All about the data: Meet 2023 PNW graduate Jieying “Jay” Chen

Jieying “Jay” Chen, ’23, is graduating with a bachelor of science degree in Computer Science and a minor in Applied Mathematics from the College of Engineering and Sciences at Purdue University Northwest (PNW).

While in high school, Chen took a computer science class, and not only didn’t like it, she dropped the class. As a Physics major at PNW, she took a statistics class and became interested in data science and programming languages. “I thought it was fun to manipulate data and do math problems,” she says. “That’s when I decided to switch my major to computer science.”

During her time at PNW, Chen was a member of the Computer Science Club and the STARS Computing Corps for Underrepresented Students. She also started a study group on Discord, a social media platform, where she would work through problems from class and conduct midterm and final exam reviews for each of her classes.

The Schererville native took advantage of an opportunity to participate in the summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at Temple University in Philadelphia. After nine weeks of research on the wireless network prediction project, she authored a paper, “Wireless Channel Prediction in Different Locations Using Transfer Learning.” She presented the paper at the National Workshop for REU Research in Networking and Systems in Washington, D.C.

Chen is currently looking for a position as a data scientist or data engineer. Ultimately, she would like to use her knowledge and skills in computer science to help improve people’s lives.

How do you think your involvement in campus organizations and activities helped define your success at PNW?

“I was really introverted when I started at PNW. Being involved helped me learn teamwork and how to communicate with different groups of people. I gained the confidence to start taking on leadership roles in group projects, where I learned how to assign roles and motivate people. I think the major takeaway would be lessons in interpersonal communication and relationships – the soft skills that aren’t taught in the classroom. I also learned study/work–life balance and time management skills. Overall, it gave me a very good foundation to succeed in the future.”

What did you like most about PNW?

“The people. The staff are always so attentive to students’ needs. There’s also a close relationship between the faculty and the students. If you need help, you can just reach out, and they’ll respond. They really care about your success.”

What words of advice would you share with prospective students looking to attend PNW?

“Pay attention to yourself and the things that truly make you happy. Explore the world and yourself.”

Was there anyone at PNW who inspired or encouraged you along the way?

Shuhui Grace Yang

department chair, Computer Science

“She encouraged me to take leadership roles and (to pursue) the REU research opportunity. She truly cares about students and is always welcoming to anyone who needs help or advice. I think she’s really amazing.”

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