Abhishek Jain
When Abhishek Jain first enrolled in computer science classes as an undergraduate, technology was the headline draw.
But with four years of experience in product management under his belt, and a newly minted master’s degree in business analytics from the Daniels College of Business, Jain has fresh inspiration.
“I realized that what excites me more is how technology and business can come together to solve real-life issues,” Jain explained.
His master’s degree strengthened his analytical foundation and decision-making skills. It was during the program that Jain connected with Orkun Baycik, an assistant professor in the Department of Business Information and Analytics.
Baycik’s Python programming course sparked a mentorship, and soon Jain was invited to collaborate on a research project that would test his new skills against one of the country’s most urgent societal issues: homelessness.
Evaluating permanent supportive housing
The project centers on permanent supportive housing (PSH), a type of intervention that provides stable housing to individuals experiencing homelessness. PSH promotes immediate stability—or “housing first”—as the basis for recovery and reintegration. Then, it offers continuous support such as health care, benefits assistance, life-skills training and employment support to maintain housing stability.
Jain is continuing work Baycik and a former student had already begun; he is tasked with building a comprehensive panel dataset, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The dataset integrates information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other federal sources, including homelessness counts, bed availability, population, income and minimum wage levels, among other variables.
“Most of the work so far has involved collecting, cleaning and merging the datasets since they come from different sources and arrive in different formats,” Jain said. “The analysis uses panel regression models, which help us examine both state-level differences and changes over time. Python is our main tool for data cleaning, integration and analytical modeling.”
It’s the kind of experience that will help me whether I go into a data analyst role or continue in product management.
Creating social impact
Although the project is still in the modeling phase, Jain sees clear potential for the findings to have real-life, societal implications.
“Our goal is to really understand if government initiatives help reduce homelessness, backed by real data,” Jain noted. “We then plan to connect with local nonprofit organizations to address the problems that they are working on.”
Many MSBA graduates pursue roles as data analysts or business analysts, but Jain’s trajectory remains rooted in product management.
“For me, having worked as a product manager, that is something that I’m still looking for in my next roles,” he said. His goal is to combine product management expertise with the analytical skills gained through the MSBA program and PSH project.
He is open to opportunities across various industries—from technology to sustainability—but emphasizes a desire to contribute to projects with meaningful social impact.
“I’ve realized that I’m most engaged when I’m helping connect data, technology and strategy to solve real problems and make an impact,” Jain explained. “The PSH project has given me hands-on exposure to real data, working through complex, real-world problems.
“Professor Baycik has been very supportive, encouraging me to explore new methods, ask questions and think critically about the results,” he added. “It’s the kind of experience that will help me whether I go into a data analyst role or continue in product management.”