What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?
After graduating, I worked in Dortmund, Germany as a Fulbright ETA, primarily teaching English as a second language, supporting German language learning, coaching a lacrosse team, and engaging students in art and sports activities, including a ski trip to the Italian Alps. The following year, I worked in Berlin as a research fellow on Project NOHATE, applying methods from my senior thesis in a German-speaking and culturally immersive environment. I then pursued a master’s in computational social science at the University of Chicago, focusing on improving my technical abilities in natural language processing while still working on socially impactful projects. I now work as a software engineer at UpContent, a content discovery and recommendation platform specializing in machine learning and natural language processing.
Why German?
I studied German because I had taken it in high school and was proficient, though nervous, when I arrived at Bowdoin. Professor Jens Klenner encouraged me to take my first upper-level German course during my first semester, a small, immersive seminar where I was able to speak German with proficient classmates. That experience boosted my academic confidence and gave me the courage to engage deeply with language and culture. I eventually pursued majors in German and mathematics/computer science, which allowed me to combine analytical and computational skills with literary and cultural analysis. For my senior thesis, I applied natural language processing techniques to a corpus of German newspaper articles, bridging both fields. Studying German taught me to take risks, embrace challenges, and persist, which has shaped both my academic and professional journey.
Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?
My first-year seminar, How to Read A Million Books with Professor Crystal Hall, introduced me to computational text analysis. Birgit Tautz served as my advisor from day one and provided guidance and support throughout my four years at Bowdoin. Studying abroad in Berlin was also transformative, giving me an immersive experience with German language, culture, and history, which reinforced both my academic confidence and my global perspective.
What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?
Be academically empowered and embrace courses that trigger your creativity, especially if they are outside your major. I also suggest letting go of the idea of a “dream job.” It can be helpful to focus on fields or types of work that interest you, but stay open to exploring different opportunities. Life and careers are iterative, and experimenting with different roles helps you learn what you enjoy and what you don’t. Staying curious and inspired will guide you toward meaningful opportunities, even if they come unexpectedly.