2026-05-08 –, Room 103
Booma Sowkarthiga Balasubramani is a Senior Data Scientist at Microsoft with deep expertise in AI and Data Science, built over a decade across academia, research, and large-scale industry applications. Holding a Ph.D. in Computer Science (Data Science) from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Booma has developed frameworks for ontology engineering, ontology matching, predictive modeling, and geospatial data analytics. At Microsoft, Booma leads work involving Copilot on Taskbar, predictive modeling, metric design, experimentation, and data-driven growth strategies for Windows. A seasoned speaker and educator, Booma has delivered talks at global conferences, featured sessions at developer events as well as academic events, and taught university courses, consistently making complex AI and Data Science concepts accessible to diverse audiences.
Alisha Gala is a Senior Data Scientist at Microsoft with over eight years of experience across software engineering, applied data science, and AI-driven experimentation. Her work focuses on driving engagement and growth across Windows through metric design, large-scale experimentation, personalization and recommendation systems, and cohort-based behavioral analysis. Alisha partners closely with product and engineering teams to translate complex data into clear, decision-ready insights. She is a frequent speaker in technical and cross-functional forums, known for turning analysis into narratives that directly inform product strategy.
Jingyi Du is a Principal Data Science Manager with over a decade of experience spanning software engineering and applied data science. Jingyi leads Windows engagement strategy and conduct large-scale experimentation at Microsoft, driving growth through data-driven decision frameworks. With a background in Computer Science and Decision Science, Jingyi has authored research presented at Microsoft ML & Data Science Conference and delivered 50+ talks to audiences from technical teams to senior leadership.