Que’Aire Anderson, a C4C mentor, is studying English and Applied Psychology at the University of California Santa Barbara. When she participated in Advanced Computing for Social Change (ACSC) in 2019, she found that, as a non-STEM major, her interdisciplinary background helped with her understanding of the project, and had a tremendous impact. Yet another in our large group of night owls, Que’Aire likes to search youtube for new recipes. She prefers strategy games, like Mancala — maybe she and Regina can teach the rest of the group how to play. Que’Aire’s role model was (and is) her grandmother, who took care of everyone in the household. We’re glad to have her back for C4C.

Dairian Balai, another C4C mentor, studies Data Science at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Like Que’Aire (above), Dairian is a night owl, and her role model is her grandmother. Her late-night activities include reading or Netflix. Dairian also participated in ACSC last year, and came back because she wants to make sure that others have the same great experience.

Mario Gallegos is a junior at Texas State University, studying Healthcare Administration. During his free time, Mario can be found at the gym or napping. Growing up, his role model was his mother, who overcame all kinds of obstacles and raised three children. We’re sure he will make her proud during C4C.

Cesar Monsalud is a Computer Science and Engineering major at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. When he’s not studying, or reciting things backwards (like the alphabet), Cesar likes to talk to people — anywhere. Talking to people on the bus, or to the person walking their dog, reminds him that it’s a big world, and we need to recognize the diversity of people’s life experiences. We’re sure he’ll enjoy talking to his C4C teammates about their varied experiences.

Also participating in our virtual C4C this year are Steven Galloway II, Chris Min, Elliott-Zion Mpeye, and Arthur Ymele. We hope they all have a fun and enlightening C4C experience!

Read more Computing4Change student profiles at Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.

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Melyssa Fratkin, SC20 Communications Chair

Students@SC is a platform for students to learn, connect, and grow professionally at the SC conference. The Students@SC cohorts (Student Volunteers, Student Cluster Competition, HPC Immersion, Computing4Change) will all be executed in a fully virtual manner. Students@SC will also be hosting a variety of additional events specifically targeting students!

Students@SC Sessions

Students@SC will host sessions on the SC virtual event platform and via additional external meeting platforms during the day. Recordings will be made available soon after each of the live events. Information on how to join all these events will be clearly displayed on the Students@SC page in the virtual event platform. In addition to the events below, the Students@SC channel will also host SCC Talks, Student Lightning Talks, and Students@SC Alumni Presentations.

Mentoring

SC20 will host two mentoring programs for all conference attendees. You must sign up for these programs by November 2.

Job Fair

Available now and running through January 15, 2021, SC is inviting attendees of all skill levels (students, post-docs, and professionals) to participate in the Job Fair. As applications and résumés submitted will be provided to recruiting organizations, submit your résumé today and help recruiting organizations find you. Employers will be posting their job listings through January. Search the job postings by skill level, area of interest, and more.

Résumé Workshops

SC20 will be providing two virtual résumé workshops during the conference. During these sessions, industry and academic leaders are being asked to provide one-on-one feedback on résumés. These sessions will be held right after each instance of the Perfecting Your Elevator Speech and Growing Your Professional Network Workshop.

To participate in the Résumé Workshops, you must:

• Submit your résumé to the Job Fair.
• Pre-register by October 29 with Sally Ellingson, the Students@SC Programming Chair.

Webinars & Session Videos

For the latest Students@SC webinars and additional student content, visit the Students@SC playlist on the SC Conference Series YouTube channel. Recorded sessions and student interviews will be published there as well.

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Dr. Christine E. Harvey
SC20 Students@SC Chair

Zoe Banks is a sophomore studying Computer Science at Austin Community College. When she’s not studying, she might be found out exploring the sights and sounds of Austin with her dog, Chip. Growing up, her role model was her mother.

Cierra Cage is a junior at Southern University A&M College, where she’s studying Electrical Engineering. She lists author Maya Angelou as her role model. When her engineering classes are finished, Cierra enjoys spending time in nature, reading, and socializing with family and friends (observing proper social distance rules, of course).

