KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 21, 2025

Choosing Kennesaw State for her master’s was a natural decision for Kristine, who grew up in Kennesaw and was familiar with the university’s strong academic reputation.

Kristine Duncan’s journey into data science began during her undergraduate studies in psychology at Georgia State University, when she worked in a research lab focused on perceived criminality and decision-making in the U.S. justice system. It was there she discovered a passion for extracting actionable insights from data, which led her to pursue a graduate degree in data science. “I realized that this degree would allow me to forever stay curious while also learning objective methods to understand the topics I was interested in,” she explains.

Choosing Kennesaw State for her master’s was a natural decision for Kristine, who grew up in Kennesaw and was familiar with the university’s strong academic reputation. She was particularly drawn to KSU’s Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics program due to its emphasis on professional development, applied research, and real-world applications of data science through sponsored projects. “This blend of practical experience, coupled with a collaborative learning environment, aligns perfectly with my career aspirations in data science,” she notes.

Kristine’s specific area of research, psychometrics, evolved from her studies in psychology, where she was drawn to the quantitative analysis of human behavior. Her current research project in the Data Quality and Survey Methods lab focuses on improving the quality of survey data collected from online platforms like Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey. The objective is to develop methods to identify poor-quality responses and assess the implications of using such data for analysis.

One of the significant challenges Kristine faced was learning to communicate her statistical results in a meaningful way. “My research advisors taught me that with my results I need to be able to ‘tell a story’ that promotes interest and actionable insights for my research topic,” she shares. Overcoming this challenge involved practice and learning from her colleagues, which she considers one of the most rewarding aspects of working in a research lab.

Since joining the Data Quality and Survey Methods lab in Fall 2023, Kristine has achieved significant milestones, including developing innovative measures to screen survey responses and collaborating with Common Ground Health, a non-profit public health organization based in New York. “Through this collaboration I was able to learn more about the influence of poor-quality data in the non-profit sphere, as well as learn some cool statistical techniques for scale development and assessments of social determinants of health.”

Kristine’s most memorable experience in the program was during Analytics Day in Fall 2024. She and her research colleagues worked hard on their analyses and prepared several posters, resulting in a “sweep” of the competition with the top three posters coming from their lab. “This was a great day to celebrate hard work and the amazing things that can happen with collaboration,” she recalls.

Kristine attributes much of her success to the supportive faculty at KSU, particularly her research advisors, Dr. Lauren Matheny and Dr. Kevin Gittner. “These two have a passion for working with students and have been incredibly influential in my success, both in the classroom and in the research lab,” she says. Their support has been instrumental in building her confidence, excitement for learning, and love for data science.

For future students considering KSU’s Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics program, Kristine advises taking the leap and engaging fully with the program. “The faculty’s commitment to student success and the program’s structured pathway were instrumental in my positive experience,” she says. She encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities, network, and apply their analytical skills to areas they are passionate about. “If you are ready to expand your analytical skills and apply them to areas you are passionate about, KSU’s master’s in data science and analytics program is the perfect place to start.”

 – By Tracy Gaudlip

Photo by Darnell Wilburn