Peer Concentration Advisors (PCAs) serve as peer advisors for current CS concentrators and pre-concentrators, providing a valuable perspective and helping students to discover additional resources and opportunities. Students can reach out to meet with PCAs with similar academic, career, or extracurricular interests.
Coming soon: More information about the initiatives and programs run by the PCAs…
For more information, including if you would like to find and meet with a PCA that would be a good match for your interests or concerns, and if you are interested in being a PCA, please reach out to the PCA Co-Captains, Nicole Jarmula and Rachel Kang, through the email address cs-pca@seas.harvard.edu.
You can view the profiles of former PCAs here.
Class of 2021, lives in Winthrop. From Chicago, IL.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-j-0271b2132/
nvjarmula@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m willing to throw myself into anything, but I’m most interested in HCI and AI. I also love the intersection of tech and government, which became a solidified passion after interning with DHS after freshman summer. In terms of CS extracurriculars, I am a part of Harvard College Cyber Club, Hack Harvard, and used to be in a lot of conference-planning groups. I will be studying abroad spring 2020, so I’m happy to talk about planning for that in advance as well. My other summer experience was a DevOps internship at CCC - if you want to talk about going to an internship literally knowing nothing about what you’re working on beforehand, I am your new expert :)
Other Interests: I’m an undergraduate fellow at the Derek Bok Center Learning Lab. Outside of (and technically at) school, I’m a huge foreign language nerd!
Class of 2020, lives in Lowell. From Syosset, NY.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kang-0b5584141/
rachel_kang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’ve always been super interested in computer science for how applicable it is to everything, and hope one day to help others with everything I learn! I enjoy front-end web development, data visualization, mobile app development, and other user-oriented technologies - but really, I’m still learning / trying to figure it all out :) One of the most spontaneous decisions I ever made was to study abroad at AIT in Budapest, Hungary last spring - but it was also one of the most rewarding experiences ever! I am also very invested in diversity & inclusion and mental health in tech and am always open to talk about how we can make CS more welcoming to all :)
Other Interests: I’m interested in theatre (trying to secondary in TDM!), love love all kinds of music, really enjoy scenic walks and traveling in general, and love meeting new people! I’ve also recently fallen deep into MCU and have been catching up a lot after watching Avengers Endgame :o
Also: Talk to me about study abroad, not loving CS from the get-go, WiCS, interning at Capital One or Cisco, CS171, or literally anything else (related or unrelated to CS)!
Class of 2020, lives in Dunster. From Newport Beach, California.
awendland@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Systems, Networking, Security, basically whatever isn’t math heavy. Currently working on a CS thesis.
Other Interests: Philanthropy Advisory Fellowship (an effective altruism org), Women in Computer Science (go WiCS!)
Also: I took two years off to co-found a medical device startup (we raised $5+ million and ran clinical trials with around 200 patients). I love talking about anything related to entrepreneurship, no matter where in the process you’re at! There’re a lot of resources available to help you out once you know where to look for them, so hit me up ‘cause I’d love to help you figure them out.
Class of 2020, lives in Quincy. From Ashland, MA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-westort-496982123/
awestort@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I study Computer Science with a Neurobiology secondary and so I’m really interested in the intersection between the two and in Bio-tech in general. Most of my CS experience lies with front-end software engineering and Android app development.
Other Interests: Dance, FOOD, Running, Hot Yoga, FOOD. I’m also involved with the Latinas Unidas community, a member of Raise Uganda Now (a non-profit supporting an orphanage in Uganda), a Director for Women in Business’s Career Expeditions Committee, and a dancer for the Expressions Hip-Hop Dance Company.
Also: Talk to me about interning abroad (Madrid is AmAzING), working at Facebook, balancing classes with everything else, your life crises - literally anything !!
Class of 2022, lives in Eliot. From San Jose, CA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayjin/
amy_jin@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m interested in AI, computer vision, bioinformatics, web and app development, CS for social good, tech ethics, entrepreneurship
Other Interests: I’m pursuing a secondary in statistics. I love dancing and hiking, and on campus, I’m involved with HCCG, WiCS, and AADT.
Also: Happy to talk about working in industry, doing research, effective altruism, music, or anything else! Feel free to reach out - always happy to help!
Class of 2022, lives in Mather. From Waltham, Massachusetts.
bennychang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Software Development, Data Science, Education (TF for CS50). Just the usual.
Other Interests: Comedy, teaching, art, music, and film! Bring any of these up and I’ll blabber on for hours!
Also: As a first generation low income student, I understand the struggle of having to figure your way around and finding your place at Harvard. Feel free to send me an email about any concerns you have about being here or even to just chat!
