Memorial University's Computer Science Societies Fall 2020 Election

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

With everything that is going on in the world, we see a need for different ways to connect with our fellow students. Since there will not be in-person classes, this will be a lot of people's only option to engage with other students and make friendships. Making friendships at a distance can be very important for first-year international students who may not know anybody in their classes. There should be an increase in online events to help people socialize and maybe first-year specific events also. The computer science society also can potentially help launch a broader MUN discord with the bots that already exist that could help students connect in every faculty. I suppose what I am trying to say is that there are many options with what the society can do this semester. I would like to be a part of creating a better community for all students with the current circumstances in any way I can.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I started MUN in 2018-2019 winter semester and have been perusing CS since I started. The base of CS too me is problem solving, and I have always found that intriguing. What makes CS even more interesting is all of the applications that is has in the real world with the ever more reliance on computers, CS teaches you a lot of the tools you need to tackle problems for yourself and generate solutions.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I would like to get to know other computer science students and help foster a sense of community in the department. Also, I was on the executive for my student council and robotics team in high school, so I have experience with this sort of work.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

This is my first year of university and comp sci. I intend to do a joint economics - comp sci major. My interests lie in AI development, economic modelling, and virtual economies (such as in MMORPGs).

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I would like to contribute to the CS society as much as I can. I would like to connect with the fellow CS students and the faculty members. I am excited to work for the development of our community and have several years of CS professional experience. Even though I’m new to the program, I am quite familiar with the department. Also, it would be nice to have someone from Masters program getting involved with the community. As an executive, I would be trying my best to connect with other programs at MUN and encourage them to learn more about the beautiful field of Computer Science. Ask anyone that know me about what one of my biggest strengths is? They will all say connecting with people. That singular attribute is required to be an excellent executive.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been in CS field for a longer period of time than I could remember. I first learned to code when I was 14 in school where they taught us LOGO programming language. As a young kid growing up, I didn't get a laptop until high school. I have always been enamored with the computing ability of computers and how a set of if/else and for loops can create a program that can even challenge the phenomenon that created it. What about CS interest me? It would be hard to answer as there isn't anything about CS that I don't like. If I'm really pressed to answer if there is something that I don't like about CS, then I would say not promoting and creating the awareness of our field, which is why I'm running for this position.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

Executive Assistance: I have previous experience as an executive member for the student council at Northern College (Timmins, ON) from 2016-2017. During my time as an executive I had shared responsibility with the rest of the council. A normal week would include keeping the financial books in-check, meeting with student advisers to help resolve on-going student conflicts, checking-in with facilities to ensure the council had the required furniture for upcoming events, be on the phone with suppliers for inventory management, and help run a "pub night" at the end of the week to ensure the students had the opportunity to let off some steam in a safe, controlled environment. I never missed a council meeting and ensured that the minutes were well documented and available for public viewing as soon as possible. I am confident in my ability to communicate with the executive board, members of the society, MUN Faculty, and outside suppliers. I am also comfortable with bringing forth any issues or concerns to the executive board without hesitation. Treasurer: I am currently pursuing the BSc. Joint Major in Computer Science and Economics. I am comfortable with money management and know the importance of budget planning, regulated spending, and oversight. I have previous experience helping the Treasury Officer on the student council at Northern College. I have helped organise receipts, organise sponsorship with local companies, plan budgets for upcoming semesters, and was a signing authority for the account. I also helped draft oversight amendments to the council constitution to reduce the risk that student money would be spent inappropriately. Representative-at-Large: During my time at Northern College I had the privilege of representing the student body. I had multiple meetings with College faculty during my time for a variety of issues. I have am confident in my ability to listen to students and understand their issues, problems, or be someone to vent to. I am also confident in my ability to bring student issues to MUN faculty in a non-confrontational way. I am also prepared to draft and present reports of student issues to the CompSci Society board in such detail that all concerns are addressed clearly and anonymity is preserved.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been taking computer science courses at MUN since September 2019. I was accepted into the Computer Science Smart Systems major during the summer of 2020. Prior coming to Memorial, I was employed an an Electrical Apprentice doing <600V electrical and instrumentation installation and maintenance. I found myself craving more knowledge in how systems were run from a technical standpoint rather than the physical installation standpoint. In 2019 I applied to Memorial University for Computer Science to continue to pursue my desire for knowledge and have experienced no regrets.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I am interested in becoming an executive because I like helping other CS students and building their confidence. I have been active in the CS Discord helping other students with any questions about the CICS program, and have been helping many students in private with this as well. It really helped them to hear from a student that has experience with the program, so I was really glad to be able to help them out and help them feel more confident in themselves and their abilities. Being able to help students with even more issues by being an executive would be a wonderful opportunity.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been in CS for 3 years, going on 4 years, however I have been at MUN for 4 years going on 5 years. The part of CS that interests me is I like the challenge of fixing problems in code, and i like the rewarding feeling of solving a bug that I spent hours on. I'm not sure what specific field of CS i'm interested in, I joined the CICS to help me find that out.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I believe, a good executive never puts off until tomorrow, what they can get done by today. Hey Guys, I am Bhaskar, standing for the MUNCS elections with all my will and a desire to get elected. Understanding problems and resolving them for people is something I love doing. Analyzing, assisting, and then implementing helps me to always come out with a solution. Experience has ever been known to speak louder. With the experience of the head boy of my school and a CS president in the later years of high school, I feel I stand a chance in this election. I eagerly want to be of help and serve the purpose of being a good executive adhering to the social constitution. One of the most critical skills of an executive is to deliver an optimistic attitude to its audience. Hence, none of the doubts remain unresolved. None of the creative ideas remain unrecognized, and this is something I aim to achieve. I believe that I possess the necessary skills required to become an excellent executive. It's not something I woke up and thought to give a try at but have been under gradual and consistent practice to make myself worthy of. My Preference and why this? (First-year Representative) In these pandemic trying times, it becomes essential to gather the student body together and remain connected. I wish to make the whole process itself as smooth as possible. My ability to help students with their different needs would ensure that any unresolved issues regarding the CS department are brought to society's attention. I will give special attention and be a helping hand to all the first-year CS students with my leadership qualities and organizational skills, which would help define the extents of my boundaries. TL;DR - Lastly, I would just like to end by saying that I am an ordinary individual with just as much of desire to be a part of this representative body as the other worthy opponents but what SETS ME APART and what MAKES ME WORTHY OF such a powerful and responsible position is my zeal to perform, my enthusiasm towards the job and the confidence that I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

