The University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School recently completed a five-workshop program that focused on artificial intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI. This program was conducted under Miami Herbert’s initiative named the Deloitte Institute for Research and Practice in Analytics (DIRPA) Visiting Professional in Analytics Workshops, which is led by an expert with daily real-world experience in generative AI and data analytics.
The success of these recent workshops can be attributed partly to Nicolas Pelletier, who oversees data science for a Big Four accounting firm, and previously held data-science roles with Royal Caribbean Group and JPMorgan Chase & Co.
“I’ve actually wanted to do some teaching for quite a while,” said Pelletier. “The topic that I brought to the University, generative AI, is actually quite new—relatively speaking—to the whole AI ecosystem. Given my experience of leading teams that are building solutions based on generative AI models, I came in with a good amount of practical experience that may be a little difficult to find in the market. It would be good to expose students to very hands-on approaches to solving problems using these types of models.”
In February, Pelletier, who is a double ’Cane, began teaching the first of five DIRPA Visiting Professional in Analytics Workshops that took place during the spring semester. Each session lasted two hours and was spread over a two-month period. These sessions were open to all Miami Herbert students.
Pelletier’s work at Miami Herbert “demonstrates our commitment to delivering up-to-date and industry-relevant material to our students,” said Associate Professor of Professional Practice Doug Lehmann. “Every company you can name is probably using data and analytics in one way or another. Pretty much in any industry, any job goal, you need to understand what’s happening with data these days.
“Even among students that don’t take traditional data science, analytics, technology positions after graduation, I think data and analytics are so pervasive now that Miami Herbert students still need some of these skills, or at least the ability to speak the language,” said Lehmann, who is DIRPA’s director.
Generating data-science solutions to problems, Pelletier explained, basically entails building software that uses AI to analyze data. Patterns subsequently unearthed by artificial intelligence lead to decision-making that’s more informed than it would be without AI.
Lehmann said the DIRPA Visiting Professional in Analytics program culminated with each student building a generative AI portfolio product that combed through data and issued summaries after being asked a question.
“It’s really hands-on and we were able to work with real-world data to solve problems in real-world situations,” said Lu Ziyang, who recently graduated with an MS in Business Analytics. “The field I want to work in is data-related, and it was really a great experience.”
Xiaoxi Yuan, who’s also graduated with an MS in Business Analytics, said the DIRPA Visiting Professional in Analytics was “very informative and very meaningful. Nic (Pelletier) really taught us a lot about generative AI. I hope that in the future, I can use generative AI to facilitate my work. I will definitely keep my eye on how it is improving.”
In the meantime, in light of how Nicolas Pelletier is a Miami Herbert alumnus who established himself as an AI expert, it’s fitting that he’s helping Miami Herbert students to follow in his footsteps.
