At the time of this interview, Scott worked as Data Science Director at Electronic Arts Inc. After this, he served as Senior Director, Head of Mobile and Asia Analytics at Electronic Arts (EA). Since the interview, he has worked at NCSOFT as a VP of Data and Analytics.

Why I chose to enroll in Economics: 

I have always been a problem-solver and went into college trying to figure out what areas of focus would give me the greatest tools to amplify that aspect of myself, of which I believed Economics (and Mathematics) would aid me the most. Economics provides a purview into the world and how people make decisions that's fairly unique, using quantitative methods to measure the qualitative impact of decisions.

What do you do for work now?

I now work as a data science director at Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA). I lead EA’s Data Science team in the global analytics organization; our mission is to ensure that EA is leveraging data to best empower ourselves to fully understand each player within our ecosystem. The work we do ranges from player-facing data products, such as in-game recommendation engines and multiplayer matchmaking, to indirect support by developing tools and systems that expand the capabilities of other teams within the company.

We strive to promote a data-centric culture within EA as a whole, pushing marketing groups and game teams alike to think of how to use data to make better decisions.

Favorite course:

I loved Economics of Japan because it highlighted two things: First how different the cultures of our world can be, and secondly and perhaps most importantly, how similar the underlying mechanics and motivations of our actions really are. 

Advice: 

• Take risks and don't be afraid to try a lot of different things; learning how to fail fast is one of the best techniques I've ever learned.
• Try different jobs and branch out from your hobbies; you'd be surprised what comes in handy and how things you learn in two totally unrelated fields marry together well.
• When you make a decision, commit to it; nothing kills motivation and positive inertia like second-guessing yourself.