Erin Burba, who recently graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, is returning to C4C as a mentor. She spends her time outside of work playing Dungeons and Dragons over Zoom, which is only making it harder to be less of a night owl, but at least she has books, documentaries, or ‘ridiculous’ TV series to keep her company. Erin is happy to support this year’s C4C cohort, because she believes strongly in the program’s goal of bringing together people of different backgrounds to use technology to support their own communities. She always looked up to her older cousins, who have now grown into unique, successful and well-adjusted adults, so this has given Erin the courage to follow her own path. We can’t wait to see where it leads!

Erika Bailon is returning to C4C as a mentor, after participating in C4C at SC18, and recently graduating with a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado Boulder. With her new career at NASA JPL, it’s no surprise that she’s a night owl who likes to play ‘math games’ on her phone, or find some friends to play Rummikub. When she was a student participating in the challenge, Erika experienced first-hand the life changing moments that happen during C4C. She noted that many students, who might have forgotten why they wanted a career in STEM, walked away after the program with a new purpose, excited to make a change in the world. Erika also had an amazing mentor at C4C, who became a good friend. We know that Erika will offer the same kind of support to this year’s students.

Roberto Camacho is also returning to C4C as a mentor, after participating in C4C and Advanced Computing for Social Change (ACSC) in previous years. In 2019, he completed his PhD in Computer Science at the University of Texas at El Paso. After completing his dissertation, he went from being a night owl to an early riser, so he can get to work on time. In his free time, he likes to play Rummikub – he and Erika should get a game together! Roberto’s parents were his inspiration growing up, demonstrating their commitment to hard work and education, which certainly made an impact on him. Participating in C4C made Roberto realize that certain things that he takes for granted can have an effect on others, and that has made him more empathetic. We’re sure the student cohorts at this year’s C4C will appreciate his support.

Edgar Chavez, another former C4C participant-turned-mentor, graduated from California State University Los Angeles with a degree in Civil Engineering. In his free time, he also plays Dungeons and Dragons (like Erin), and can’t decide whether it’s better to be a night owl or a morning person – either way, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Edgar’s hero growing up was a character called ‘Goku’ from the Dragon Ball Z anime series, from whom he learned to push through any boundaries or obstacles that may appear. Edgar is a huge fan of everything that ACSC and C4C stand for, combining social issues with data science, raising awareness and teaching students how to use raw data to make an informed argument. We’re so pleased to have him back, to support the students and create a richer experience for them.

Melia Soque, a student at Chaminade University of Honolulu, participated in ACSC in the summer of 2020, and is now returning as a C4C mentor. When she’s not studying, she likes to play Monopoly – and has a collection of different themed versions of the game, including M&Ms and surfing. Like so many of our other mentors, Melia is a night owl, and can often be found snacking and binge-watching different TV series. Her role model growing up was (and is) her father, who continues to model humility, hard work, and perseverance. Melia came back to C4C because she gained so much knowledge and awareness of the issues facing society, and was able to collaborate and connect with people to apply Data Science to find solutions. That sounds like a perfect advertisement for C4C!

Regina Dominguez, who is studying math and computer science at the University of Guam, was a C4C participant at SC19, and is excited to be returning as a mentor. She tends to be most productive in the late night and early morning hours, when there are fewer distractions. Otherwise, she could wind up down the rabbit hole of the internet, immersed in pop culture, new music, and TV shows. She can spend hours playing Mancala – a board game that looks simple but relies on strategy and problem-solving – with friends or in an app. Regina’s sister inspired her to try harder, influencing her work ethic, ambition, and opportunities. She’s ready to provide support and guidance to this year’s cohort of C4C students, offering the same kind of mentoring that she received last year.

Qwynci Bowman (pronounced “Quincy”) is a sophomore at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon, where she’s studying Environmental Law and Policy. When she’s not in class, or exploring the edible plants & fungi around campus, you might find her playing bluegrass music on her fiddle. Environmental science is a long way from Qwynci’s first ambition, which was to be the best (fastest) professional eater in the country! We’re glad she moved on from that to participating in C4C, where her nimble fingers will come in handy helping her team with data analysis and visualization.