Albeit I'm a first year of CS, since when I was a child, I've been fascinated with the word of computing and the infinite possibilities it carries within. I got my first computer when I was 6 years old and it then struck my nature of being curious. I started learning the mechanics behind the plain visual screen of computer we see since a really tender age. I started learning languages from 6th standard and the first language I learnt was Java to create mobile games and later on I learnt Python as well. And then there was no turning back, I made my first computer game when I was in 9th standard. I also learnt data analysis with Pandas and Machine learning with tensor flow. I started to love repairing and fixing up things on my own. It gave me a boost each time I developed a program, or fixed up any error of my device, all this gave me the right motivation to carry on with my day. It was clear to me since then that computer science is my passion.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I have prior experience on the executive and am great helping out.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I'm in my 4th year, and overall I'm fascinated by the solutions software can provide to so many different industries

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

As a female international student, I am able to understand people of minority. I believe this understanding can make me a good candidates for the position I apply in. Becoming an executive sparks my interest because I want to take more roles that can helps building my leadership skill. Moreover, I believe that becoming one of the executive provide me a platform to network and exchange ideas with like minded people.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been in CS for about 2-3 years. I like the idea of making something and seeing it works. CS interest me because I get to work on the things I am interest on, and also helping organisation to solve their problems.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I have always been a really social person and have always loved to be around people. I really want to make new students and international students (being an international student myself) feel more welcome and have someone there to help them when needed. I also want to become exec because I want to be more involved in the CS community and also in the University community. Even if I am just a second year I have had a lot of experience in MUN, from being active in residence, to being part of the international student community in St. John’s, I think I would fit perfectly in any of the positions below. I have lots of ideas that I would love to bring to the table, and I want to make the university experience as fun and enjoyable as it can be for everyone. Also if I am chosen as exec I don’t want this to be my one and only time, but I would want it to stay active in the community. I hope everyone has a great year :)