Class of 2020, lives in Winthrop. From New York, NY.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-kerner-2b0211166/
cmkerner@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m a joint concentrator in CS + Philosophy, and my primary CS interests are at the intersection of CS and Economics. Also interested in law for algorithms, ethics of AI, crypto-currencies, data science, and backend web design.
Other Interests: My secondary is in Economics. I have been on the WiCS board for three years and been involved with the SEAS DIB Committee for two. I’m on the Harvard Sailing Team, but also love running and bouldering (always looking for climbing friends!).
Also: Talk to me about being a student athlete, joint concentrations, interdisciplinary work in CS, applying to/deciding between tech internships in big tech vs finance, WiCS! More than happy to chat - feel free to email/FB message me :)
Class of 2022, lives in Dunster. From San Jose, CA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-yeo/
cyeo@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: AI / machine learning / natural language processing, the application of CS for education, app development, developer tools, cryptography, cybersecurity, CS + law/ethics
Other Interests: Outside of CS, I’m planning to pursue a Math secondary and like to do creative writing in my free time. I love hackathons and am on the HackHarvard team! I also like reading, calligraphy, swimming, and cheering on the Golden State Warriors.
Also: Happy to also talk about taking an untraditional CS course route (instead of following the usual CS50/51/121/124 path), taking classes at MIT, hackathons, working at Apple, Star Wars + Harry Potter, food, writing/storytelling, and anything else (CS or unrelated)! Can’t wait to meet you :D
Class of 2020, lives in Currier. From Houston, TX.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskjou/
ckjou@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’ve always been super interested in data science, machine learning, cognitively-inspired AI, neuroscience, computer graphics, tech for social good, CS law and ethics
Other Interests: I’m interested in dance, acapella, beatboxing, animation
Also: Talk to me about research, industry, startups in the iLab, WiCS!
Class of 2021, lives in Quincy. From Foster City, CA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyhzhang/
cindyzhang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: CS law and ethics (with an emphasis on privacy), product management, tech for social good
Other Interests: I’m a joint English and CS concentrator and love all things literary. On campus, I’m part of the Radcliffe Choral Society, WiCS, and The Crimson.
Also: Happy to talk about doing a humanities/CS joint, finding internships, working for a startup, all types of classes, balancing recruiting/classes/extracurriculars, books/what to read, or anything else!
Class of 2021, lives in Lowell. From Haskovo, Bulgaria.
d_karev@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: CS x Neuroscience, Machine Learning, Algorithms and Data Structures
Other Interests: Board/Computer games, Languages, TV-series, and Psychology. I also love traveling abroad and exploring different cultures.
Also: Talk to me about TFing, research, finding software engineering internships, pursuing joint concentration, connections between CS and Neuroscience, summer programs abroad, or just about finding your way around Harvard.
Class of 2020, lives in Currier. From Columbia, Maryland.
d_rheingansyoo@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: EconCS, CS Theory, Artificial Intelligence
Other Interests: Getting buckets
Also: I’m co-captain of the Harvard Fencing Team, so I’m always happy to chat about managing a CS workload as an athlete! I’ve worked internships in quantitative finance, so hit me up if you’re interested. I can also talk about doing research on campus, either over the summer or term-time.
Class of 2021, lives in Pfoho. From Cambridge, Mass (but originally from the Midwest, and have also lived on the West Coast and in China).
emilychan@college.harvard.edu
CS interests: It feels like with every class, I just learn how much more of CS there is to explore, but for now my interests are: theoretical CS, cryptography, tech and social good, design, CS x law/ethics, CS education
Other interests: I’m a member of the Mariachi Veritas de Harvard, a volunteer at Harvard Square Homeless Shelter and Small Claims Advisory Service, and a licensed street artist who specializes in portraits (emilychan.carbonmade.com). I love hiking, making music, cooking, creative writing, theatre, and the Great British Baking Show.
Also: I work at the Quad Grille, so come say hi and chat over some food!
Class of 2020, lives in Lowell. From Loveland, OH.
emmarogge@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I am concentrating in Computer Science (Mind Brain Behavior track). I’ve previously interned at Amazon, Twilio and a few other places. Currently, I’m working on my thesis research on neonatal seizure prediction via machine learning.
Other Interests: Lowell House, drinking tea, making things with my sewing machine & Cricut, and attending the opera.
Also:
Class of 2021, lives in Quincy House. From Carmel, Indiana.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayatriabalasubramanian/
https://github.com/gayatribalasubramanian
gayatrib@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Hardware and technology, cloud, defense and government, and applying CS to other fields for modeling and efficiency
Other Interests: Fitness, ethics, Hindu spirituality, and anything that improves lives and livelihoods
Also: Chat with me about switching to CS, being in control of stress, learning to prioritize with a part-time job, sport, and ROTC. Or if you’re also aspiring to do work that merges CS with the public sector.
