Jessica Chen
Computer Science Specialist
New College
Jessica Chen’s undergraduate experience was defined by her involvement with the University of Toronto Machine Intelligence Student Team (UTMIST), where she took on leadership roles to support student learning and exploration. Through these experiences, she embraced uncertainty and learned to take chances on new opportunities.
Now, she is continuing her studies at the graduate level, with an interest in interdisciplinary applications of artificial intelligence.
This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.
You’ve held multiple leadership roles within UTMIST, including VP Academics. What motivated you to take on such a large role in shaping student learning experiences?
If you asked me in first year, I would have never imagine myself being in a leadership role. Throughout my undergad, I realized I wanted to be able to make a broader impact on the community that gave so much to me. As I've been with UTMIST for so long it felt natural for me to take on more leadership positions to give back.
Through UTMIST, you led initiatives like workshops and competitions. What impact were you hoping these would have on other students?
Many people I know, including myself, didn't really know what they were interested in at the start of university or feel like they were behind. People in upper years also change directions, including me. Through these workshops and events, our goal is to help students explore topics they’re curious about and build a community where they can learn together.
It's normal to not have it figured out right away, and I hope we’ve made trying something new feel just a little less intimidating. It's absolutely ok if students don't end up enjoying it. The key thing is they tried out something they potentially had an interest in.
What first drew you to computer science, and was there a moment during your degree when you knew you’d made the right choice?
I just had an interest in video game development so computer science seemed like the obvious choice. I didn't take any CS courses or coded much before university, so I was pretty much going in blind. Being honest, I never had a moment where I knew I made the right choice, but it is a choice I make the most of everyday.
If you could give one piece of advice to a first-year computer science student, what would it be and why?
Don't be afraid to take a chance on yourself. Most of my highlights such as UTMIST, or even my internships, came from moments where I didn't think I would make the cut but still decided to put in an application anyways. You never know how things will unfold, so don't count yourself out.
What are your interests outside of computer science?
I keep up with music and dance. I've gotten chances to perform in various shows around Toronto and even toured Europe with an orchestra once! I also love gaming. You can probably playing late at night even in the middle of exam season.
What's next for you, and how does computer science fit into that?
For the summer, I am doing an internship at Sledgehammer Games working on Call of Duty. In September, I'm heading to University of Alberta for a thesis-based master's. I will most likely be working on an interdisciplinary project of AI and biology, but nothing is set in stone. I don't know what my future career or academic route will be after that, but computer science will definitely be involved in some shape or form.