CSpotlight: Data and Design

Why did you choose to pursue a degree in computer science specifically at the University of Minnesota?

I’ve always been very into math, but I didn’t want to major in it. I’ve also always been into video games and art, so I thought computer science could combine all of these interests. 

I chose the University of Minnesota because I love the area. I’ve lived in multiple different places, and once my family got a house in Minnesota, I knew this is the place I wanted to be. For college, I wanted to stick close to home, but I also wanted a place where I had the opportunity to explore. The University of Minnesota is a Big Ten campus, and it’s huge. There are still so many places I haven’t explored around campus. 

How did you become interested in computer science? What are your specific interests within the field?

I was initially considering the medical field, but after taking an emergency medical response course, I realized I hated how high-stress the medical field is. Computer science was always something I was interested in, and it seemed more laid-back. Within computer science, I like analyzing data. I find it cool that you can use past data to teach machines and create predictions. 

What do you hope to contribute to the computer science community at the University?

I think it’s important to have fresh perspectives, so I hope I can give computer science a new perspective. I also want to put in effort to help prevent and fix mistakes that could happen in the field. 

What advice do you have for incoming computer science students?

Take breaks and go at your own pace. College is rough and a long journey at times. A lot can be thrown at you, so pacing yourself and slowing down when you need to is important.

What are your plans after graduation?

When I finish my undergrad, I plan to do the integrated master's program here at the University. I want to get more experience in the field, and I think a master’s will help me narrow down my interests into more of a niche. After that, I hope to go abroad. There is so much going on in the US, but there are also many technological advancements outside of it. I don’t want to let myself be restricted to the field in the US. 

For specific fields, I’m interested in going into video games or the medical field. I think video games would be a fun industry, especially because I’m very interested in 3D modeling, playing video games, and art. I was interested in the medical field to start, so I think it would be nice to tie computer science and the interest I have in medicine together into making technology that helps people. 

Are there any additional experiences you did that you would like to highlight in the article?

Two classes I’ve enjoyed are CSCI 3923 - Ethics in Computing and CSCI 2041 - Advanced Programming Principles. I found Ethics in Computing to be really useful and the discussions to be meaningful. In Advanced Programming Principles, I really liked Professor Eric Van Wyk. If anyone ever had a question, he would go step by step and do his best to explain why the code would act the way it did. I thought the class was super helpful overall.