“Pursuing this degree has been one of the most satisfying and educational endeavors I have experienced in my life,” says Tyler Hanlon ’23, of his computer science major. Originally enrolling in URI as a business major, Tyler switched paths after realizing he wanted to pursue a career that allowed for creative thinking and limitless career opportunities, and for Tyler, computer science was the perfect fit for both. “Many people think of computer science as a strictly scientific field,” he says. “Rather, it’s a field filled with challenges and puzzles that need to be solved. Computer science presents opportunities to come up with new ideas and be creative at every turn. There is so much room for innovation that when I started to think of all possible career paths, computer science stood out as the one with the most freedom to do what I want.”
Earlier this year, Tyler interned at URI’s Wearable Bionsensing Lab to gain hands-on experience in the computer science field. It was the ideal opportunity for him to put his computer science coursework into practice in a more hands-on setting. During his time there, he worked as a software engineer on an application that aimed to provide educational tools and a sense of community to caregivers of folks with dementia, a cause that he cares deeply about. “My great grandmother suffered from dementia,” he says. “As someone who has personally seen the effects dementia can have on people and their family members, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to provide care to somebody suffering from the condition, so it has been extremely fulfilling to be able to give back to that very strong community of people.”
As this internship draws to a close, he plans to continue his career as a software development intern at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport this summer. Here, he will be working to test and improve the technologies used by our Naval Fleet. After graduation next year he hopes to continue working as a software developer, continuing to bring innovative ideas to life and inspiring others to do the same. Tyler offers a piece of advice that he wishes he could have received when he was just starting, and that believes other computer science majors would greatly benefit from: “Do not give into imposter syndrome,” he says. “I feel as though computer science majors often get stereotyped into having certain characteristics. When I first started taking computer science classes, I was overwhelmed by the subject and I felt as though I didn’t necessarily fit in with my peers, but with dedicated time and effort, I have been able to get to where I am today, and you, no matter how far in your journey, can do the same.”
-By Briana Ciceron, philosophy major