The research opportunity of a lifetime
When Olivia Schutz BS’25 heard about an opportunity to travel to Mexico with Willamette faculty and students to verify one of Einstein’s most famous theories, she only had one hesitation: she wasn’t a Physics major.
At many universities, the chance to participate in exciting astrophysics research while traveling abroad to observe a rare total solar eclipse would be limited to students from the Physics department. Luckily for Olivia, at Willamette, the double major in Computer Science and Data Science was able to join the trip, under the supervision of Clinical Associate Professor of Computer Science Jed Rembold and Associate Professor of Physics Daniel Borrero.
“This was my first research experience, and it was an incredible opportunity to explore a field outside of the scope of computer science or data science,” Olivia says.
Discovering data science
Olivia came to Willamette knowing she wanted to study computer science, but was less familiar with data science. A course with Albaugh Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science Heather Kitada Smalley helped her fall in love with the subject, which soon became her second major.
“Willamette gave me the space to explore my interests and grow into a well-rounded person who is ready to take the next step,” Olivia says. “Doing research with professors has helped me build confidence in my research skills and my ability to succeed in graduate school.”
Through Willamette’s Science Collaborative Research Program, which pairs students and faculty on summer research projects, Olivia was able to work with Kitada Smalley on a project studying language barriers to data collection in the American Community Survey.
Olivia also gained teaching and mentorship experiences working as a section leader for an introductory computer science course and tutoring her fellow students of all majors in computer science at the Center for Quantitative Understanding, Analysis, and Design.
“The opportunity for undergraduate students to teach a small section of the class, going over problems that will help with the homework and projects, is not a common experience at larger schools,” Olivia says.
“The close-knit community here at Willamette provides a lot of research and work opportunities that larger schools would not.”
Sharing a passion for research
Now she’s ready for her next adventure: pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, where she can share her passion for research with her students as a graduate teaching assistant. When she goes to graduate school, she’ll take fond memories of Willamette’s community with her.
“My time at Willamette has helped shape me into someone who is ready to push through challenges but not afraid to ask for help,” Olivia says. “To me, the Willamette motto, ‘Not unto ourselves alone are we born,’ means that we are here to make a difference in the world — not just for ourselves but for the community as a whole. Our purpose is not to keep our skills and knowledge to ourselves, but to share it with others.”
What were some of the highlights of your time at Willamette?
- Serving as a section leader for CS 151 since my second year
- Taking part in the Science Collaborative Research Program with Professor Heather Kitada Smalley
- Taking part in the Modern Eddington Experiment
- Serving as president of STEM GEMS for the last two years
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