“Do what you love. Period. You may do well in many fields, but passion is a prerequisite for excellence. And excel in whatever you do. There is simply no excuse for living your life in the shadows of mediocrity.”

MS/PhD Candidate, Computer Science, Chapel Hill, United States

Degree(s):
BS Computer Science 2012 Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan
MS/PhD Candidate, Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

How I got here…

As a freshman, I wanted to major in mathematics or physics. However, everything changed after being introduced to programming in my second semester. Computers were suddenly tools to CREATE things. Programming suddenly opened up a whole new realm of possibilities, where I could imagine an idea one day, and pilot it the next. That is why I chose CS, and why I love it to this day.

I owe a lot to two professors; Dr. Sohaib Ahmad Khan and Dr. Arif Zaman. Their continuous guidance and support helped hone my skills and use these to excel in my studies.

A day in the life…

My day starts with breakfast, doing house chores, then heading to school. I work in the Computer Vision lab on course projects and homework and maybe watch an episode of Supernatural with other students.

Classes are over by 3.pm. After lunch I attend to events at the department like organizing workshops on iOS development, helping with seminars or catering to external department guests. I also serve as a TA.

Life outside of work

Since I love cooking, my favorite weekends are spent barbecuing for friends and family at my small farm on the outskirts of Lahore

I love to travel. I’ve been on many trips; Model UN conferences in Turkey, rock climbing to Khanpur, skiing trips to Rattu, leisure trips to the gorgeous island of Langkawi, and trips to Bahrain and Singapore. My dream is to brave the journey to the Antarctic, which I hope to achieve soon! I am also a video games freak. I still have possession of every single Nintendo console since the first generation. I also love to read.

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