By Julia Renner

Brittany Chiang, a junior information science major in the College of Computer and Information Science, carved out her own path at Northeastern, blending the technical aspects of computer science with an interest in design and the human experience with technology.

Chiang took on the challenge of coming into information science with no coding experience prior to college. It was a steep learning curve, she says, getting acclimated to the environment of college classes and getting caught up on the fundamentals of computer science. She enjoyed her classes, though, she says, pointing particularly to web development and human-computer interactions, for which she later served as a teaching assistant.

It was the field of human-computer interactions that drew her in, she says, and she chose to concentrate in that area, “which focuses on the user experience people have with technology,” she explains. “I was interested in some of the information science courses, so with a concentration in human-computer interactions, I was able to take all of the computer science classes I was interested in, and also information science courses.” For her concentration she took courses in psychology and cognition to her repertoire, which she says she enjoyed because they had an additional aspect beyond coding. Chiang added a minor in interactive design, which she says paired well with the field of human-computer interactions. “I’m interested in both the technical and design side of things,” she says, “so I thought that was a good fit.”

She expanded on her academic experiences with extensive extracurricular involvement. Since her freshman year, she’s been part of NU Women in Tech (NUWiT), and this past year she served as the president. NUWiT functions as a place for female students in the fields of computer and information science to learn about different tech topics through tech talks and workshops given by different Boston companies, as well as “a more low-key place to hang out and get to know everyone.” Chiang is dedicated to helping close the gender gap in computer science, and sees her involvement in NUWiT as a concrete way to do so. “It’s really important to have a diverse population of people in the technology field,” she says. Chiang has also built on her interest in design, pursued through her interactive media minor, by serving as a developer for a studio team at SCOUT, the student-led design studio associated with the College of Arts, Media and Design.

Chiang completed two co-ops, the first at advertising agency Mull and Lowe, doing web development for clients. She did her second co-op at a startup called Starry, doing full-stack software engineering. This fall she will be completing a co-op with Apple.

After Chiang’s graduation in 2018, she plans to stay in Boston and take advantage of the vibrant tech scene and the connections she’s established through her co-ops and the Northeastern community. “Both experiences were really great, and I would definitely do them over again,” she says of her co-ops. “I’ve put down roots here.”