Chenoa (Nona) Faletoi, who participated in last year’s ACSC, is studying Data Science at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She decided to serve as a C4C mentor because she wants to help the students understand that although research and computer science are two very different fields, combining them into data science is a valuable skill, and can help them have an impact in any field. Nona’s favorite game is Uno, but even a night owl like her sometimes has to use the time to do homework! She prides herself on being kind, helpful, and understanding, which will be greatly appreciated by the C4C students.

Matthew Montoya is also returning as a mentor, after experiencing ACSC this summer. Growing up, his role model was Dr. John Carter from NBC’s ER. He tries to emulate Dr. Carter’s commitment to making the best ethical decisions, despite workplace and global politics. Matthew is also a night owl, who prefers Settlers of Catan to Monopoly, because it includes a level of teamwork rather than direct competition. He’s coming back to help inspire a new cohort of students to think differently and dream big. We know they’ll appreciate Matthew’s outlook and support.

Read about more C4C students

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Melyssa Fratkin, SC20 Communications Chair

Votreeshwaran Ilangovan is a junior at the University at Buffalo, studying Computer Science. He has a lot of hobbies, from filmmaking — writing scripts and directing short films — to driving sports cars to playing soccer. In his free time, he steers clear of all of these activities and sits quietly, thinking about how we live our lives, and how technology could be used to help improve the lives of people with disabilities. Votree’s role model, since the age of 10, is Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, an Indian aerospace scientist who was the 11th President of India, who once said, “All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us have equal opportunity to develop our talents.” We look forward to seeing Votree develop his talents with his teammates during C4C – and someday, maybe, to help all of us live better.

Keegan Finger is a junior at Drake University, where he is studying Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science. While his work in computer science is teaching him about using ‘big iron’, he has also spent time focusing on real iron, as a blacksmith and metalworker. His non-academic interests range from rock climbing to cooking to board games. Keegan’s role model is his father, who seemed to know everything there was to know about computing, and inspired his son to the same levels of curiosity. That’s a trait that will serve him well in the C4C program!

Helena (Lena) Duplechin Seymour is an undergraduate at Washington State University Vancouver, where she majors in biology, neuroscience, and environmental science with minors in mathematics, zoology, chemistry, and psychology as well as certifying in mathematical biology. In addition to all of these fields of study, Lena is passionate about community science, wildlife conservation, and the biological basis of behavior in animals. Her favorite pastimes include reading and learning, and practicing old-world skills like basket weaving and blacksmithing. With all of those skills and interests, she’ll be an asset to any of the C4C teams.

Syema Ailia is a senior majoring in Computer Science at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. When she’s not studying, she likes to cook new and interesting dishes, go out for a run, or play with her cats. Her hidden talents are also cat-related — Syema likes to mimic animal sounds, like small dogs, cats, and guinea pigs. (What does a guinea pig sound like? Ask her!) One of her role models is Diana Nammi, the founder of the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization (IKWRO) in the United Kingdom, a foundation that focuses on the need for culturally specific support, advocacy, and counseling for women from the Middle East and Afghanistan. With a role model like that, we’re sure that Syema will bring great compassion and purpose to her C4C project.

Jezreelyn Bulaklak is a senior at the University of Guam, studying Chemistry & Biology. She recently won a scholarship for her perfect 4.0 GPA, and will likely head off to medical school when she graduates. In her free time, Jezreelyn likes to binge-watch movies and TV series, go hiking, or paint her nails. She counts her father as one of her role models – although he didn’t go to college, he worked hard to provide for himself and his family, and has shown her how to be selfless, genuine, funny, and optimistic. We’re sure these traits will serve her well during the C4C program.

Marco Charles is studying Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. When he’s not studying, he spends his time with friends and family, or he can be found reading history books or long-distance running. His role model is Alan Turing, the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. We’re not sure if it will come in handy during C4C, but Marco is good at talking backward – talent that have they that discover one does how?

