Where a sea of data may have others looking down in dread, Ben Rogers can't get his scuba gear on fast enough to dive right in and start exploring.

"I don't have a background in economics but I still love the underlying math in research. If I had a few months to take classes in quantitative data management and data visualization to study the different ways data enters our lives, I would," the research director at Filene Research Institute said.

"Never miss an opportunity to learn a new skill. The world changes so fast you can't possibly have all you need right out of college or in a particular field," Rogers continued. "Whatever you are doing, if it doesn't hurt a bit, then you are not pushing yourself enough."