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been in CS for a year now, and I am going into my second year. I am not declared as a CS major yet because I was taking two courses during the summer, but most of my classes this semester are CS. Computer Science has always been one of my biggest interests, and if I had to choose one thing that made me be more interested in CS it would be how we can make things a lot more practical but at the same time more complex.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I'm interested in becoming an executive member of the Comp Sci Society. When attending post-secondary in Ontario I was the President of my College's Student Association. I'm familiar with the everyday tasks and the added workload of being a volunteer member and am willing to accept that responsibility. What would make me a good executive; Treasurer I have a certificate in Business Fundamentals, and have worked as an accounts payable clerk. I also have experience being a signing authority for organizations such as NCSA and 1st Crowsnest Pass Multi-Unit Branch with Girl Guides of Canada. I'm comfortable with a ledger, and responsible with group funds. What would make me a good executive; Executive Assistant I am comfortable taking meeting minutes and have read through Robert's Rules of order. My certificate in Business Fundamentals included courses in Business Management and Human resources. Most of my friends consider me their secretary because I aid them in keeping their meetings and appointments organized. What would make me a good executive; Event Coordinator I am a bartender certified with Smart Serve (Ontario Certification). I am familiar with serving laws and regulations. While bar-tending at my previous post-secondary institution I was often set to plan themed pub nights to interest students. Coordinating events was also something I was asked to do as Student Association President, from Frosh Week, to Pub Nights, to Mental Health Initiatives. What would make me a good executive; First Year Student Representative I may not have a wide variety of CS experience. I believe I have a wide variety of obscure knowledge, which would make me applicable for any of the 3 choices above. However, I would just be happy to be on the board if you think there is another person more suitable for the roles I'm applying for. In that case, I'd also like to apply to be a First Year Student Representative. So I may gain more experience, and re-apply next election period. Thank you

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

This is my first semester. (I have 15 transfer credits) CS interests me because technology is a huge factor in everyday life.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I'm interested in making socializing off campus as fun as possible. We can create interesting events and activities for faculty to enjoy together remotely.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

This is my third year in CS, and I like all of the collaborative aspects of CS. I enjoy the fulfilling feeling of solving problems with friends and the endless amount of things we can create.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I am a tech enthusiastic person, who wants to build strong relationships with people among the community, I'm a fast learner and my passion for technology makes me try hard to leave no stone unturned, I would love to make myself indulge in any kind of activities which has Tech and people in it. I want to become an executive at MUN to contribute to the university. I'm sure I will place the university's name on the international market, and make it bloody famous for the Computer Science dept. (at least), Currently, MUN needs help on many technology sides of things, so next time I promise there won't be anyone feeling lonely out there, We will reach out to everyone and many fun activities will be on the line! So International Student Representative, First-year Representative are perfect roles for me! I am super excited to socialize with as many friends asap and add value to the university! Because I believe that Networking is the key to everyone's growth.Thanks!

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

Technology has been my passion for a long time now. I am currently in the first year of BSc CS at MUN, I have been coding in C, Java, Python(still a beginner though) and developing websites with the help of JS and CSS for the past 2 years now. Also tried my hand in learning Kotlin which helps me in making Android Applications. The power of computer systems and the very much potential of technology is what makes me inclined towards it, it's a never-ending process of learning and I'm a strong-willed person. I was introduced to computers at a young age, and I would regret every day of my life if I don't try to achieve my super ambitious goal every day! I am always excited about IoT, The mixture of electronics and computers which at the end makes the world a better place to live in!

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I'm going to major in CS with a minor in business administration, and I'm mainly interested managerial and administrative jobs in the future. So, along with helping out multiple students and the CS department in itself, I want to see the community grow and strengthen it's online presence (much improvement is needed as you may already know,if you're aware of CS departments of other similar Universities in Canada),moreover, I'll be spending my next 4 years working, helping, socialising with both my seniors and juniors,so why not go ahead and officially become a major part of the community. It would also provide me some extra experience on how to manage things,which would be very beneficial for my future. Therefore,i am more than happy to be an executive for the department. But how come I'm confident that I'll be good at it? After getting admitted to MUN, I searched for student communities/chat groups with all my heart, to gain some guidance,make friends and to get to know my peers and the programs that are offered in much more depth. Unfortunately,I couldn't find any. So ,along with couple of my newly made friends(soon to be roomates,when the travel opens up again) I set out to groups of our own. We did! People joined! Actually,lots! lots of people joined. But that posed a huge problem, how do we manage them, answer their queries,help them with their visa problems, course, problems,social problems and oh boy,whatnot. I spent a decent amount of time during the past few months building up those communities, watching them grow and becoming a part of the family. Being an admin( in several groups that we've created on whatsapp and discord), I currently look over and manage About 3-4 bigger groups ,one with 170,the other with 80 people and then some smaller groups. Of course later on as these groups grew in size, responsibilities had to be delegated and thankfully they don't take up all of my time now.(feel free to ask me the joining links) We also have a group on disord with over 100 people now that we consistently use for casual talks, advice and for socialising. Dayna vey(from internationalization office) personally emailed me and asked for the links. I know it's pretty long already, but I'd be more than happy to describe the things that I did during highschool like being the president of student council,internships etc. So I'd say although I'm pretty confident,I sti have a lot to learn from the one's that came before me and A lot to give back to those that'll come after me. Feel free to email me.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I just started my 1st year and really looking forward to learning a lot of things, game development is what truly gauges my interest and if not for the executive, administrative positions later in my life,game dev is what I'm really looking forward to. Although at the same time I realise that people change, their tastes change and life goes on. So an interesting life is what I'm looking for, CS seems a great way to jump start it.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I would like to continue my work as Technology Officer and expand upon to create a more interactive online community experience for all CS students in this troubling time.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I have been involved with CS for four years and what interested me the most was the rapid innovation taking place in the field of technology.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

