03/03/2020

Summer Internships with the Center for Data and Applied Computing

Christine Jacinto

Over the summer, we had students from the OSP who participated in amazing research-internship opportunities. Christine Jacinto is one of our bright scholars that interned at the Center for Data and Applied Computing (CDAC), where she experienced machine learning and ethics first-hand.

Through Ms. McKee’s multidisciplinary college-finding class, Christine discovered the CDAC internship opportunity. The OSP helped her look at internships more seriously and gather her own skills and prior experience for a resume, which she did not have prior knowledge in. Christine does not believe that she would have known or found out about the internship had she not been a part of the OSP.

During her internship, Christine, alongside Professor Blase Ur, Julio Ramirez, and Ryan Wong, collaborated on the inherent fairness of machine learning systems in order to avoid programmer bias in these machines. Additionally, she analyzed the thinking processes behind variables in machine learning models and gained experience in qualitative coding. 

Christine walked into her internship with a beginner’s knowledge of javascript but came out with a better appreciation for and knowledge of javascript and her name on an academic paper that pushed her to think more deeply about systems. When asked about how the internship helped her grow, Christine said,

“The CDAC internship helped me improve my time management skills, be more responsible, and have made my current school classes more enriching now that I have more knowledge about machines and coding.”

Ricardo, Christine’s father, also saw the CDAC internship as a learning experience. He believes it was good for helping Christine decide on her career path and overall improved her confidence and maturity over the course of the summer. 

“The OSP has made her more methodic - she wants to do things well now. She is very passionate about her education and takes college very seriously.” - Ricardo Jacinto

Christine now leads her sisters by example, motivating them to study through the internship and other accomplishments that she has achieved. She is confident that she can lead by example by having friends in the OSP that also motivate her to try hard for her future goals.

“Overall the OSP really helps students become more responsible and allows them to achieve their goals - especially their college goals. It’s a great opportunity for any student that is considering taking participating in this program.” - Ricardo Jacinto

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