Liz Olson '17
Name: Liz Olson
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Graduated: 2017
Major: Computer Science
Career: Robotics Research
Since graduating in Computer Science from UO in 2017, Liz Olson has pursued her interest in robotics with graduate studies at the University of Michigan. More specifically, she’s been researching perception in robotics or how robots learn from sensory data—how they perceive, comprehend and reason. Now, having almost completed her PhD, Olson has set her sights on academia and industry to continue her robotics research.
Olson left Eugene in 2017 for Ann Arbor, where she completed an M.S.E. in Robotics from Michigan’s School of Engineering. Looking back on her academic career, Olson says, “The UO Computer Science program gave me a strong technical background, while the Clark Honors College helped me improve my writing skills.”
Students pursuing advanced degrees quickly learn how important a well-executed thesis is to accomplishing their career goals. In closing, Olson has appreciative words for the UO faculty who “supported and encouraged me to apply for National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences which I was able to include in my graduate school applications.”
Nathan Koga
Hometown: Beaverton, Oregon
Degree: Computer Science
Career Ambition: To combine computer programming with music
Nathan Koga came to UO thinking he would study music. But a summer project with Oregon Networking Research Group presented Nathan with an intriguing opportunity—a major in computer science. He was interested in the subject matter and soon realized that a computer science major could be combined with other areas of interest. For Nathan, it would be music. It was a win-win.
Nathan switched his major to computer science and has not looked back. He discovered how much he enjoyed the collaborative process, solving problems as a team, and working with data. “Through my research with ONRG, I get to analyze real data on a large scale and discover patterns within UO’s network traffic.” He also helps students to advance their skills in CS classes. “Both areas – data and network traffic analyses—allow me to contribute to the program in a meaningful and rewarding way.“
After graduation, Nathan intends to find a career path that combines his love for music with computer science. “Working for a music platform, like Spotify, or doing research in music and computer science would be interesting.” he says. “Or doing music/sound design for a game development company.”
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