Class of 2020, lives in Mather. From New York.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gzgracez
gyzhang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Data science, machine learning, systems, CS education - really just love CS!
Other Interests: I really enjoy scootering around campus! I’m also very involved with various CS organizations on campus, including Harvard Computer Society, HackHarvard, WiCS, and WECode, and have done a variety of internships in the past. Definitely feel free to reach out!
Class of 2022, lives in Quincy. From Baku, Azerbaijan.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilkin-bayramli/
https://github.com/ibayramli2001
ibayramli@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m interested in machine learning, data science, web development, product management, and entrepreneurship.
Other Interests: I’m interested in medieval history, economics, statistics, and pure math.
Also: Talk to me about…research @ Harvard, taking pure math courses, cross-registering at MIT, hackathons, getting an internship freshman year.
Class of 2020, lives in Lowell. From Jupiter, Florida.
https://linkedin.com/in/jack-connolly21/
jconnolly@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Data Science, Machine Learning, Computer Vision
Other Interests: Volleyball, Basketball, and basically anything else sports related. I also enjoy fishing, boating, and being on the water.
Also: I’m a member of the Harvard Volleyball team, so I’d love to talk about how to manage a CS course load while playing a varsity sport. (You can do it!) I’ve worked at NextEra Energy (a large power company) and Perceptive Automata (a small autonomous driving startup) and will be working at APT this summer (a medium software company) so I’d be happy to chat about any sort of internship you might be looking for.
Class of 2021, lives in Pfoho. From Alexandria, Virginia.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasedwards/
jedwards@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, privacy, cryptography, and education technology!
Other Interests: Outside of CS, I’m pursuing the Education secondary. I’m involved in the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, Harvard College Faith and Action, and have previously volunteered through PBHA programs as a Y2Y Homeless Shelter supervisor and a mentor for the Franklin Afterschool Enrichment Program (FASE). Outside of Harvard, I also love exploring the Boston area (or DC when I’m close to home) by going to concerts, restaurants, and plays/musicals.
Also: Talk to me about CS research in the Harvard Graduate School for Education, government tech internships, advocating for women and underrepresented minorities in CS, and anything else on your mind!
Class of 2020, lives in Leverett. From Orange County, California.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-gorlinski-b80b9565/
lgorlinski@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Academically, I’m interested in the parallels between computer science models and those other fields, such as economics, cognition, and linguistics. Currently starting research in natural language processing!
Other Interests: Outside of the classroom, I’m interested in politics and the increasing impact of technology on subjects varying from journalism to commerce to the world at large. I also am on the Varstiy Water Polo team here; in my free time, I enjoy running, yoga, and exploring the Boston restaurant scene. I also student teach a decent amount and am TF’ing 121 this fall!
Also: Both my internships have been outside the conventional Silicon Valley software engineering roles–tech at a hedge fund my sophomore year and Data Science at Facebook this past year–so feel free to ask about that. I can also speak to working abroad, balancing varsity athletics and computer science, and student teaching on campus. Less concretely, I can speak to what it feels like to feel like an outsider–I was one of two women on my 25 person team my sophomore summer–and dealing with imposter syndrome.
Class of 2021, lives in Quincy. From Palo Alto, California.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-wang/
https://maggiewang.org/
maggiewang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I love robotics, AI, and systems! I’ve worked on algorithms for autonomous drones at Skydio and smart homes at Google Nest.
Other Interests: I’m a Physics concentrator applying for a Masters in Computer Science through Advanced Standing. I was the Co-Project Manager of the Unmanned Aerial Systems team (now the Harvard College Aeronautics Club) in the robotics club, and I am currently working in a robotics lab at MIT. I am interested in space exploration, geoengineering, and smart cities.
Also: Talk to me about working at a tech startup, research and/or cross-registering at MIT, starting/leading an engineering club or team, or anything else. Please feel free to reach out!
Class of 2021, lives in Currier. From Fremont, CA.
https://linkedin.com/in/manasimaheshwari
mmaheshwari@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m interested in natural language processing, product management, CS + education, tech for social good, and entrepreneurship.
Other Interests: I’m pursuing a secondary in economics. I’m also interested in government and like to dance. On campus, I’m involved with WHRB, HCS, and WECode.
Also: Happy to talk about intro CS courses, finding internships, best places to eat near campus, imposter syndrome and gaining confidence in CS, being a woman in tech, or really anything. Feel free to email me or message me on Facebook! :)
Class of 2021, lives in Leverett House. From Fairfax, Virginia.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-wang/
michelewang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: data science, machine learning, theoretical CS, ~big data~, and applications of CS to any other field (e.g. economics, public policy, humanities).
