In D'Amore-McKim's Digital, Analytics, Technology and Automation Advanced Research Practicum, soon to debut under a new name, students from across Northeastern come together to tackle complex, real-world problems using AI and data analytics. Led by Executive Director of the D'Amore-McKim AI Strategic Hub, Kwong Chan, the practicum has become a highly sought-after opportunity for students eager to apply their skills in high-impact, collaborative projects.
What began as an independent study has evolved into a formal course that has welcomed over 100 students in the years since. Admission is competitive; applicants from any college or major are eligible to apply, but selection involves both an interview and an assigned task. The result is a diverse mix of technical, business, and creative talent working side-by-side.
Projects often involve partnerships with companies, nonprofits, or research labs—more than two dozen to date—providing students with direct exposure to professional challenges in various sectors, ranging from pharmaceuticals to marketing technology.
The practicum's open-ended format challenges students to define the problem, determine the right approach, and deliver meaningful results to their clients. For Sam Yuen, MS'25, that meant managing a project to automate image classification for certain drug molecules using a convolutional neural network (CNN).
“I've had interviewers ask me directly about the CNN project,” Yuen shares. “It's given me great opportunities to talk about our success metrics and the impact we achieved, ultimately helping me secure my upcoming AI co-op.”
For Jasmine Wong, DMSB/Khoury ‘25, the experience meant diving into the business implications of AI and analytics. Wong's team partnered with an early-stage events app startup that had already built a robust data infrastructure but needed help turning that information into action.
“It was a mix of real-world consulting and academic work,” Wong explains. “We mined data, generated insights, ran algorithms, and then translated our findings into clear, actionable recommendations for a business audience.”
Whether students are developing advanced AI models or translating data into business strategy, the practicum's blend of technical rigor and client interaction prepares them for high-stakes professional environments. Alumni have gone on to secure co-ops and full-time offers directly from their practicum partnerships.
Looking ahead, Chan plans to keep the course's momentum strong by seeking out new, challenging problems that require creativity, collaboration, and courage.
“It's about finding interesting problems the world needs solved, and the student talent brave enough to take them on,” Chan says.