ESG-focused data science with practical application

In a recent podcast interview, Nipa Basu, PhD, discussed her role as the Global and North American Practice Director of Digital Intelligence at GHD Digital. GHD is a global engineering firm with headquarters in Irvine, California, and a long history of environmental design and construction. Dr. Basu, who has a background in economics, data science, and statistics, previously served as the Chief Analytics Officer at Dun & Bradstreet. She now leads a team of 100 data experts at GHD Digital, which includes groups focused on geographic information systems (GIS), data management (DM), data science, and artificial intelligence (AI).

During the interview, Dr. Basu highlighted the differences in data utilization between financial consulting firms like Dun & Bradstreet and engineering firms like GHD. She noted that the engineering industry has been slower to embrace digital transformation compared to financial services. However, GHD’s expertise in environmental compliance and sustainability gives them valuable insights into the data and analytics needs of their clients in areas such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) improvements.

Dr. Basu emphasized the importance of improving data collection, quality, and sharing across industries. She also stressed the need for real-time dashboarding and leveraging the power of data science to drive decision-making. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic about the progress being made in digitizing the engineering services industry and creating a more sustainable future. This interview sheds light on the exciting opportunities and advancements in the field of digital intelligence.