Introduction

Greetings, everyone!

My name is Faris Abuzaid, and I live in Phoenix, Arizona, which I proudly consider home. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and Operations Management (Double Major) from the University of Arizona in December 2017. Currently, I work full-time as a Business Intelligence Analyst at a utility company in Phoenix.

In my free time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, and exploring new restaurants and coffee shops around town. I also enjoy working on do-it-yourself (DIY) projects around the house, which help me learn new skills.

As a BI Analyst, I hope to deepen my knowledge in Business Intelligence and Data Mining Analytics through this class. The field of Business Intelligence continues to evolve alongside advances in AI and technology, ranging from ETL/ELT processes and real-time analytics to data modeling and dashboard development for end users.

I’m very excited about this class and look forward to learning new techniques and perspectives in Business Intelligence!

Comments

  1. AustonOctober 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM

    Hello Faris; Nice to meet you. I believe we've had a few classes with eachother previously, though I don't know that we've ever had a chance to directly interact.

    Very cool that you're working as a BIA in utilities - I can't imagine a field more in need of mass data collection for the improvement all the folks that it's trying to serve. As you progress in your Masters degree path, do you see yourself staying in utilities, or do you plan on taking your knowledge and experience into different arenas?

    I'm curious also, do you find that in utilities you have access to the information and data that you need to be able to make business related decisions, or is that silo'd behind different roles and responsibilities? Working as a DoD contractor for so long, I feel as though a significant amount of information is outside my scope, which sometimes limits how effective I can be in my role. Wondering if you're seeing the same in the public sector.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FarisOctober 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM

      Nice to meet you, Auston.
      I’ve been in the utility industry for eight years and have learned a lot about safety, procedures, export control, and compliance. I always thrive on new experiences and enjoy learning new things. I'm very excited to see what the future holds!

      It’s fun to work with data in utilities because you can see your impact on business operations in real time. I agree that utilities can be slower to adopt new technologies unless they’re fully tested, but AI seems to be changing that. It’s becoming a real competition to see who can pave the way. I’m looking forward to working with you this semester and wish you the best of luck!

      Delete
  2. cathyOctober 25, 2025 at 8:35 PM

    Hi Faris! Great introduction, it’s nice to learn about your background in BI and how you’re applying what you’ve learned in your career. I also like how you mentioned DIY projects; that’s such a fun and creative way to keep learning new skills. Looking forward to learning alongside you this term!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy BarrientosNovember 11, 2025 at 9:04 PM

    Hi Faris! Nice to meet you! It's amazing to hear that have so many years with working data! It's very impressive and interesting! With pursuing your Masters and your experience what are you most excited to learn about?

    It's so cool to hear that you have an interest with doing DIY's, I think it's a great to get more hands on work and let creativity flow!

    Looking forward to the semester with you! Cheers!

    ReplyDelete

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