Welcome back Javier Leon - Qlik Educator Ambassador for 2024!

[HollyJohnson]

We feel very lucky to have Javier Leon back as an Academic Program Educator Ambassador for a fourth year. 

[HollyJohnson]

Since we last spoke to Javier for our Academic Program blog he has successfully completed his PHD in data science and is now teaching at 5 universities! Javier is an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph's University, Villanova University, Drexel University, Rowan University and Southern New Hampshire University.

In 2024, Javier aims to leverage his knowledge in data science, business intelligence, analytics, and data visualization to enhance students' professional competencies and readiness. One of his aims as an educator is to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, so that students develop the necessary skills to excel in the data driven business landscape. He is already putting this into practice in his Data visualization class at Drexel University:

“In that class I am having students create projects that leverage the capabilities of Qlik…..My teaching is currently focusing on practical, hands-on projects that mirror real-world business challenges, encouraging students to apply Qlik's powerful analytics and visualization features to derive actionable insights. In one of the projects, the students must identify relevant data sets to tell a story about a movie that they like. To do this, they must ensure that the data they find meets the criteria for quality data. Next, they must tell a story about the movie: how much it grossed, how it performed versus movies in the same year, in the same genre, etc.”

One of Javers significant achievement from the past year has been his role in the creation of an Academy called Bright Future Schools of Professional Development, “we have an entire course dedicated to Qlik’s Essentials. The idea is to help students understand the basics of data visualization with a user-friendly software that will enable them to grow professionally.”

Javier believes that I the most important thing happening on at the moment is the AI revolution, “I think it will significantly reshape the landscape of analytics and higher education. …AI technologies like machine learning and deep learning are augmenting human capabilities by automating routine tasks, providing insights from large datasets, and enhancing decision-making with predictive analytics. And what is most important, we are barely scratching the surface of AI capabilities. We can augment ourselves as professors, students, and professionals with the use of AI.”

Javier believes that AI may revolutionize the way educators teach and students learn, “For instance, AI can personalize learning experiences, adapt to individual learning paces, and provide real-time feedback, thereby enhancing student engagement and outcomes. The demand in higher education is shifting towards graduates who are not only proficient in analytics but also in the application of AI and its subset, machine learning, within analytics.”

Javier decided to apply for his fourth year as an educator ambassador because of the knowledge sharing and networking that the program offers, “It is a great way to be surrounded by excellent professionals who are dedicated and passionate about teaching and helping students achieve their academic and professional goals. Also, to be recognized by Qlik, a leading company in BI, offers credibility in an ever-changing and competitive industry. This in turn, can be used to reach more students and help them in their data literacy journey. Aside from all that, I believe in Qlik’s Mission of getting the most value out of data by revealing hidden patterns and addressing today and tomorrow’s complex challenges in the industry.”

To learn more about the Academic Program go to qlik.com/academicprogram.