Tell us about your work:
I am a PhD researcher at the Queen Mary University of London and part of the Centre for Digital Music (C4DM) working group. My topic focuses on finding associations between human personalities, values and judgements with their music preferences and listening behaviours. Throughout this project, I want to help improve personalised music content in music streaming apps and deliver new ideas that can also be helpful for health and well-being apps.
What inspired you to choose EECS?
First, I chose the Electronic Engineering and Computer Science school since it perfectly suits my educational and professional background. Second, I enjoy working in tech and innovation fields such as data science, AI and ML. And finally, I chose to be part of the EECS because I am blending my passions: Music, Data Science and ML/AI.
What are the challenges and opportunities of being a woman in EECS?
In the EECS, I have the chance to work with professional staff and academics and collaborate with very hard-working and intelligent students; this is helping me to fulfil my research goals and push my academic and professional career forward. The challenges are mostly related to the research's complexity. But as a woman, I feel pressure from within (myself) to prove that I deserve to be there and that women can pursue research in STEM.
Why would you say women should consider a career in engineering and computer science?
Engineering and computer science are great career paths for people who love innovation, want to continuously learn new things, and make an impact with their work. So, women interested in tech should consider such fields as their career paths because they have many opportunities for professional growth and financial independence.
Do you have a role model who inspires you?
Well, I cannot point to one of the few individuals. I get inspired every day by people's small deeds and habits, which make them the best version of themselves on personal and professional levels.
What's the best thing about your work?
I love working with data, analysing patterns, and extracting valid information; this is a fascinating yet challenging part of my work. But the best thing about my research is that my findings can contribute towards people's mood and well-being.
When not at EECS, what are your interests?
When I am not working, I like casually spending time together with friends, walks and sometimes jogs in the park. As for indoor activities, I love reading books (mostly related to human psychology) and watching comedy movies and shows.