Sabrina Sears, a senior at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, is studying Computer Science and Computer Information Systems, with a concentration in Cybersecurity. She is a fan of the Harry Potter series and classic Disney movies, and can quote most of them word for word. Outside of Hogwarts, Sabrina might be found crocheting while watching anime. Growing up, she wanted to be a nurse, but she’s moved on from patient care to diagnosing problems with computer systems. This is exactly the kind of magic spell that might come in handy during C4C.

Trelysa Long is a junior at the University of California, Irvine, majoring in International Studies and Economics. One of our few liberal arts majors in C4C, Trelysa is also a musician who played the clarinet, violin, and guitar in high school. As an international studies major, it’s no surprise that travel is one of her favorite pastimes. Trelysa’s favorite destinations have been Austria, Vietnam, and Korea. Naturally, she has set her sights on a career in the foreign service, but first, the challenge of C4C awaits!

Jessica Zhou is a senior studying Computer Science at Washington State University. When she’s not studying, she doesn’t spend much time sitting still – she can be found distance running, trying new recipes, or thrift shopping. When she was younger, Jessica wanted to be an artist, but she has instead mastered the art of internet references, and can share an appropriate meme, blog post, or essay for just about any conversation and context. We’re betting her C4C teammates will find this skill useful when it comes to creating their final presentations.

Zoey Kaneakua is a junior, majoring in Data Science, Analytics & Visualization at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Growing up in Hawai’i, she learned to hula dance as a young girl, and later moved on to jazz and hip-hop dancing in high school. Zoey’s mother was certain that she was going to be a lawyer, and all that subliminal messaging seems to have worked — her goal is now to become an attorney and specialize in family and juvenile justice. When she’s not learning about data analytics or arguing her point of view, Zoey can be found drawing, playing video games, or going to the beach. She definitely has the right combination of skills to make a great C4C participant.

Gabriela Gonzalez is a sophomore at Texas A&M University, where she is studying Construction Science. She even thinks about construction when she’s not in class, researching new and improved building methods like 3D printing. Gabriela’s grandfather has always been her role model. He taught her that with hard work, honesty, and dedication, anything is possible, and this first-generation college student has the motivation to prove it! C4C might throw her a curveball, but we know Gabriela will be ready – her years in color guard gave her super-quick reflexes and great hand-eye coordination.

Ana Alvarez is a senior majoring in Biochemistry at California State University, Los Angeles. Her hobbies include baking — really, isn’t that chemistry in the kitchen? — painting, and spending time with her family. Growing up, Ana was fascinated by figure skating and the strength and agility that the skaters possessed. She’s also the President of the Student Health Advisory Committee at CSULA, so we know she’ll bring her leadership skills and compassion to the C4C Program.

Read about more C4C students

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Melyssa Fratkin, SC20 Communications Chair

Kelly Gaither
SC20 Inclusivity Chair

What does SC do to address inclusivity and diversity at the conference?

When the Inclusivity Committee became an official component of the SC Planning Committee for SC17, there was significant footwork to do. Toni Collis was the first Inclusivity Chair. She brought structure, awareness, and information to the committee and the SC community at large. We started with a call-to-action brought by John West when he was SC16 General Chair – to simply do the math to know our diversity numbers in all aspects of the conference. That initial call-to-action was followed by recognition that diversity and inclusion have many dimensions.

To be successful we had to understand, appreciate, and welcome all of the differences that make each and every one of us unique. Under Toni’s leadership, we worked on issues related to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and providing a welcoming conference for all current and future members of our community. It was her leadership that brought inclusivity to the forefront and made it a part of the SC fabric. Because of that leadership, today, we have the opportunity to purposefully move the needle, ensuring that all members of the SC community embrace the notion that we truly are stronger together. Today, we not only continue the efforts started by Toni, we also look at innovative ways to make a difference, and provide a more inclusive conference experience.

Has SC moved the needle on participation from underrepresented groups?

You have to be willing to ‘play the long game’ to move the needle in a manner that sticks over time. In 2016, SC embraced the first instantiation of Computing4Change–then called Advanced Computing for Social Change. That program, and other versions of it, have introduced hundreds of undergraduates to SC and to supercomputing more broadly. It happened one cohort at a time, with purpose and dedication from a team of people intent on moving the needle. Roughly half of those undergraduates were women, and some of the most diverse group of students I have seen come through programs like these.