Other Interests: Academically - I love reading and writing, anything related to businesses or strategy, and moral/political philosophy. Besides PCA, I’m involved in Model Congress and enjoy running and hiking.
Also: I would love to get to know you so feel free to reach out about anything - e.g. thoughts on careers in non-tech industries or non-SWE roles, integrating humanities and social science courses into your schedule, clubs on campus, the Applied Math concentration, and anything else. Feel free to shoot me an email or FB message.
Class of 2021, lives in Cabot. From Columbus, OH.
njohnson@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Machine learning, privacy, cryptography, fairness, interpretability, data science, inference
Other Interests: I love teaching, reading about digital transformation / disruptive technology, and the GHHP secondary. I’m also a trained peer counselor!
Also: Please reach out if you would ever like to chat about and/or share any concerns related to diversity, inclusion, and mental health in CS at Harvard and beyond.
Class of 2020, lives in Leverett. From Rivière-du-Loup, Québec, Canada.
https://www.philippemnoel.com/
philippe_noel@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Within Computer Science, I’m mainly interested about artificial intelligence and intelligent systems, and more specifically with their interactions with the human brain (brain-machine interfaces and the like).
Other Interests: Outside the classroom, I’m involved in the social entrepreneurship community at Harvard as a Cheng Fellow and S&S. I’m also on the badminton club, part of TEDxHarvard and spend my free time playing guitar, poker or swimming!
Class of 2020, lives in Currier House. From Vancouver, Canada.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondrwang/
raymond_wang@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: AI, ML, Marketplaces, IoT, CS x Neuroscience, Synthetic Biology. Currently writing an MBB thesis and have cross-registered regularly at MIT for classes (Course 6, 11, 15, 20), so feel free to chat with me about those as well.
Other Interests: Harvard Model Congress Europe, Harvard China Forum, Marching Band, Technical Theater. Also, I’m a huge transportation buff, so talk to me about aerospace, logistics, and getting a pilot’s license :)
Also: I spent my college summers at Two Sigma Ventures (Seed through Series B investing), Microsoft (PM), and Delta Air Lines (Global Strategy), also spending free time working on side projects with affective computing and marketplace platforms. Happy to chat about industry experiences in Venture Capital, Startups, and Big Tech!
Class of 2020, lives in Currier. From Winchester, MA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhaor
rhao@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: Currently really interested in natural language processing, human computer interaction, the design process/principles, and accessibility, but definitely still actively exploring!
Other Interests: Academically, curious about anything on the intersections of CS, language, and the brain. Extracurricularly, I enjoy a good song, walk, talk, book, or InDesign session, and spend a good amount of time kicking things with friends (Taekwondo).
Also: Happy to talk about exploring interdisciplinary work (joint concentrations, working on a CS+Linguistics thesis right now!), Google internships (front end for EP, language models for SWE), finding meaning/confidence, not feeling super confident with math/quantitative things, mindfulness, or anything on your mind :)
Class of 2021, lives in Dunster. From Los Angeles, CA.
serenadavis@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’m interested in the cognitive aspect of Computer Science-how humans makes choices and how we can translate those choices to tech. This interest has led to curiosity about the intersections of Computer Science and Finance as well as about the ethical implications of big data in the criminal justice system.
Other Interests: Hiking, aerial arts, technical theater, & food!
Also: I transferred to Harvard as a sophomore so happy to discuss that if helpful!
Class of 2020, lives in Leverett. From Dickerson, Maryland.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/suriyak
https://github.com/sardination
skandaswamy@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I’ve always been super interested in… systems, robotics, machine learning, application development, cybersecurity
Other Interests: I’m interested in… long-distance running, IM sports, comedy, soccer, and frisbee
Also: Talk to me about… research, TFing, substituting courses for requirements, starting a SEAS-affliated club, and cross-registering at MIT
Class of 2021, lives in Lowell House. From Ariana, Tunisia.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassimmarrakchi/
https://github.com/wassimmarrakchi
wassim_marrakchi@college.harvard.edu
CS Interests: I am a joint-concentrator in CS and Math interested in Theoretical Computer Science and Computer Ethics.
Other Interests: I’m also interested in Tunisian politics and the field of Science, Technology, and Society. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, reading fantasy and manga, watching TV shows and rom-coms, and eating international food.
Also: Talk to me about anything on your mind… pursuing a joint concentration, including some social science and humanities in your computer science education, figuring out the inner workings of CS education at Harvard and in the U.S., or even planning your summers.