Three Million Records, Real-World Results: GCSU students deliver big data wins for Thiele Kaolin

In a powerful demonstration of experiential learning, Georgia College & State University Data Science students recently wrapped up a transformative project with Thiele Kaolin Company. Supervised by Dr. Daniel Wu, student teams were tasked with diving into a massive dataset: a single table containing over three million work order entries dating back to 1998. The goal was to identify the drivers of maintenance costs and provide actionable recommendations for the mining and manufacturing giant in Sandersville.

"Collaborating with GCSU’s Big Data Analysis class gave us fresh insights and innovative approaches to reviewing data that directly informs future business decisions, while helping us invest in the next generation of data talent," said Neshelle Bailey, Controller of Thiele Kaolin Company. "The students brought curiosity and strong analytical skills to the project, proving that collaborations between academia and industry can produce results that matter."

Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

The project was divided into two strategic tracks. Senior Ashley Beaty led a team focused on in-depth cost analysis to uncover expense drivers, while senior Ethan Montgomery, directed a group developing advanced machine learning models to predict future costs using failure codes and job crafts.

For the students, the messy reality of industrial data provided an education that textbooks can’t quite convey. 

"This project showed me the full journey of a data science project, not just modeling," Yash Prajapati said. 

Hannah Roberts emphasized the shift from academic exercises to business solutions. 

"I learned how to guide my analysis to align with business needs," Roberts said. "When deciding what to look into, I would think about what information I could get them that would be useful for them to know and improve maintenance processes."

Impactful Results

The teams delivered more than just theoretical models. They found specific areas for data and operational improvement. Beaty's team identified that certain machine classifications cost more to maintain at one plant than the other. Meanwhile, student Maci Riley made a striking discovery. 

"A very small minority of work orders is consuming the vast majority of their resources," Riley said.

To reach these conclusions, students mastered new technical tools like structured query language (SQL) on the fly. 

"Before this semester, I had never worked in SQL before," Riley said. "The seniors really helped me understand the syntax and purpose. This is a very important skill for data scientists, and many companies require knowledge of SQL."

By blending classroom theory with authentic industry challenges, GCSU continues to prepare its graduates for dynamic careers. 

"Learning how to perform data visualization in Python was certainly the skill I found most important and transferable," Paige Adams said. "This real-world project truly helped my understanding!"

For Thiele Kaolin, the project provided a fresh perspective on long-standing data, and for students, it provided a resume-defining experience. As these graduates prepare to enter the workforce they do so with experience solving real-world problems for a global manufacturing leader right here in Middle Georgia.

Thiele Kaolin was the 2025 recipient of the GCSU Bobcat Partner Award during the annual Celebration of Excellence.