Majors: Mathematics, Emerging Media Arts (via CFPA)
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
Why did you select your majors? Were there any experiences that convinced you to declare?
I always have a fascination of mathematics since elementary school. The moment when I discovered a pattern when writing multiplication tables in 2nd grade during class is always a memory I look back on to this day that made me want to explore the world of math. It's like a puzzle, you use some creative thinking and some tools to prove an elegant solution or solve problems. It's a language that we are all familiar in no matter the location on Earth. As for Emerging Media Arts, I think I always wanted to express myself in the creative process whether through art and technology and this program is helping me reach my goals for the future. Emerging Media Arts allows me to connect with a variety of tools and careers in the arts I never knew existed but I now want to explore in the future.
What is your favorite course you have taken from your program(s) and why?
I think my favorite course so far in the Mathematics program is Ordinary Differential Equations. I just think that subject in itself is fascinating in exploring the behaviors of chaos and dynamical systems. So far in the Emerging Media Arts program, I think Machine Learning for the Arts is also a favorite of mine because of how computers, AI, and visual mediums can be blended together. In my class we recently generated text from a computer and the results speak volumes for how much a computer can nearly replicate human-based communications.
Who have been some of your strongest mentors or role models here?
I don't think there is just one mentor or role model for me at UNL. I think most of my professors and faculty have inspired me to push the boundaries in my academics and creative works. This especially includes some of the faculty in the Math department and the Emerging Media Arts department for helping me determine why I chose my majors.
Do you have research experience (UCARE or other)? If so, please describe your project.
I recently did some research with Professor Twomey for Summer 2021 UCARE. The project was about creating generated images from a GAN and conducting a survey to compare the generated images to the initial paintings. Most of my time was spent researching the type of GAN used but also determining the best paintings for the analysis. The fun part about this research was generating the images because while the results were unpredicted it was fascinating to see the comparisons between the paintings and the final result.
What are you involved in on campus?
So far, I am a member of the Asian Student Union and the Game Development Club at UNL.
What are your plans after graduation?
After completing both majors, I either plan to enter graduate school or possibly work in the industry. I would also like to do research and learn more either in art or math at the same time.
