From Classroom to Code: Bridging Data Science and Real-World Impact

August 6, 2025

Written by: Matthew McDowall

Hello everyone! I'm excited to share my journey with you today. My name is Matthew McDowall, and I come from the beautiful town of Cohasset, Massachusetts. As a rising senior at the University of New Hampshire, I'm currently studying Data Analytics with a concentration in Data Science.

When I'm not focused on my studies, you can find me enjoying time with friends, hitting the gym, or indulging in a good movie. Finding balance between learning and downtime is something I value, both inside and outside of work.

Discovering the Path to North Light AI

Every journey has a beginning, and mine took an exciting turn during a guest lecture by Andrew Mitchell, co-founder of North Light AI. As he spoke about bridging artificial intelligence with real-world business applications, I was immediately drawn in. His vision for how AI could drive meaningful impact beyond the classroom left a lasting impression on me.

Inspired by the talk, I reached out to Andrew afterward to learn more about how I could get involved. Eager to apply my technical knowledge from school to practical outcomes, I soon found myself interning at North Light AI.

Bringing Project Prime to Life

Working on Project Prime has been one of the most exciting parts of my internship. Our goal is to create a platform that connects Prime contractors with suppliers and delivers actionable insights using AI. It’s designed to streamline communication and help users find the right partnerships quickly, cutting out the inefficiencies that often slow down the process.

What I love most about this project is how practical and user-focused it is. We’re building something that makes a real difference by simplifying how teams share information, coordinate tasks, and get aligned. It’s a system that feels intuitive and impactful, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to help shape it from the ground up.

Growing My Skill Set

Throughout this internship, I’ve developed a strong mix of technical and problem-solving skills by contributing to the development of a robust, end-to-end platform. Collaborating on a design that’s intuitive for us while aligned with real client needs has pushed me to think more critically about how technology delivers real value.

Whether refining data queries or implementing frontend updates, I’ve learned how to approach challenges with both precision and purpose. The process of mapping out scalable, user-centric systems has sharpened my ability to think through the full development cycle and deliver work that makes a tangible impact.

Tools That Have Stood Out

My work on Project Prime led me to explore several AI tools that proved instrumental in streamlining development and expanding functionality. Each tool offered a unique perspective on how cutting-edge technology can be applied with purpose. LangChain stood out for its ability to build custom AI agents tailored to specific business needs, helping me understand the modularity and flexibility of AI workflows, especially when integrating language models with external data sources or APIs. Cursor, an AI-integrated IDE, significantly streamlined our development process by offering real-time code suggestions, documentation support, and improved debugging efficiency. It quickly became an essential part of my workflow and showed how AI can act as a true development partner. Claude Code also proved invaluable, particularly when generating and refining code for complex logic or when testing out different problem-solving approaches.

Together, these tools not only expanded my technical skill set but also reshaped how I think about building software, highlighting AI’s power to reduce friction, accelerate innovation, and support the creation of more efficient, user-centered solutions.

Passion for AI and Technology

My fascination with AI and technology has been a constant throughout my life. The latest advancements in machine learning and their applications in daily life are topics I find endlessly exciting. What truly drives me is the chance to create tools and solutions that people will actually use, ones that have a real, positive impact on their lives.

That’s exactly what I’ve found at North Light AI. The team is deeply committed to building technology that solves real business problems, not just theoretical ones. Every project is rooted in practicality, designed to meet the needs of users and organizations in tangible ways. Whether it’s streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making, or automating complex systems, the work being done here reflects a strong focus on making AI genuinely useful. Being part of a team driven to create tools with genuine purpose has only deepened my passion and shown me what’s possible when innovative thinking meets purposeful execution.

Adapting to a Fast-Paced Environment

Working in a fast-paced environment like North Light AI has been a valuable learning experience. Things can shift quickly, and I’ve learned how important it is to stay adaptable, ask questions, and speak up when something isn’t clear—chances are, someone else is thinking the same thing. What’s made that process so much easier is the team’s welcoming and collaborative spirit. From the start, I knew I was joining a team where everyone supports one another and ideas are met with curiosity instead of hesitation.

Embracing the Internship Experience

What stood out most during my internship is the collaborative culture. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside a team that shares my passion for combining technology with business. The open exchange of ideas creates an environment where creativity thrives, and everyone brings something unique to the table. This constant collaboration and shared problem-solving has made the experience especially rewarding and inspiring.

Life Outside the Internship

Outside of coding and team projects, I make time to recharge—whether it’s hitting the gym, going for a run, or relaxing with a good movie.

I’m always looking for ways to keep learning outside the classroom. One resource I’ve found helpful is DeepLearning.AI, founded by Andrew Ng. It’s packed with accessible courses and tools for anyone interested in building real-world AI applications. I also recommend checking out Hugging Face, which provides open-source models and tools you can experiment with on your own machine. Both have helped me sharpen my skills and stay up to speed with the latest in the AI space.

Where I Hope This Internship Will Take Me

As I navigate my internship at North Light AI, I’m excited to explore how AI can enhance business operations and drive meaningful solutions. We’re living in an extraordinary era where AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace, allowing us to develop powerful tools and applications that meet client needs in a matter of months, not years.

One of my biggest takeaways so far is understanding how this rapid transformation is shaping the future of work and my own career path. This internship is giving me hands-on experience with real-world applications of AI and data analytics, and helping me see how thoughtful, effective solutions can create real value across industries. These lessons will continue to shape how I think, build, and lead well beyond this internship.

Reflecting on My Experience

As I reflect on my journey from UNH to North Light AI, I feel immense gratitude for the experiences that shaped me. I am eager for what lies ahead, as I continue to learn, grow, and innovate in the field of data analytics and AI. For anyone considering a path in technology or data science, I encourage you to pursue your passions, seek out internships, and maintain an open mind. You never know where your journey may take you.

This summer has shown me what’s possible when curiosity meets purpose and I’m excited to keep building what comes next. Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey at North Light AI!