Summer Internship Experience of CHCI Student Members

Maryam Rahimi Movassagh spent their summer interning at PriceSenz with the company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. While working remotely, Maryam focused on software development using user perspectives and schemes. Her primary role involved developing AI-powered user interfaces and interactive prototypes with a strong emphasis on usability and accessibility. She led comprehensive usability testing to enhance system interaction based on personas, enabling a more cohesive and user-centered design approach. Reflecting on her work, Maryam highlighted the use of Figma and customer journey mapping, which allowed her team to seamlessly integrate diverse perspectives. By the end of her internship, she successfully completed the analysis, planning, and design phases of software development targeting recruiters.

Nissi Otoo, a second-year undergraduate in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, spent her summer as a researcher with the Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) Summer Research Internship (SRI) in Blacksburg, Virginia. Under the mentorship of Dr. Ihudiya Finda Williams, Nissi researched "Technology Use in the Black Church: Perspectives of Black Church Leaders." This research revealed unique decision-making patterns and the need for tech solutions for marginalized communities. Additionally, she worked with Dr. Brendan David-John to explore privacy mechanisms for eye-tracking in augmented reality (AR). Nissi found it challenging to engage with the community, given the varying levels of technological comfort, but her efforts resulted in valuable research insights. Her work with Dr. Williams was published and accepted into CSCW 2024, and her collaboration with Dr. David-John allowed her to inspire younger students through presentations.

Matthew Wilchek, a third-year Computer Science PhD student, interned as an AI Engineer in the Ground Combat Systems Division at U.S. Army - DEVCOM in Fort Belvoir, VA. Matthew's work centered on developing AI algorithms to detect camouflaged people using infrared imagery and integrating these algorithms into augmented reality applications. Notably, Matthew was part of the team that created one of the first prototypes using AR headsets and AI to communicate results to a firearm optic, potentially impacting soldier safety. His multi-disciplinary experience with engineers from different fields taught him valuable lessons in integrating AI and AR technologies.

Poorvesh Dongre, a fourth-year Computer Science PhD student, spent the summer at Informatica in Redwood City, CA, where he worked as a UX (AI) Intern. His primary project was designing systems to increase the trustworthiness of Generative AI and facilitate user trust in the emerging technology.

Pranav Patel, also a Computer Science major, interned at IBM in Raleigh, NC, as a Software Developer within IBM's CIO department. He maintained an internal application used by over 20,000 sales representatives for tracking software purchases. Pranav's responsibilities included automating data processing workflows using Python, administering NoSQL databases, and enhancing the application's user interface and experience. His key learning was the importance of creating long-term stability and compatibility, particularly when automating tasks with tools like ETL. His work improved both the application's functionality and the overall efficiency of internal operations at IBM.

Barry Menglong Yao, a third-year PhD student in Computer Science, interned at Amazon in Seattle, WA, as an Applied Scientist in the Alexa AI division. Barry worked on reducing large language model (LLM) inference latency using information-flow-based adaptive sparsity prediction, contributing to the development of more efficient AI systems at Amazon.