Sam Loebl

1st-year student, Bachelor of Science in Analytics with minors in Data Science and Geospatial Science

There’s something fascinating about data, says Sam Loebl who is studying a Bachelor of Science in Analytics with minors in Data Science and Geospatial Science.

“I’ve found data fascinating for as long as I’ve been aware of what it is. The process of looking at an impossibly large pool of messy information and trying to find reasonable assumptions invokes a certain sense of discovery in me. The reason I got started on this was a book my parents got me when I was about 13 when we were evacuated because of a fire. The book was ‘The Art of Statistics’ by David Spiegelhalter, and every few years I’d go back and read a little bit more of that book as my understanding of maths and the world grew.

“At the time I applied for AUT’s Bachelor of Science, I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do in the future but studying analytics felt like a natural continuation of my fascination with data. One of the things that surprised me was how much I ended up enjoying minoring in geospatial science. I found the questions we worked on very engaging and the environment was fun. Once I finish my studies, I want to work as a data analyst, perhaps related to geospatial science or machine learning, depending on what I enjoy most by the time I graduate.”

A new start
An international student from the USA, Sam had long wanted to study outside of America and says coming to AUT was an easy decision.

“I had wanted to go away from America and AUT came up when I was researching different study options. There was a low barrier to each step of the application process, with zero application fee and nothing super invasive or complicated required. After I slowly moved that process along, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see the university, which really sold me on it. I think the emphasis on practicality over prestige really appealed to me, and I feel that at AUT I’ve been afforded a lot of opportunities in both expected and unexpected areas.”

Studying in a new country has had its challenges, Sam admits.

“I think student life for me has been an opportunity to learn difficult and complicated things but also life skills and getting used to adulting. When I first moved here, I was a world away from everybody I knew. I remember once filling in a health centre form that asked for an emergency contact in the country, and I just broke down crying because I didn’t have anybody who fit the bill. Since then, AUT clubs, events and classes have given me stuff to go to and helped me meet people. In the year I’ve been here I’ve made friends and have gone from feeling alone to reasonably content with where I’m at.”

Advice for other students
Sam’s advice for other students is simple: own your mistakes.

“Everybody will do wrong at some stage, but being able to look at a struggle and give an honest assessment is much more helpful than trying to make yourself look good. Throughout your time at university, you’ll face adversity – whether it be academic or social drama – and it’s important to be able to acknowledge your role in it and then turn to the question of what to do next.”

There’s plenty of support available if you need it, Sam adds.

“The biggest challenge I faced was when I sprained my ankle at the start of my second semester. I hadn’t realised how much walking around I do or how important that was to my mental state until this happened. My lecturers were very nice in making sure I was in a spot where I had the opportunities to keep up in my studies despite of this.”