“Willingness to learn is all you need to succeed in computer science. Everything else will come through the pursuit of the things that excite you. To improve your skills, volunteer for projects that will give you an opportunity to apply what you have learned and expand your knowledge base.”

CO-founder of Techturized LLC, Atlanta, United States

Degree(s):
BS Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology

How I got here…

After an enchanting introduction to computers as a child, I knew I wanted to someday master the art of creation through ones and zeros. My opportunity to fulfill this desire arrived in high school when I had the chance to design a website for the Latin club. By reading online tutorials I taught myself XHTML, Cascading Stylesheets JavaScript, PHP and web design. I participated in various computing competitions that led to unexpected recognition. I feel so lucky to have found my passion. I am currently pursuing a career in computer science and developing technologies that benefit people of all means. I am a two time Astronaut Scholar as well as a Google Anita Borg Scholar and was recently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to Zambia.

Learn more about Joy at: http://jovialjoy.com/2010/01/02/thoughts-choosing-to-study-computer-science/ and http://vimeo.com/7941813

A day in the life…

On a typical day, I start by checking the status of projects I am involved in. After that I attend lectures, and then meet with group members or clients to provide updates on projects. Depending on my to-do list, I may code for several hours, research solutions to technical challenges, or design mobile devices or a new web platform. On other days, I may be presenting my work at a conference or other venues. Recently, I gave a talk at the Kennedy Space Center to a group of Astronauts on the opportunities I have had as a computer science student.

An awesome project

In 2011, I teamed with Trachoma program at Carter Center to develop an Android based assessment system to be used in a pilot in Ethiopia 10 weeks later to replace the paper systems used at the time. I wrote code under mosquito nets and interacted with health workers, coordinators, and the beautiful people of the Amhara region’s villages. The pilot showed promising results and the system was adopted to be used the following months during a campaign in which roughly 40,000 people were surveyed to glean data and insights to impact the lives of 17 million people.

Read more about Joy Buolamwini (PDF, 212.42 KB)