CSpotlight: Using computing for good

From an early age, B.S. student Maxwell Bruggink knew a degree in computer science would offer a foundation to solve many of the world's problems. During his internship with GE Healthcare, he gained firsthand experience working on a product that save people's lives. As he approaches graduation, he's ready to dive into a position that will allow him to continue to make a positive impact.

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

When initially looking for schools, I wanted to go somewhere in a large city with a lot going on. After doing some research and visiting the U of M campus, I knew it would be a good fit as even though it is in the middle of the city, it didn’t feel that way (which was refreshing compared to other schools I had visited).

Also, when looking at the curriculum, I discovered there was the perfect combination of classes that would provide me with a good foundation of computer science knowledge, while also having the opportunity to pick electives that were interesting to me.

Finally, with all of the Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities area, I knew there would be so many career opportunities post-graduation.

How did you become interested in computer science?

My interest started when I was young—I always enjoyed playing video games with friends. As I grew older, I saw all of the opportunities that studying computer science would bring and the ability to impact the world in a positive way. Nearly every problem humans have nowadays will be solved with a computer in some capacity, and the chance to be able to work on that every day has motivated me to continue with this field.

Tell us more about your internship at GE Healthcare. How has your academic background prepared you for this internship?

My internship at GE Healthcare is a project focused on utilizing graphics processing units (GPU) technology. I’ve really enjoyed my time at GE working on products that are saving people’s lives, especially since this is one of the reasons I got into computer science.

Although GPUs are not a topic that was covered in classes I had previously taken, I think that my academic background allowed me to not be overwhelmed with all the new information I was learning at my internship. Specifically, the operating systems class that I had taken was very beneficial towards preparing me for this job.

How did you decide to get involved with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)?

I realized that membership in this student group would be an opportunity to learn and stay up-to-date with what is going on in the computer science department, especially because of remote classes during COVID. ACM is also great for networking with other students with similar interests and career paths.

What advice do you have for incoming computer science students?

There are many different things that you can do with a computer science degree beyond software development. This is something that I didn’t know going into school so I would recommend exploring topics that sound interesting to you.

Also, don’t start projects the night before they are due!!!

What are your plans after graduation?

I’m planning to go into the workforce and find a job in software engineering. I hope to find something that I'm passionate about and work on a product that impacts people’s lives in a positive way.