Informatics
Why did you choose UC Irvine for your studies?
UC Irvine is far from my home, allowing me a real sense of independence. It is also a beautiful area.
What is the most enjoyable part of your studies?
Getting to know the professors outside of class is really nice. It has convinced me that faculty doesn’t think of students as ID numbers to assign grades to, but rather people they’d like to see succeed after college.
Have you done an internship?
I did a summer internship with Esri, an international supplier of geographic information system (GIS) software. I was a user experience (UX) intern and got to work on several really cool projects. As an intern I also attended meetings with stakeholders to discuss requirements of the project as well as usability studies of their current and beta products. I created wireframes and workflows for existing and new products. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work, and provided the necessary experience for me to move forward as a UX designer.
Have you been involved in research? If so, what project or projects, and in what role?
I did research with Jed Brubaker and Sen Hirano under Professor Gillian Hayes. With Jed Brubaker, I worked on a project called Epilogue. We performed user research and used our findings to create an online curator tool where people can make an online memorial with their loved ones and share it among each other. With Sen Hirano, I made gas sensors on a circuit board and collected data on the different types and levels of gases released when cooking waffles, popcorn and fries. I cherish the experience gained from this research. I learned so much and it has really given me a step up when applying for internships and jobs.
Are you pursuing a minor or double major?
I am currently not pursuing a minor or double major, but if I could start over, I would like to either minor in engineering or double major in psychology. I feel that with my interests, psychology would really complement human-computer interaction.
What are you most proud of so far?
I am most proud of not giving up and gaining the courage to talk to professors and ask for help whenever I need it. The professors have helped me to gain the skills and experience I need. I am proud of realizing that engagement in class is so much more important than the grade. The moment I accepted that was the moment I started challenging myself and learning more than ever in class.
What has been the best part of your experience so far?
My experience at UC Irvine feels complete when I consider all the friends that I made, all the interesting topics that I learned, and all the amazing professors that I met.
What are your aspirations for the future?
As of right now, I am pursuing UX design, but I would also like to delve into user interface (UI) design. At some point in my career, I want to be in a project manager position but still be able to do a bit of UX and UI design.
What would your advice be to incoming students in your program?
My advice would be to ask for help. Do not ever be afraid to ask. It is so much better to ask professors for help than to try to get by with the minimum. There will always be someone willing to help you through anything. Also, as hard as it is to believe, what professors tell you in the beginning of every class is true. What matters more than anything is that you are learning. You are paying to go to college to learn and gain all the wonderful experience you need to succeed after college. If you’re not learning, you’re not doing it right.
