Klaida

My Background

I was originally born in Albania, where I lived for 18 years before migrating to the US as a college student at UMass Boston. Fascinated and curious about how the world around us works and constantly changes, I decided to major in chemistry.

After getting my undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Boston, I worked as a research technician at Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (an affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital) in Charlestown, MA for 3 years, where I assisted and then led research and radiopharmaceutical tracer validations.

My Future

What I found interesting about the Align program was how accessible and convenient it was, given I had a bit of computer science knowledge, but had taken no formal courses in computer science. The program offers intensive bridge courses which count towards the degree and excellently prepare the students to take graduate courses of the same level as someone with a computer science background.

Khoury College of Computer Sciences is one of the best computer science colleges in the US, known not only for its rigorous curriculum and experiential learning but also about the industry-connected faculty. What especially drew me to Khoury College and Northeastern University was the co-op program, which is the same for graduate students as for undergraduate students. I value experience and practicing what I study, so this opportunity seemed perfect for me. I also got really interested in the various inclusive and diverse clubs at Khoury College, such as Code4Community, Data club, Grad Women Coders, etc. as a form of expression and connecting with like-minded people.

I had a great experience with the Align bridge courses. Not only did I learn the fundamental skills of being a computer scientist and felt like they really prepared me for the master’s portion of the Align program, but I also met some great like-minded people with whom I connected over having a different background and kept in contact with and helped one another throughout the entire program.

I am starting a co-op in July at Klaviyo as a software engineer, and I’m excited to put my knowledge to fruition as best as I can.

For the future, I am particularly interested in data science and machine learning. As someone with a deep appreciation for math and data, I think analyzing data in a manner humans cannot and derive immense meaning from it is a great way to solve various problems and build a better future for humankind.