CSpotlight: Exploring Multiple Disciplines

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

Initially, I started out as an economics major, but I really enjoyed problem solving and wanted to further develop my technical skills. I took my first computer programming course during my first semester in college and loved it, which is why I ended up studying computer science and data science down the line. I believe the combination of these three majors has  empowered me to tackle real-world problems with a unique perspective and broad skillset. 

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

I became interested in economics in high school because of a teacher who introduced me to economic theory and enabled me to participate in competitions as part of our economics club. My interest in computer science developed when I was in college—it was my first time programming and using code to solve problems, which was a cool concept for me. It allowed me to get a greater understanding of the technology that I use on a day-to-day basis. My favorite economics course that I have taken in college has been econometrics, because I was able to apply concepts in mathematics and statistics in economics research, which is something that I am really passionate about. As for computer science, in addition to programming, I really like theory. My favorite course has been CSCI 4041 - Algorithms and Data Structures. This course allowed me to get a better idea of how to tackle different problems in computer science more efficiently.

Tell us more about your internship experiences. 

I have had two internship experiences. I got my first internship after attending the College of Science and Engineering (CS&E) Career Fair. I met someone from COUNTRY Financial, which is a financial services company headquartered out in Bloomington, Illinois. I interned there for one summer as a business intelligence analyst intern. Within that role, I did a lot of data analytics and data visualization work in their commercial agriculture and data analytics department. That experience taught me a lot about working with data and communicating with business leaders. 

This past summer, I interned at The Cigna Group, which is a healthcare company. I was a data analyst intern doing Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) metrics analysis on the Knowledge Exchange Administration team. I had a wonderful experience and really enjoyed working at the office, where there were a lot of new grads that gave me encouragement and career advice throughout my internship. I learned a lot from many people who took extra effort to mentor and support me through my journey. 

Congratulations on your CS&E Scholarship! How will this scholarship impact your academic and extracurricular work? 

I am grateful to CS&E for receiving the Lando Scholarship this year! Overall, I’ve received a lot of help from the computer science department throughout my undergraduate education with access to the career fair and the career services office for practice interviews. The scholarships I have received from the University of Minnesota have helped me tremendously in regard to exploring different interests have without financial burden. These scholarship opportunities have opened up a lot of different doors for me and helped me learn more about what type of professional opportunities I want to pursue. 

Are you involved in any student groups? What inspired you to get involved? 

I used to be involved in a lot of student groups, but I am currently only heavily involved in the Economics Undergraduate Student Board (EUSB). I wanted to join EUSB because I was passionate about the people and department, and I wanted to help bring the two sides together and provide more resources for economics students. I am currently the president for the 2025-26 year, and one of our main goals is to advocate for student needs and implement new initiatives that will help students feel more welcomed in the department. 

In the past, I have also held leadership positions in the Economics Student Organization, Women in Business, and Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. Across all these organizations, the main thing that I find really important about getting involved on campus is that it helps you develop a sense of your own leadership and also connect with students from different backgrounds. Within all of these different organizations, I’ve learned a lot from the people that I’ve worked with, such as collaboration and building community. 

What do you hope to contribute to the computer science, economics, and data science community at the University?

I have been looking to get involved at the University of Minnesota in any way that I can, finding opportunities where I can contribute to the community in ways that align with my passions and strengths. I am passionate about teaching and in the computer science department, I have currently been working as a teaching assistant since the spring semester of my freshman year. I have enjoyed it every single semester, and I’ve been actively trying to teach for different classes because it helps me build my own understanding of computer science concepts that I have learned while interacting with different students who have different backgrounds. Overall, I just try my best to help out and get involved in different ways on campus, especially within the communities and departments that I am a part of.

Have you been involved with any research on campus? 

I am currently working as a research assistant in the Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute with Professor Ellen McGrattan. Within her team, I use my programming and data analytics background on different projects. For example, last year I was working on a project related to her paper titled, “On the Nature of Entrepreneurship,” where I learned how to program with Julia and perform real-world economic analysis. Overall, I have been able to learn a lot from my research experience with her, and I have really enjoyed having her as my mentor. 

What advice do you have for incoming computer science, economics, and data science students? 

My number one advice for incoming students  is to find a mentor or reach out to people who are in careers aligning with your own interests. I think it is important to be in an environment where you can ask professional questions and get helpful career advice, whether it is a student organization that's geared towards professional development or a mentorship program. CS&E has an alumni mentorship program which I participated in when I was a freshman, and there were a bunch of different resources for getting a mentor. One thing I realized early on was that the careers I thought I was interested in were not necessarily ones that I actually wanted to pursue, and the way that I figured this out was through internship opportunities and talking to people about their own experiences. I’d say talk to as many people as you can and try to find a mentor or two that can offer academic or professional insight, such as picking your classes or relevant internships. 

Another piece of advice I have—don’t be afraid to try new things. I think it is really important in college to take classes that you think you might not like or try different electives that you are unfamiliar with. These opportunities can open up new doors for you and help you figure out what you’re truly interested in. I would highly encourage anyone to diversify themselves and try to explore many potential interests while in college.