What do you study and what year are you in?
Bachelor of Software Engineering (Data Science), fourth year
Who or what made you choose to study this?
I have always loved solving puzzles, coming up with solutions and understanding how things work. Being an engineer encompasses these different things. Engineering is all around us and plays a crucial part in our everyday life. When I realised that fact, I also realised that I wanted to be part of the this constantly evolving field. I often find myself asking looking at objects and thinking about how it was made, how the process was. These thoughts led me to wanting to be an engineer.
Why did you choose to study Computer Science and/or Information Technology?
Innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence have transformed our world the past 20 years. Computers are behind this transformation, constantly altering our lifestyle. I was drawn to the idea that software has a fundamental place today which made me want to be a part of a field that is constantly evolving and highly innovative.
What do you love most about your degree?
The best part of my software engineering degree is the way it pushes me to solve tough problems. It's like a constant challenge to find creative solutions to puzzles. And when I do solve them, the sense of excitement and accomplishment is such a great feeling. It's what keeps me going, no matter how tough things might seem.
What’s been your favourite course so far and why?
My favourite course so far has been CSSE2310. Although it was one of the hardest I took, the content has really interesting and were concepts that I think are crucial to understand as someone in Computer Science. It also really challenged me with the assignments but it helped me be more resilient but also improved my coding skills.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering studying Computer Science and/or Information Technology, what would that be?
My best tip would be to get involved and explore the different resources at university. The University of Queensland has many resources to help computer science/IT students succeed. The FYELC is a great place to get some help from tutors for engineering students but there is also a help centre for students studying computing. Joining student societies (EUS) is a great way to meet like-minded people and make friends doing the same courses. Also, the Women In Computing program organises many events that are great for first year women studying male-dominated fields.
Have you participated in any internships or work? If so tell us a bit about it, what did you enjoy most about the experience?
I interned at a Singaporean start-up called Ambient Systems as part of the Start-up Adventures program part of UQ Ventures. It was an incredible experience. It was a 4-week internship in Singapore where I was placed in a start-up and went with about 30 other students. I got exposed to the start-up ecosystem in Singapore, strengthened my skills, discovered a new place, a new culture but also made great friends! I enjoyed how different it was compared to my daily university student routine and how every day I woke up and new, unexpected things happened.
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
I am still unsure of which path I want to take when I graduate but I am interested in specialising in machine learning and bioinformatics. Algorithms are being used for prediction, classification, and feature selection in fields such as genomics and are helping us further our understanding in different disciplines.
Are you a member of any student societies or participate in extra curricular activities? Tell us a bit about it.
I was part of Robogals which is a student society that promotes diversity in IT and computer science related fields. I was a first-year ambassador where I helped create events for first-years. I am currently part of UQ Skirts (Women in engineering), I am the social officer. I help organise events for students in engineering. We organise social events but also networking events to empower women in engineering since it is a male dominated field. I am also a student leader in the Women in Engineering program that encourages female high school students to study engineering and empower them. I am also involved in the entrepreneurship program at UQ, UQ Ventures and am a student ambassador.
