Sarah Rodenbeck
Purdue University

Degrees: B.S. in Computer Science, Minors in Biology and Management

How did the Stamps Scholarship help shape your undergraduate experience?
Stamps has led to some of my favorite memories in college, and the community of Stamps Scholars never fails to inspire me. I have had so many unique experiences thanks to the Stamps Scholarship from studying abroad and attending conferences with my enrichment funds to getting to plan the Purdue Stamps Conference, Igniting Curiosity, in 2016. I also credit the Stamps community for introducing me to what has grown to be one of my biggest passions, digital ethics. A TED talk posted on the Stamps Facebook page by alumna Joy Buolamwini sparked my interest, and this has now grown into my own research, planning the digital ethics thread for SSNC ’19, and has helped inform my future career interest in technology-focused public policy.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your freshman self?
Above all, retain your love of learning and try to live by the idea that nothing is boring if you know enough about it. I credit this for making me open to many new experiences, without which I wouldn’t have discovered some of the most impactful things in my college career, from my research to my passion for CS education. Allow the little things in life to spark new curiosities and don’t be afraid to let your interests evolve.

Who has had the greatest impact on you throughout your college career and how so?
So many people have impacted my college career that it is hard to name just one person. My fellow Stamps scholars have always inspired me with their wide array of passions. I hugely credit my research mentor for pushing me to think more critically. The professor I work for as a teaching assistant has also had a huge impact on me, first by sparking my interest in computer science while I was in his class, and now by supporting my efforts to redesign the labs to aid student learning.

What comes next?
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Scientist at Ford before going into Technology Public Policy