Social interaction is was what really excites me. I have plenty of experience organizing events, being president of student council in my 11th and 12th grade, and also being a team leader (Captain of the robotics team in 11th and 12th grade). Being a good executive means getting work done and at the same time being a good team member, both of which are not new to me. It would be my pleasure being a first year representative or an event coordinator.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

This is my first year at MUN pursuing a major in computer science. My ambitions lie in the art related aspects of computer science, to be more precise, I'm intrigued by animation and the artificial intelligence aspects. I'm really interested in video game development as well.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I am the current Treasurer on the executive, therefore I am interested in maintaining my position. I believe that I am a good executive for several reasons. First off, I have strong organizational skills, which allows me to effectively manage the money of the executive. Secondly, I am committed to my role on the executive. I always attend meetings, help out wherever possible, and help with certain events such as bartending mixers. Finally, I believe I am friendly and get along with just about everybody. This is a valuable trait for an executive member as it allows a strong, positive, and productive environment. I really enjoyed sitting on the executive last winter, and would love to continue doing so in the Fall 2020 semester. Thank you for considering me as Treasurer for the upcoming year and I hope to be able to represent all of my peers as a member of the Executive once again! :)

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I am currently a 4th year computer science student, however I am currently working as a Full Stack Developer at TotaliQ as part of the CICS program offered by the Computer Science Department. Therefore, I will be tentatively graduating in The Winter 2021-2022 semester. I was drawn to CS for several reasons. First, I am a very problem-oriented worker, and at its core computer science is simply problem solving in logical languages. Secondly, I love the flexibility of computer science. Knowing how to program essentially empowers you to build, create, or solve any problem you may have.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I have been the class representative for 8 grades out of 12 in my school, I have also been the school representative (head boy as called in our school) for 2 years as well, I have been the host and organized many school events as well. I am also very popular and friendly among the students and can always manage and lead a team or a group at maximum efficiency. I currently am an admin in various unofficial groups for MUN students on Whatsapp (over 200 members) and Instagram, and am also a Moderator for a Discord Server with more than 120 MUN Students.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

I am a first year student at MUN. I had Computer as a subject in my high school and have been using computers since I was 5. I am planning to pursue a major in computer science because I want to learn more in detail about everything related to computer, it's applications and various programs that run in it. I want to open my own tech company after I complete my degree. If the world will have any real life Tony Stark, trust me it's me ;)

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I'm now on my third year of computer science and while I have made a few significant ties with other cs majors, I feel as relatively small a community we are, there should be greater efforts made to stay connected and together. The vital teaching of knowledge and aid, especially in this time of the pandemic where online discord is primary and facilities like help centres will prove complicated to implement to the best degree, is to be encouraged. Sharing platforms such as discord within the cs community will allow us to thrive in these most trying times and continue to instill the spirit of teamwork so crucial to working in the cs environment. I also plan to use my seat on the constitution to give further reach to first-year students, including international students, who may be having a hard time and help from an older undergrad shows promise and hope.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

Winter of 2020 will officially be my third year. Computer Science challenges my brain in ways I did not expect. Never before in my life would I think I would concern myself with the inner mechanization of a coin-operated dispensary machine. The processes of identifying the coin, categorizing the deposit based on the amount between various possibilities, and deciding on which best output to go with is the kind of brain puzzle that is just so disconcerning of my interests and yet so intricately fascinating that it pleases my soul to have solved it. Computer Science is filled with so many possibilities and alternate universes which one must carefully account for in order to have a working model. We are architects of operations. Speakers of a language so archaic that we reformed it and taught our machines how to sing along to the same song. Designers of an imaginary world that sprouted in our minds. I love being a computer scientist because we get to study the natural world around us and create a mini realm to cater to ourselves.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I'm interested because I love helping out. I'm from Ecuador so I think I would be great for representation, and I would love to make others feel included. I want to be part of the community, support it, and make something I am proud of.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

This is my first year at MUN, so it's my first time studying CS. I am experienced with programming and coding, however. I've taken courses on Unity and have made a few projects. I love technology, computers and the ability to create amazing things with them.

Which position(s) are you interested in?

Why are you interested in becoming an executive? / What would make you a good executive?

I want to be a part of the computer science society, I have been event coordinator before and want to try something different.

How long have you been in CS for? / What about CS interest you?

3 years

Which position(s) are you interested in?