Global Ambassador: Israa Al-Qassem

Israa graduated from Purdue with a PhD in Computer Science. During her time at Purdue, she studied data mining and machine learning. In short, machine learning encompasses a variety of activities meant to teach computers to think and learn beyond their initial programming. In particular, Israa was trying to make your email inbox more intuitive. She was working to develop an algorithm that will predict which emails you will reply to based on your past behavior, and then prioritize your inbox accordingly.

Read more about Israa's experience in graduate school below. Please note: Israa provided these answers while she was still a graduate student at Purdue.

Ambassador Q & A (Questions and Answers)

Israa Alqassem

Why did you choose Purdue?

Diversity plus as excellent education

Career goal?

I want to be a data scientist.

Favorite fact about Purdue?

It’s located in a peaceful town.

How do you recharge physically and/or mentally?

Getting enough sleep, taking a long walk, going on a road trip.

What’s your best time-saving shortcut or life hack?

I prepare a to-do list before going to sleep.

What apps, software, or tools can't you live without?

WhatsApp and Skype

What's your workspace setup like?

I have a home office with a standing desk.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I'm old fashioned. I always prefer paper and pen.

What are you currently reading, or what is the last thing you read (aside from academic reading)?

The Little Prince

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Believe in yourself.

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