Perseverance and patience matter.
Amanda Turney proves that.
“It was a long six years, and definitely worth it,” the master’s in data science graduate said.
Coding rocks. At least, it does for Sandy Wheeler.
“I got a job with big money,” the computer science master’s graduate said with smile.
And as for uncertainty over what comes next, Anirudj Emani is steeled for any challenge.
“It’s been difficult and enjoyable,” the master’s in computer science said, “and I’m ready for what’s next.”
The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering’s Class of 2023 Winter Student Recognition Celebration at Whittenberger Auditorium showcased those graduates, and nearly 90 more in person, and 191 overall, for earning bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.Ds. in computer science, data science, informatics, information science, intelligent systems engineering, library science, secure computing and bioinformatics.
Some had jobs lined up. Some were still searching. All understood that Luddy degrees positioned them for success.
As Dean Joanna Millunchick said, Luddy graduates have gained the vital combination of technical expertise and social awareness. For hundreds of years, people have worried about scientific overreach that could destroy us. Now, worry focuses on AI and other technologies.
Her message -- don’t worry, embrace.
In an ever-changing tech-driven world, she said Luddy graduates have the tools to not just adapt and thrive, but to create and shape. They are equipped to leave a lasting impression on the world.
Turn AI opportunity, and every other technology advancement, into remarkable success.
“You still have work to do, goals to reach, and successes to achieve,” she said. “With the superpower of technical excellence for societal impact, you are ready for what’s next.”
Consider Turney. Because of work and other commitments (she was a software developer for eight years), it took her nearly six years to earn her master’s degree.
That included a final semester in which she finished her capstone. That involved independent study on quantum computing and machine learning.
Turney said Luddy highlights included many of her classes, especially high-performance computing under Luddy Senior Scientist Luke D’Alessandro.
“He did a great job,” she said. “He was entertaining to listen to every week.”
Turney said she hopes to find a job near her family in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, area. Ideally, it would involve quantum simulation.
“I’m excited to finish. It’s been a long and great journey.”
Apu Kapadia, associate dean for graduate studies and professor of computer science, gave the welcome and closing remarks. Brendan Miller, Deloitte consultant and 2020 Luddy graduate, was the alumni speaker. Intelligent Systems Engineering Ph,D. graduate Malintha Fernando was the student speaker. Paul Macklin, associate dean for undergraduate education and associate professor of intelligent systems engineering, introduced the speakers.
Kapadia praised the graduates’ dedication, hard work and adaptability, especially during the pandemic. He addressed the unchartered territory of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence, saying Luddy graduates will be among the leaders who will use technology to solve society’s most challenging problems.
“On a personal note, your drive and talent push us all, from faculty to staff, and inspire us to do all we can to support your dreams,” he said.
For Wheeler, the dream starts in Denver, Colorado, with a job at Blue Horseshoe Solutions, a supply chain management and strategy consulting firm that is part of Accenture Consulting.
Wheeler earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science at the Luddy School in three and a half years, then needed another year to finish her master’s.
Coding is her strength. She said Luddy professors were good at training her to code from scratch.
“I love to code. It’s like solving a puzzle. As long as I’m on a team that I like in coding, I don’t care where I’m at, I will enjoy it.”
As far as favorite memories, a highlight was studying in Luddy Hall’s ICE Cube Focus Rooms, where students, faculty and staff often meet and work.
“I loved that. You can write on the walls. It was fun hanging out there with people having the same degree as you.
“Luddy is a great school. It is a good place to learn and to meet people.”
During his talk, Malintha Fernando focused on AI and its many opportunities and innovations, and how Luddy graduates will contribute to that.
He talked about social responsibility over privacy infringement, divisive misinformation and political polarization. He said that graduates should make sure the technologies they help develop are responsible and inclusive; that they should work to make codes fully open source and ensure this will be AI for the good, and not the bad.
“Every crisis is an opportunity,” he said. “Who grabs those opportunities is up to us as we sit at the front seat of innovation,” he said.
Emani hopes to find a job as a software developer, specifically functional programming and software engineering.
He said he loaded up with difficult classes in his first semester in the master’s program. That made for some stressful times, but by his third semester, he was taking enjoyable courses that “gave me a fresh perspective on computer science and the social aspects of it. That was very rewarding.”
One class that stood out was Social Aspects of Information Technology.
“It was very different from the other courses,” he said. “There was a lot of interaction. I spoke to people from seven countries. In a group of 22, that’s a lot of diversity. There were a lot of different opinions to be shared. That was the most rewarding experience for me.”
Another computer science master’s graduate, Mana Agrawal, will start her job as an Intel software engineer in January.
“I’m very happy about that.”
Agrawal said Luddy provided invaluable experiences and friendships with faculty and staff as well as students. She praised the curriculum and challenging assignments.
“They were the best part of it.”
So were opportunities to join club and other activities.
“There was so much to explore. The two years I was here felt like a short time. It’s been a big, great journey.”
During his talk, Miller, who relentlessly gives back to the Luddy School in multiple ways (including taking the lead on the Luddy Partnership team for IU recruiting), told graduates to utilize the power of their voices and of their innovation drive, and to embrace the necessity of having a deep understanding of the significance of human connection.
“Your skills have the potential to shape the landscape of tomorrow,” he said.
Intelligent Systems Engineering master’s graduate Alex Funari vouches for that. His Luddy training landed him a civilian tech job with the Navy working on their unmanned surface vehicle design team highlighted by computer-vision architecture. That included work on autonomous submarines.
While a family situation has caused him to leave that job to seek employment closer to his New Jersey home, he said it was “a very cool experience. It was outstanding.”
Funari capitalized on Luddy’s 4 + 1 Master’s program to get his master’s in just over four years.
“We had awesome professors and lots of people to help guide us in the right direction.
“I’m excited to see where everything goes. Luddy gave me the tools to guide me for the rest of my career.”