Meet Allstar Evita Sembiring, a data scientist in the Airlines’ Predictive Modelling team. She sits with us for the year’s first Hot Seat piece to share more on her premonition superpower and her secret sauce.

Evita transform raw data into captivating tales. Because who needs crystal balls, when you have got predictive modeling magic?

Read the Hot Seat scoop here:

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1. Tell us about yourself in 5 fun facts.

I come from Tanah Karo, Western Indonesia
My first role as a Junior Data Scientist was focusing on email intrusion detection
When I first hiked Mount Slamet, the highest mountain in Central Java, I could barely walk for a week afterward!
This is weird but when I’m in a deep sleep, my eyes will be half-opened haha.
Wednesday evenings are always reserved for yoga

2. What do you do in airasia?

I’m a Data Scientist, specifically in the Predictive Modelling team. My role is basically a blend of mathematician, computer scientist, storyteller and clairvoyant all in one.

I churn numbers into “tales” and make predictions that will help the business to make informed choices.

I contribute to the Revenue Management team and some of my projects include natural language processing (NLP) for speech-to-text and text-to-speech integration with chat media.

3. What's Predictive Modelling in layman terms?

Think about it this way, Predictive Modelling is like having a crystal ball in the world of Data Science. It's using clever computer tricks, called machine learning, to make predictions about the future.

Picture this: You have a bunch of information from past bookings, for example the number of travellers during the past few Lunar New Years. With Predictive Modelling, we can use this information to predict the flight take-up for the upcoming Chinese New Year. It’s simple magic.

As long as we have the right data (the more, the merrier), Predictive Modelling can help us make smart guesses about the future. You can say my superpower is premonition, fancy that huh!

4. What's a project you're proud of working on?

I would say a challenging but rewarding one was the Distressed Inventory project. In the airline business, we lose out when there’s empty seats. Our goal was to develop strategies to recommend high-potential hard-selling seats on flights with a close departure date.

So my job was to detect the amount of distressed seats that we have and recommend them for guests to book. This gave me a valuable insight into how airlines work to achieve the maximum seat sold capacity for every flight.

This project demanded a nuanced understanding of inventory dynamics and with travel bouncing back, it was an intriguing fun puzzle to solve. The most gratifying part is deciphering puzzles and devising solutions that enhance system efficiency and efficacy.

5. Tech is always evolving; what’s your secret sauce to keep up with it?

My team runs a R&D project that allows us to learn the newest technology and trends so this helps a lot.

At the same time, learning on your own will give you that extra push; whether it’s by social media or monitoring key experts and what the bigwigs are doing for inspiration. The allure of Data Science lies in its transformative capacity so you gotta be up to keep moving.

I’d also say embrace the chaos, dance with the bugs, and never underestimate the power of a well-crafted tech joke.

Don't fear mistakes, they’re proof of growth. Lastly, invest in comfortable shoes, the journey to becoming a tech maestro involves coding marathons!

6. How can we attract more female talents in the tech field?

Coming from working in Indonesia and Malaysia, I’d say this pretty much applies to the industry regardless of the country or company.

What’s needed is a diverse and inclusive environment - the usage of gender-neutral language, supporting STEM initiatives, offering flexible work arrangements, establishing mentorship programmes, ensuring equal pay and promoting diversity across levels.

7. What do you like about working in airasia?

airasia crafted an environment that's beyond just your department’s island. The company’s a dynamic hub of innovation!

Even though we’re low-cost, the focus is on setting the stage for excellence and teamwork to be the world’s best. Expect a dynamic and innovative experience, a fun culture of excellence and collaboration.

8. Where's your next travel pitstop?

No surprises there but I’ll be hiking Mount Rinjani in Lombok this April. Here’s to all the highs and growth in 2024!

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Interested in joining us as a future Allstar? Make airasia your dream career destination today! Apply at https://mycareer.airasia.com/gb/en; or join our Talent Community for more updates and happenings: https://mycareer.airasia.com/gb/en/jointalentcommunity.