B.S. in Computer Science and B.A. in Linguistics
I am quadlingual, and am learning American Sign Language!
In today’s society, STEM fields are imperative for its advancement. An increasing number of fields are finding niches in STEM, harnessing technology’s endless possibilities in fascinating ways. STEM can also mitigate many of the problems our world faces, something I hope to become involved with throughout my career. Furthermore, many STEM fields, particularly computer science, are a convergence of my two favorite subjects, math and art, bringing them together to create a visually appealing and functional product. Driven by my zeal for these subjects, I was a member of my high school’s Academy of Information Technology program, and chose to delve into programming languages such as C#, SAS, and Java. Writing code cultivated my love for programming, and it inspired me to pursue a summer internship at SAS Institute after my junior year. There, I maintained the product security of a software environment by identifying and resolving code bugs. I also created a program that parsed and transferred SAS’ equipment data into a SAS database. With this experience came the realization that computer science is what I want to pursue, as it enables me to use both the analytical and creative sides of my mind.
Apart from computer science, I’m extremely passionate about volunteering and service and hope to eventually combine computer science to do social good in my career. During my freshman year of high school, I co-founded a platform called “Project Diya” that fundraises for underprivileged children in India. My friend and I planned, marketed, and executed fundraising events while educating the community on Indian culture, and as a result, we have raised over 75,000 rupees throughout the last five years. We sponsored a child's education in India, contributed to the building of a school for girls who are blind in a remote Indian village, and helped rebuild an orphanage that was destroyed by the 2018 floods in the state of Kerala.
At Duke, I am currently an undergraduate TA in the computer science department (CS 201!), a member of the "Language, Music and Dementia" Bass Connections Team, Marketing and Communications Chair for Duke DIYA (Duke's South-Asian association), and involved in eNable, which provides 3D-printed adaptive devices to amputees in the Durham area.
I love how it brings a unique and diverse group of people in STEM together and allows people to connect with other students with similar interests. The students at Duke are absolutely phenomenal, and it’s amazing just to be surrounded by a group of such intelligent people and be able to learn from all of them.
