CSpotlight: Finding a human-centered approach to computing

Claire Yang always knew she wanted to have a career with a positive social impact. Through her coursework, research opportunities, internships, and volunteer work, the recent B.S. graduate discovered that a major in computer science offered her a unique way to solve human-centered problems, using artificial intelligence, human computing interaction, and design.

Why did you choose to study computer science at the University of Minnesota?

When I first started college, I did not have a specific major in mind, but I knew that I wanted to pursue a field in which my work could have a positive social impact, and that I wanted to study topics that are centered around humans. In my first semester, when I was still undecided about what to study, I came across an article about how virtual reality could be used to enhance people's empathy for refugees, and it really opened my eyes to the fact that computer science is more than just a study of math and programming. These potential applications really excited me, and I decided to pursue computer science as my major!

How did you become interested in computer science?

I was exposed to computer science from a young age, since my mom is a computer scientist who often worked from home. However, I only started becoming interested in the field during my gap year after high school, in which I studied abroad in South Korea and attended a Korean high school that specializes in digital technologies. This exposure led me to take CSCI 1133 in my first semester at the U, during which I learned about the human-centered aspect of computer science. The really cool work being done in human-centered computing piqued my interest, and I became super interested in the design of technologies, advances in artificial intelligence, and how computer science can be used to study human behavior.

Tell us more about how you became involved with undergraduate research. What were some highlights of the projects you're worked on?

I have been involved with two different computer science research labs at the University of Minnesota–the first in human computer interaction with Dr. Lana Yarosh in GroupLens, and the second in artificial intelligence with Dr. Paul Schrater. I have also worked as a research consultant in the Digital Arts, Sciences, & Humanities (DASH) program with Dr. Benjamin Wiggins. All of these opportunities stemmed from me learning about the work that these professors are doing, brainstorming how I can contribute, and reaching out to them to chat about their research.

I have enjoyed all of the research projects that I've worked on, but there are two projects that really stand out in my mind. The first is actually the first research project I ever worked on here at the University of Minnesota. In this project, I helped Dr. Yarosh and Zachary Schmitt (a Ph.D. student) investigate how we might design technology that supports people recovering from substance use disorders. This project is very meaningful to me, because it made me realize how computer science can put the focus on humans first. Second is my current project with Dr. Schrater and Joseph Blanchard (another undergraduate student researcher), in which we are investigating how to model the beliefs and non-selfish behavior of artificial agents and humans. This project is ongoing, and I am excited about the potential future applications in understanding human behavior.

How did you get involved with your various internship experiences? What was your favorite part about being an intern?

During my time in college, I have been very fortunate to be able to intern in many different types of companies in a variety of positions, such as international education, user experience/digital design, consulting, software engineering, and artificial intelligence research. I have always viewed internships as opportunities to be very exploratory and try out different potential paths, and so I have always kept an eye out for interesting opportunities, through conducting informational interviews with people whose work I admire and reflecting on my own interests. My favorite part about being an intern is the fact that interns are expected to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences. I think that this mindset has helped me a lot in realizing that it's okay to not know everything, and that it's actually exciting that there is always more to learn.

My internships also sparked my interest in pursuing research. Right before my freshman year at the U, I interned at iEARN-USA, an international education nonprofit in New York City. As a part of this experience, I had to work on a personal capstone project. I decided to create a visualization of my emotional state abroad, using my daily journal entries from my gap year in South Korea. This visualization and project showed that many of the psychological models of culture shock presented during general pre-departure orientations for study abroad programs were not actually representative of my own recorded experiences, and that using updated psychological models could potentially better prepare students for the variety of factors that could influence their experiences. The fact that iEARN actually implemented my suggestions with positive feedback from the students made me very excited about how research can be used to better inclusivity and education.

How did you become involved with Design U? Tell us more about your leadership experiences with this organization.

Design U is a student-run consultancy here at the U that gives students the opportunity to do pro-bono human-centered design work with local small businesses and non-profits. I first heard about Design U at the student organization fair in my first week of freshman year, and at the time, I actually had no clue what user experience design or any of that even meant! However, I loved the fact that the student group actually helped local businesses, and so I decided to give it a go. I ended up finding the design work and consulting to be incredibly fulfilling, which led me to getting more involved through the next few years.

Through my leadership roles in Design U, in which I formed project teams, found clients, and problem-solved barriers that arose in the projects, I became very inspired by the dedication of both the Design U students and clients to the community and the value of our collaborations through this journey. This inspiration has spurred me to do more pro-bono design work within the local community, even after I graduate.

What advice do you have for incoming computer science students?

Be curious, and explore the many different applications and opportunities that computer science offers. Because computer science is such a broad and flexible field, don't be afraid to take risks and re-evaluate your interests as you try out new things. Additionally, try your best to talk to professors or TA's about getting involved in different opportunities–all of my most meaningful experiences within the department came from these sorts of conversations and it is an incredible privilege to listen to and learn from other people's perspectives. And last but not least, be kind and supportive to the people around you.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I will be moving to Boston to work in software engineering on an AI product team. I also plan to do pro-bono service design projects in my extra time in the local community. Long-term, I plan on attending graduate school to study human-centered computing, where I would love to combine my interests in artificial intelligence, human computer interaction, and design to innovate for social impact.