Xinyi’s career story – following your passion as a data scientist

How did you end up at PwC?

I do have a unique story for you! I came to Finland in 2019 as an exchange student from the Technical University of Munich. During my time at Aalto University, I volunteered at Slush where I met the lead of PwC Finland's brand new Data & AI team. To my delight, I was offered the exciting opportunity to join the adventure.

Fast forward to January 2020, I began my career at PwC as a data scientist. In this role, I get to work with clients from various industries, providing them with cutting-edge AI and advanced analytics solutions. As I grew in my role, I have expanded my expertise to include manufacturing service offerings, where I support our clients from strategy through execution to drive the competitiveness of their operations leveraging emerging technologies.

I am also finalising my Ph.D at Aalto University on Industrial Metaverse.

How do you balance your time between work and study?

Managing my time has been made easier by the fact that my Ph.D research and work at PwC perfectly complement each other. Research is my passion project, where I get to develop and validate future-facing applications. The insight into state-of-art technologies and hands-on technical skills gained from research can directly apply to my work at PwC. 

I am also very fortunate to have supportive and flexible environments at PwC and Aalto University, where my supervisors from both sides understand the synergies and warmly encourage me to juggle my professional and academic pursuits, while also maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 

What motivates you?

As a naturally curious person, I thrive on learning new things. Working at PwC enables me to continuously challenge myself and grow professionally.

Working with clients from various industries provides me with the opportunity to apply AI and other emerging technologies to solve important problems across a diverse range of use cases. It's incredibly fulfilling to see how my work can make a tangible difference in the world, and that's what keeps me motivated to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

What do you do in your free time?

In my free time, I love to go all out for new adventures! I practise so-called “active relaxation”, and make sure to schedule after-work activities on a daily basis, so I always have something to look forward to. This upcoming summer, I'm planning a week-long sailing trip from Sicily to keep the thrills coming. Currently, I am also learning Finnish – my favourite all-season activity!

I believe that stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing new experiences outside of work is essential for personal growth and keeping a positive outlook on life.

Xinyi Tu
Senior Data Scientist and Operations Consultant, PwC Finland