The Students@SC program has done a tremendous job bringing in diverse students from all walks of life, ensuring that their experience with SC is transformative. Women in HPC holds a workshop every year dedicated to inclusivity and fostering diversity in attendees, many of them young and just beginning their careers. The technical program chairs choose their committees intentionally, balancing diversity across a number of dimensions. The committee chairs also look at how to bring new people in to the committee to build an inclusive and diverse conference organization.

Have we moved the needle? It’s too early to pat ourselves on the back and call it a day. We still have so much yet to accomplish to ensure that it will last beyond any one of us. And, with everything that is happening in our world today, it is painfully clear that we have a mountain of work ahead of us if we are going to make a difference. We have to be willing to have tough and potentially uncomfortable conversations, listen to, and engage our entire community if we are to truly be inclusive.

What is the most important new Inclusivity initiative for this year?

One new initiative this year is HPC in the City. SC has always left a large footprint in each and every city we visit. SCinet ensures that we often leave the local fiber networking in a far superior condition than we find it. But our footprint isn’t limited to just technology. Expanding the concept of Computing4Change, not only can we engage the citizens of our host cities to participate in a series of events that expose them to supercomputing and how prevalent these technologies are in their everyday lives, but we can also work side-by-side with them to tackle problems relevant to their communities for which supercomputing technologies are beneficial.

Prior to the conference, we will be hosting hackathons with attendees from the Atlanta area to work on problems relevant to the city and the surrounding communities. It is our hope that this inaugural year for HPC in the City will be just the beginning, leaving a lasting footprint in each city we have the privilege to visit, one that adds greater dimension to our committed pursuit to move the needle and engage all bright minds.

Learn more about inclusivity at SC.

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Kelly Gaither
SC20 Inclusivity Chair

“Me sorprendí al saber que había sido aceptada, porque fue la primera vez que había solicitado” (I was surprised to be accepted as a first-time applicant,) Trujillo said.

However, the news was warmly welcomed and came just when Trujillo needed a boost in positivity, as well as a new challenge. She noted being quite nervous and self-conscious about being an active and productive member on her future team. To ease her mind, Trujillo reached out to her C4C contact who then directed her to a past participant that advised her: “Don’t prepare anything. Just enjoy the ride.”

The camaraderie started as soon as Trujillo arrived at the airport prior to the competition in Denver, when she was greeted by Dawn Hunter, a member of the C4C committee. Trujillo met her roommate at the hotel, and they gathered a bunch of provided treats to host a pizza party in their room.

The next day, the students met their teammates, where Trujillo joined another three members to create “Team 4.” The research subject, “Maternal and Infant Morbidity and Mortality in the U.S.,” also was revealed.

Trujillo found her teammates were fun to work with, and, when it came to data collection, they all had unique perspectives.

“Todos teníamos subtemas que queríamos investigar y analizar individualmente,” (We all had sub-topics that we wanted to research and analyze individually,) she explained. “Yo quería investigar la relación entre la población y la muerte de un feto. Debido a que todos los equipos se quedaron en el mismo hotel, nos reuníamos con los otros equipos durante la noche para juntar nuestra información. Todos los equipos trabajamos juntos y la camaradería fue inmensa. Todos los miembros de los equipos fueron increíblemente partidarios. Nosotros intercambiamos mensajes e ideas más allá de la media noche.” (I wanted to research the correlation between population and fetus death. Since all the teams stayed at the same hotel, we would gather our information with other teams throughout the night. The teams all worked together, the camaraderie was immense, and everyone was incredibly supportive. We would exchange messages and ideas way past midnight.)

Still, despite the active engagement between teams, Trujillo admitted to being a bit “orgullosa” (prideful) when it came to seeking help.

