Why did you choose URI?
I chose to come to URI because I grew up in Rhode Island and it was close to all of my family and friends. It also seemed like a school where I would be able to pursue a lot of different opportunities, which has been true! In addition to data science, I’m also very passionate about music, so I knew that I wanted to keep that in my life.

What is your favorite memory? 
One of my favorite memories has been working on my CSC 499 research project with Professor Venkatasubramanian and being able to take a step back and see the big picture of the work that we’re doing. We have been working on creating a database of incidents where AI-systems have negatively impacted people with disabilities. Now that we’re reaching the end of this project, I have seen that one of the biggest ways that AI is failing disabled people is the assumption that everyone with a specific disability will have the same needs, which is often entirely untrue. Being able to look at the patterns in the research and find specific problems and possible solutions has been a very rewarding experience.

What’s the best thing you’ve learned at URI?
I think the best thing that I’ve learned at URI is how to make the most out of the opportunities that you are given. Although my main focus has been data science, I feel like I could go in so many directions with the education that I’ve received. I’m a vocal performance minor, but the education that I have received regarding music and performance feels in-depth enough to continue pursuing that in my future if I choose to. I have been lucky enough to be very involved with the music and theatre departments, and have definitely gotten more opportunities to perform than I ever expected to as an incoming freshman!

How did you pick your major? 
When I was a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to meet and interview one of the people who worked on the “Discover Weekly” and “Wrapped” playlists for Spotify, which is basically my dream job. At that point, I was on the fence between picking a STEM major or a performance major, and I remember asking him if there was anything he wished he learned more about before going into his career path. He said that he wished he had a STEM background and learned more about handling and analyzing data before starting his career. It was a simple interaction, but that really solidified my decision in my mind.

What are your plans post-graduation?
I’m not entirely sure where I’ll end up yet, but I definitely have ideas of what I would like to be doing! Ideally, I would find a position that would allow me to combine my interests and analyze music trends or trends in other forms of media.