BioBuzz’s Buzzin’ Brood Student Spotlight series celebrates the future of life sciences talent — and the programs, institutions, and organizations investing in them.
Name: Claudia Eunice dela Paz
Hometown: Bowie, Maryland
Institution: Towson University
Degree: Computer Information Systems (Data Analytics concentration), Minor in Business Law
Class: 2027
Role: Data Science Fellow, Policy & Economics Division, Association of American Railroads; Computer Science Research Assistant, Towson University
Clubs/Activities: Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computing Honor Society), student mentoring in Computer Information Systems, two-time Towson University Data Analytics Competition finalist
For Claudia Eunice dela Paz, data has always been part science, part art. She grew up seeing herself as a creative, but her drive to understand the “why” behind how things work pulled her toward analytics, where she found she could uncover insights in data and turn them into stories people could follow.
Now a senior at Towson University studying Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Data Analytics and a minor in Business Law, Claudia has twice been a finalist in Towson’s Data Analytics Competition. This year, she placed 3rd with an R-based public health project using the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps dataset to examine how social determinants of health affect communities.
Her path has taken her from a biotechnology internship at the Emerging Technology Centers of BDC in Baltimore to data roles at SECU Credit Union and Health Tech Alley. Today, she is a Data Science Fellow in the Policy & Economics Division at the Association of American Railroads and a Computer Science Research Assistant at Towson, where her research covers high-performance computing, machine learning, and IoT resilience.
We sat down with Claudia to learn more about her path into data analytics, what’s exciting her right now, and where she hopes to go next.
How did you get here?
Hello, my name is Claudia, and I am a senior at Towson University studying Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Data Analytics and a minor in Business Law. Growing up, I always knew I was a creative individual with diverse interests. What equally matched that creativity, though, was an analytical curiosity and my constant drive to understand the “why” behind how things work.
Initially, I pictured myself strictly in a creative field. However, once I discovered data science, analytics, and engineering, I realized there is a true art behind analytics: the ability to manipulate data, uncover key insights, and tell a compelling story to a broader audience. I also added a minor in Business Law because of my deep interest in governance and policies, and seeing how data and analytics can help convey the real-world impact of those policies.
A major turning point for me was competing in the Towson University Data Analytics Competition, where I placed as a finalist analyzing institutional and academic data across higher education institutions. While conducting that research, I realized that behind every data point were real students just like me. This year, I competed again, placing 3rd with an R-based public health project evaluating the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) dataset to examine how social determinants of health impact communities.
Professionally, my journey began as a Biotechnology Venture Studio Intern at Emerging Technology Centers of BDC in Baltimore. Without a formal background in the life sciences, I was drawn to the role by a desire to explore Baltimore’s innovative ecosystem and support local entrepreneurship. I later channeled that passion for innovation into more data-centered roles, completing internships as a Business Intelligence Analyst at SECU Credit Union, where I focused on migrating datasets from SSMS to Snowflake and managing Power BI dashboards. I also worked in data analytics and AI at Health Tech Alley. In both roles, I focused on turning complex data into clear, actionable insights.
Currently, I serve as a Data Science Fellow in the Policy & Economics Division at the Association of American Railroads. What excites me most about this opportunity is bridging my love for data with public policy, using quantitative analysis to inform transportation and economic decisions. I am also continuing my research as a Computer Science Research Assistant at Towson, focusing on high-performance computing, machine learning, and IoT resilience.
What is currently blowing your mind right now?
Something exciting I realize and think about often is how much data is truly around us, and how the ways we interpret it are constantly evolving.
- Data in the courtroom: Recently, I learned how statisticians work directly with law firms, judges, and attorneys to break down complex data in courtrooms. Numbers and algorithms honestly never speak for themselves, and watching how forensic statisticians figure out whether something is actual causation or just correlation in antitrust or employment cases is interesting. Translating high-level math into something a jury can actually grasp feels like the ultimate cross-section of everything I love about data analytics and business law.
- Uncovering synthetic data: Working with predictive models and analyzing datasets completely shifts how you view data integrity. It makes you realize that behind every dataset is a web of human choices, potential biases, and systemic fingerprints waiting to be decoded.
If you could explain yourself right now in only emojis…
📊☕️📚🧠🌃
- Graph: One of the most rewarding things about data is being able to create an impactful visual to share and present to a group. This ties in my creative interest and gives me a “reward” after doing deep data cleaning, processing, and analysis.
- Coffee: I am an avid coffee lover. I love experimenting with new recipes, flavors, and espresso. I also love studying, working, and trying new cafés.
- Books and brain: I love reading books and try to read every day. You can usually find me carrying around my Kindle or a book. Lately, I’ve been enjoying the trend of “brainstacking” (first popular on social media), where you have a designated time of screen downtime and focus on physical items like books, journals, Sudoku books, crosswords, and logic puzzles.
- City: I’ve always dreamed about working or living in a city. Growing up in the DMV, I always enjoyed exploring the cities on the weekends.
If you could travel into the future… what does your LinkedIn headline say?
Data Engineer & Applied Statistician | Ph.D. in Applied Statistics | Architecting Data Solutions for Complex Public Sector Challenges
I’ve always had a deep love for learning and a strong drive to keep expanding my education. Ten years down the line, I see myself building robust data architectures and applying advanced statistics to help shape smarter public policy. Whether it’s in technology, finance, healthcare, or government, my ultimate goal is to use data not just to solve technical problems, but to build systems that genuinely support the public good.
What is your favorite quote and why?
“Be you. You’ll be fine.” – Mac Miller
Mac Miller is my favorite artist, and this quote continuously reminds me to embrace life’s journey and that life goes on.
