. We need to understand the data's impact and present it in a way that helps others make informed decisions based on it,’ he added.

Living close to Helsinki, Mrinal also took every opportunity to explore the Finnish capital. He immersed himself in the vibrant city life, attending events like the Night of the Arts, and enjoying the local food, particularly Finnish specialties like fish pie (kalakukko). He also ventured out to Tampere, broadening his experience of the country. When asked about his first impression of Finland and comparing it to his home country India, menial had to highlight the Finnish summer temperatures, extremely different to the heat in India. 

‘Being used to the heat and humidity in India, I felt that the weather in Finland was a bit chilly from time to time.  But I am still loving it!’