Name: Sebastian Arce
Where are you from? Where do you live now?
Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico - I have tequila, mariachi, and tacos running through my veins.
Role: Data Scientist
Favorite Quote: "I think empathy is really important, and I think only when our clever brain and our human heart work together in harmony can we achieve our full potential." - Jane Goodall
How did you end up in your role? Is that what you wanted to be growing up?
As a Renewable Energy Engineer, I have always had a clear mission to accelerate the energy transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. But I didn’t know precisely how to achieve this until my first internship, where I was introduced to the use of data to optimize the implementation of renewable energy into the grid with Virtual Power Plants. It was quite clear that my Excel spreadsheet wouldn’t handle all the data needed, and this was the pivotal moment when I started learning Python to do my work.
Time passed, and my internship ended, but my Python studies continued and even expanded to the fields of probability, statistics, and machine learning. Eager to practice my new knowledge, I applied to my second internship, where I ended up building a Deep Neural Network that improved its forecast models by 20%.
Another year passed, and I graduated from my major and started looking for job opportunities where I could apply my knowledge in both Data Science and Renewable Energy. Luckily enough, I came across NarrativeWave on LinkedIn, and a good friend of mine was working there, so I asked him for advice on how to get in, and he showed me the minimum requirements that I had to know to apply for a job. I felt absolutely lost. Not coming with a Computer Science degree, I felt like I still had a lot to learn before applying for a Data Science position. So for the next six months, I tried learning all the requirements as much as possible until the wild idea of doing a third internship with NarrativeWave crossed my mind to learn faster and apply for the position sooner.
My friend helped me arrange a meeting with the decision-makers where I exposed the same story written in this blog and the unexpected happen - they decided to hire me as a full-time data scientist with the arguments that my knowledge, experience, and above all, my passion were enough. The rest is history.
What motivates/inspires you:
It is really exciting to be part of a historical moment that will define the life quality of many future generations - the energy transition.
What is something you’re proud of?
As a matter of fact, I’m genuinely proud of our work with our clients. ‘Beyond monitoring’ took a completely new meaning to me after joining NarrativeWave.
Why do you love working at NarrativeWave:
NarrativeWave is the sweet spot where I can join what I love with what I’m good at. Plus, everyone is super smart and acts as ‘givers’ because they are always available to give you a hand when needed. It’s such a pleasure to work in an environment like this one.
Hobbies outside of work:
Some very good friends and I have an environmental podcast to generate awareness about climate change. Currently, the podcast is listened to on the five continents, and it is (sometimes) one of the top science/nature podcasts in some countries like Argentina and Mexico. Click here to listen to Sebastian's podcast.The Office (US version)
If you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you spend it?
Most probably hanging out with my beautiful girlfriend or reading a good book.
Any other passion projects?
I love outdoor activities - especially hiking and camping. I always find the natural world as a place to recharge my energy, be calm, and get some headspace.