“Yo le seguía diciendo a mis compañeros de equipo, que quería seguir batallando un poco más, aún cuando necesitaba ayuda.” (I kept telling my teammates that I wanted to struggle just a little bit more, even when I needed help) she confided. “Al final, juntamos toda nuestra información e invertimos mucha energía tratando de encontrar una respuesta o solución. El comité nos seguía diciendo que era improbable, pero aun así no nos rendimos. La motivación estudiantil fue increíble, estábamos actuando como superhéroes. ¿Te puedes imaginar a unos superhéroes usando gafas y un par de guantes debido al frío? Pues, es así nos mirábamos durante este reto.” (In the end, all of our research was pooled together. We spent a lot of energy trying to find an answer, or a solution, even though the committee kept telling us it would be improbable. The student motivation was incredible, we were acting like superheroes. Can you imagine seeing superheroes wearing glasses and gloves because of the cold? Well, that was what we looked like during the challenge.)

“Durante este desafió, aprendí mucho acerca de HPC, pero también acerca de mí,” (During this challenge, I learned a lot about HPC but also about myself,) Trujillo continued. “Descubrí que mis debilidades eran las fortalezas de mis compañeros de equipo. Trabajamos muy bien juntos. También descubrí que necesito mejorar mis habilidades de presentación. Noté que no puedo ser muy eficaz bajo presión y debo practicar mis presentaciones mucho antes de la fecha prevista. En relación con la computación, necesito entenderla. La computación es como la política, parece un gran nudo que necesita tiempo para desenredarse. Una de las lecciones más importantes que me llevo de este reto, es que aprendí que recopilar información y encontrar maneras de mejorar las cosas es más productivo que sostener una conversación abierta acerca del tema. Las conversaciones hacen que reaccione emocionalmente y no me ayudan a resolver nada.” (I found that my weaknesses were my co-team members’ strengths. We worked very well together. I also found that I need to work on my presentation skills. I don’t do very well under pressure and noticed that I need to practice a lot before the due date. When it comes to computing, I need to understand it. It is like politics. It looks like a big knotted mess that needs time to be unraveled. I find that collecting information and finding ways to improve things are much more productive than having an open-ended conversation that will make me all emotional and not help fix anything.)

During the Challenge, Trujillo felt comforted by Akli, who was very supportive and gave her the feeling of having “una familia lejos de casa.” (a family away from home.) Trujillo met Akli earlier at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in 2019 and as part of the NASA DIRECT-STEM program.

“Ella [Akli] es una mentora para mí,” (She [Akli] is a mentor for me,) she said. “Ella me inspiró mucho, porque superó adversidades para avanzar y se aseguró de que nosotros supiéramos que los superaríamos también. Me sentí especial, cuando Akli me reconoció en el desafío.” (She is so inspirational. She faced hardships moving forward and made sure we knew that we would overcome them—and she recognized me when she saw me at the challenge.)

Trujillo, who aspires to work in the medical field, quickly understood that she was too emotional to work directly with patients. Because of the C4C experience, she now aims to help in the field from behind the scenes. She hopes to continue her studies to strengthen her computer skills. If she can, Trujillo would like to pursue a doctorate.

“Quiero retribuir a mi comunidad,” (I want to give back to my community,) she added. “Quiero sentarme en la mesa que proporcionará los recursos, para ayudar a prosperar a otros y formar al próximo Einstein. Prefiero hacer esto, en lugar de crear otro parque temático como Walt Disney. Me esfuerzo por formar una comunidad.” (I want to sit at the table that will provide the resources, to help it thrive, and bring up the next Einstein. Instead of creating another theme park like Walt Disney, I strive to make a community.)

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¹XSEDE is one of the sponsors of C4C at SC along with SIGHPC and TACC. Akli also is a co-developer of the C4C program with Kelly Gaither and Rosie Gomez, serves on the SC steering committee, and is an informal advisor to the students during the C4C workshop.

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Christine Baissac-Hayden
SC20 Students@SC Communications Liaison (Easy English 4 All)

Christine Baissac-Hayden created Easy English 4 All, which provides multilingual communication tools for clients from diverse backgrounds in the renewable energy, medical, defense, marine science, and film industries. Easy English 4 All provides English as a Second Language (ESL), French, Spanish and Japanese tutoring from certified native-speaking teachers and organizes international student exchanges with personalized objectives and goals.