McCall Milligan, Jim Nastos and
Jan O’Brien
Department of Institutional Research, Okanagan College

Data Analytics in Educational Institutions:
Building a Predictive Model for Student Enrolment

 Time & Date: 4pm–5pm, Wednesday, December 7th, 2016
Location: E103, Okanagan College, 1000 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8

Talk Abstract: Now more than ever, planning and decision-making is data, rather than gut, driven. While there are many existing models for regression, prediction and learning, choosing an appropriate model involves understanding the associated data deeply. Often, choosing a standard model is still insufficient if the analyst is not customizing their model to handle the intricacies of their data.

We describe our development process of a Markov chain and Dynamic Markov Chain-based model for predicting college enrolments. The model is compared and contrasted against previously-attempted models. We include a demo of using our interface into the model, which allows for roughly 600 configurations of parameters, and many additional override value options.

The ideas presented here are applicable to many dynamical systems involving population migration in a discrete-time process.

Speaker Biography: Jim Nastos earned his PhD from UBC Okanagan in Interdisciplinary Studies. He is currently a College Professor of Computer Science at Okanagan College, and previously worked as an Institutional Research Data Analyst at Okanagan College, a math and computer science lecturer at the UBCO and a math lecturer at the UAlberta. His academic research has been published in mathematics, computer science, physics, social networks, bioinformatics and marketing venues.

McCall Milligan earned his bachelor of Applied Mathematics at UBC Okanagan. He will be entering an MSc program in financial modeling and risk analysis in 2017. McCall is currently working as an Analyst at Okanagan College in the Institutional Research and Planning office.

Jan O’Brien is Manager of Institutional Research and Planning at Okanagan College. She has been in higher education for over 20 years, in Faculty, co-op education and administration. The department works with data to support planning and evaluation of college programming. Jan earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Leicester and a bachelor of business administration degree from Simon Fraser University. Before working in higher education, Jan worked in technology marketing in Vancouver.

Registration is open now: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/42254
Pizza will be provided after the talk. For further information please contact:
Youry Khmelevsky (email: youryNOSPAM@ieee.org)

Keith MacIntyre, P.Eng.
President, Big Bear Software Inc.

Real World Software, Entrepreneurship & Community

Time & Date: 5pm–6pm, Monday, December 5^th, 2016
Location: E105, Okanagan College, 1000 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8

Talk Abstract: Software Development can seem abstract at times when learning concepts, theories and algorithms. I will take you through my 18-year journey of writing and deploying large software applications, leading teams, working for start-ups and starting my own company. I will share with you my successes, and more importantly the lessons learned from my failures. I will talk about the importance of mentorship, choosing a company to work for and my approach to building teams. Lastly, I will demonstrate the importance of community within a company, and being an active member of the community you live in.

Speaker Biography: Keith MacIntyre graduated from the University of Alberta with an Electrical Engineering Degree in 1998. He started writing software with some of the first home PC’s in the 1980’s. He quickly became a key software developer at General Dynamics Canada redeveloping election preparation and tabulation software for touch-screen voting systems used in numerous US elections. He has twice been the first employee for two start-ups that grew into successful 30+ person companies. He has personally written military tactical simulators used for training in the Middle East, chemical and nuclear disaster simulators used by the US Army, a pandemic flu simulator used by the Center for Disease Control, and many other products and systems. He has been running Big Bear Software Inc. for 13 years, 6 of those from Penticton. He is an active member of the community have been an executive member of JCI Penticton, a Director on the Chamber of Commerce, and ran in a municipal election for School Trustee, finding a balance between, work, community and raising his two sons.

Registration is open now: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/42253
Refreshments (& Pizza) will be provided. For further information please contact:
Youry Khmelevsky (email: youry@ieee.org)