Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and where you grew up?
MH : I have lived in Diamond Bar, CA (a small town about an hour away from LA) for most of my life. Throughout high school, I was interested in a variety of subject areas, including computer science. Interning for my local Assemblyman and being chosen for my school district superintendent’s student council allowed me to give feedback on current and new initiatives within my school and community. During the summer prior to my senior year, I participated in the internship program with Dr. Maja Mataric’s robotics research lab. The field of socially assistive robotics, pioneered by Dr. Maja Mataric, focuses on developing robots to assist vulnerable populations, including children with an autism spectrum disorder, through social rather than physical interaction. As an intern, I worked alongside my Ph.D. mentor on the mobile robot named Kuri to create ‘curious and kinesthetic’ behaviors or robot actions that would spark curiosity in middle school students through movement and augmented reality. Over this summer, I am working as a Software Engineer Intern for a startup. Some of my other activities and interests include classical Indian dance, coding projects, web development, and baking.
When and how did you get into technology?
MH:Much of my middle school years were spent independently learning HTML and CSS. By initially designing a page on a Pokemon gaming site using these tools, I was hooked. Programming was a way for me to create exciting designs and programs. Upon entering high school, I supplemented my knowledge by adding JavaScript, Python, C++ and Java. Through Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum, I became adept in Autodesk Inventor, 3D printing software, LoggerPro, RobotC, and Multisim, among other technical skills. As I came up with new side project ideas, such as making a chrome extension, I acquired the skills necessary to complete the task. Currently, I hope to continue my Computer Science knowledge and supplement it with a background in Business or Economics. I am interested in a variety of career options, from Software Engineer to Product Manager, and hope to expand my horizons even further in the future.
What do you like best about your job/technology? Share in 3 words.
MH : Never gets boring.
What’s a lesson that you learned along the way that you’d like to share?
MH : It is perfectly fine to have diverse interests. At first, I was convinced that since I would most likely be applying to college as a computer science major, all of my activities had to be related to computer science. However, this was not the case, and many of my activities gave me invaluable insight into issues within my community and allowed me to build a skill set outside of programming. This proved to be extremely helpful to me throughout high school. It is also perfectly fine to not know exactly which field you want to pursue a career in and to explore a variety of areas.
Share your advice for young girls who want to change the world with computer science (in 3-5 words)?
MH : Never stop learning AND/OR Meet new people