Skip to main content
SFU News Editor

Ericsson_YongyiWu
I am encouraged to have a strong solution-thinking attitude and I was given a high degree of freedom of implementation.

This article was previously published in SFU News on Oct. 28, 2015.

SFU big-data student Yongyi Wu considers himself very lucky to be experiencing life in Ottawa for the first time at Ericsson Canada’s research and development centre.

With its head office in Sweden, Ericsson is a global force in telecommunications, managing networks that run 40 per cent of the world’s cellular phone traffic.

Wu, who is among the first student cohort in SFU’s Professional Master’s Program in Big Data, is applying his newly honed skills during a co-op placement at Ericsson’s specialized research and development department.

He has been analyzing data from Ericsson’s test network in order to predict network performance, address problems as soon as they happen, and provide information for future feature development. He monitors real-time data, such as the number of connected mobile phone users at a cellular base station.

His work involves applying time-series forecasting methods to predict future values based on historical observed data. He makes conclusions and methodology suggestions according to his research and evaluations of these models, including Exponential Smoothing models and ARIMA models.

He’s also developing a workflow-management system that can run multiple data pipelines. He says this project will collect data, apply forecasting methods and visualize the result automatically, and has the potential to save tedious work for Ericsson’s data analytics team.

Wu, who has an undergraduate degree in computing science from Beijing Normal University in China, selected SFU’s new Professional Master’s Program in Big Data because he knew the field has great growth potential.  

As someone who travelled from Beijing to Burnaby to experience a new culture, his travel from the West coast to Ottawa has been beneficial both personally and professionally.

“This co-op at Ericsson, a large organization, has been good experience for my career,” he says.

 “I am encouraged to have a strong solution-thinking attitude and I was given a high degree of freedom of implementation.

“Now, I have learned how to state problems, search for solutions and communicate better,” says Wu.

Another benefit:  he has learned the Python and R programming languages used in data analysis.

He has also taken advantage of Ericsson’s fun work culture, joining the company’s dragon boat team, which placed second in Division A at the inaugural West Carleton Dragon Boat races this past summer. Active and athletic, he also looks forward to company-organized picnics, where employees play soccer and volleyball.

Wu returns to SFU in December to finish his final term. He will be among the first graduates of the professional master’s program, in spring 2016.

SFU News Editor

You Might Like These... Co-operative Education

Courtney smiles next to a caption that reads, "Courtney Novotny during her work term with Health Canada".
A Second Term in Government: More of the Same?

How do Communications Co-op jobs differ between federal departments? Read all about Courtney's experiences as she compares her first co-op with Health Canada to her second co-op with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Korea
International Spotlight: Korea

Bordered by China, Russia, and separated from Japan by the Korea Strait, Korea makes for a strong international hub of Asia.

Iris at her workstation in the lab
Student Spotlight: Iris Eom

The OLC talks to Iris Eom, 3rd year MBB, Computing Science joint major. Keep reading to learn about her experience at the UBC James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre at St. Paul's Hospital.

You Might Like These... Job Search

a flatlay of different materials for a creative
What To Put In An Online Portfolio

An online portfolio is a visual representation of your abilities, personality and style. Why not show what you can do instead of talking about it? In fact, some employers go directly to a student’s portfolio first before even glancing at their resume. Even if having a portfolio isn’t a requirement in your current field of study, it will definitely help make you stand out.

Cat with its eyes closed
Why Does Rejection Hurt So Much?

No matter how well you've prepared for it, rejection hurts on a gut-wrenching , tear-jerking scale. Why does it hurt so much? Perhaps more importantly, how can we deal with it? Dave proposes two conceptualizations of rejection, and some tips for dealing with it to go with each.

a couple of students standing in front government banners smilling
Building Relationships: 5 Tips for Networking Within the Federal Government

Interested in a career with the federal government? Kate McMurchy shares tips on building new connections and making the most of your co-op.