Tag Archives: student programs

Meet the Ph.D. students changing the face of computing

Every day, computer science researchers are working to solve big problems that impact all of our lives — from expanding accessibility in wearable technology to improving the lives of rural farmers through AI. For CS research to explore issues that impact all communities, it’s crucial that the researchers themselves are representative of those communities. However, in 2020, less than 10% of computer science Ph.D. degrees in the United States were awarded to researchers from historically marginalized groups in computing.

As part of our efforts to make CS research careers more accessible, Google Research is continuing our work with the Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI) and the CMD-IT Diversifying LEAdership in the Professoriate (LEAP) Alliance to increase the diversity of Ph.D. graduates in computing. Together, we are providing dissertation awards to support Doctoral students from historically marginalized groups as they complete their Ph.D. requirements. This year, we have six winners: Abel Gomez Rivera, Dhruv Jain, Elsa Tai Ramirez, Matthew Anderson, Rodrigo Augusto Silva Dos Santos, and Saadia Gabriel.

We spoke with two of our 2020 award recipients — Amber Solomon from The Georgia Institute of Technology (Ph.D. ‘21) and Oscar S. Veliz from The University of Texas at El Paso (Ph.D. ‘21) — about their computing research journeys and aspirations for the future.

What inspired your interest in computer science research?

Amber: Computer science has reached a critical point in its evolution. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have made major leaps from ideas in a lab to tools in the palm of people’s hands. This increases the urgency to understand its benefits and potential negative effects. Few disciplines have this level of impact on society. For that reason, it's super important that we have different perspectives in this space.

Oscar: I took a course on Multi-Agent Systems and Game Theory with a professor who later became my advisor. The subject was fascinating, and I dove head first into the latest, cutting-edge research. I felt that this was an area of Artificial Intelligence that had so many possibilities and unanswered questions that I had to get involved.

What were some defining moments in your computer science journey?

Amber: During the second year of my Ph.D. program, I taught introductory programming and human-computer interaction at a private, alternative high school. Students designed and programmed technology to address issues they cared about, including gentrification, racism, and police brutality. They had so many interesting and important things to say. It pushed me to reflect on the impact computer science has on the individual and society, and my role as a researcher.

Oscar: Going to conferences and talking shop with the authors of papers I had read helped put a real person behind the research. Attending research discussions and mentorship panels with senior researchers who looked like me, and shared their similar struggles with me, also struck a chord. I learned that it wasn’t uncommon to feel like an impostor and that I could, and should, seek help.

How has the Google dissertation award impacted your research career path?

Amber: Research from racially and ethnically minoritized researchers often gets ignored or isn’t considered as legitimate as others. So, to win the Google-LEAP Dissertation Award was incredibly validating. It made me feel like my voice mattered and was legitimate.

Oscar: I am quite terrible at giving myself credit. I wouldn’t apply to certain jobs because I believed that I wasn’t good enough. All it took was a mentor who believed in me. After the recognition from Google-CAHSI, I started to build up my confidence and apply to prestigious places. Now, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University.

What are some experiences and/or accomplishments you are most proud of?

Amber: I am the first person in my family to get a Ph.D. It wasn't easy because my family had never been through the process, so they could not understand what I was going through. I'm also proud of how I conducted my dissertation research, which was not typical in my field. I try to learn with and from as many people as possible, including academics, TikTokers, grandmothers, friends, etc. I try to be as willing and open as possible to different perspectives. That made me more open to different methodologies and theoretical frameworks.

Oscar: I was fortunate to do research on AI applications in teaching and learning with college students using a variation on poker. I had just as much fun creating the lesson as I did performing the research. While pursuing my Ph.D., I also became a course instructor and lectured 80-person classes. I was really proud to watch my students master topics that I was teaching. I’m also proud of creating numerical analysis lessons on my YouTube channel.

What advice do you have for others starting their journeys to becoming computer science researchers?

Amber: Remember that your ideas are valid and important. You deserve to take up space.

Oscar: Develop a community of support — whether it’s family, other faculty, or fellow Ph.D. students. You can’t do a Ph.D. alone, no matter what anyone tells you. It is also OK to ask for help, even professional help. It isn’t a sign of weakness, but an indication of self-awareness, with the ability to recognize that change is necessary. That is the hard part.

Read more about our 2021 winners and their dreams for the future below.

  • Side-by-side headshots of Dhruv and Abel. Dhruv is wearing black glasses and smiling at the camera. Abel is wearing a grey and white plaid shirt and looking at the camera.

    Dhruv Jain, University of Washington (left): I will pursue a research position in an academic or industry research lab to advance "sound accessibility." With my new position, I also hope to increase participation of people from underrepresented backgrounds, especially those with disabilities.

    Abel Gomez Rivera, The University of Texas at El Paso (right): Working as a scientific researcher has been my dream since I had my first research-oriented class. Applying my aptitude for research and my passion for educating future generations in an academic setting is my ideal working environment.

  • Side-by-side headshots of Elsa and Matthew. Elsa is wearing a navy blue shirt and black glasses, and is smiling at the camera. Matthew is wearing a grey and white polka dot button-up shirt, grey tie and black blazer, and is smiling at the camera.

    Elsa Tai Ramirez, The University of Texas at El Paso (left): My aspiration is to apply for a faculty position in a software engineering or computer science department. As a faculty member, I would like to continue teaching software engineering and doing research in software requirements and software architecture.

    Matthew Anderson, University of California, Berkeley (right): I view technology, engineering and computing as our way of bending the arc of history, as a tool for making our lives more beautiful in any number of ways. My dream is to change the world with the technology I work on and to see all my not-so-silly childhood ideas of a science-filled future realized ... or to at least have fun working on exciting tech along the way.

  • Side-by-side headshots of Rodrigo and Saadia. Rodrigo is wearing a button-up shirt and black blazer, his arms are crossed, and he is looking at the camera. Saadia is wearing a black shirt, grey blazer, brown headband, brown glasses, and she is smiling at the camera.

    Rodrigo Augusto Silva Dos Santos, The University of Texas at Arlington (left): I look forward to connecting academia and industry through joint research and development projects. This would benefit software engineering and computer science students who join these projects as researchers, allowing them to get much-needed practical experience.

    Saadia Gabriel, University of Washington (right): I am passionate about socially-motivated machine learning (ML), such as algorithmic fairness. I believe that awareness of social issues leads to more responsible and better-designed ML systems. I plan to use my role as a researcher to mentor Natural Language Processing and ML students working on challenging, real-world problems.

What this Cloud Googler learned from the military

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today we spoke with Dennis James, Director of Cloud Customer Experience for the US East Region and a veteran of the United States Army. Dennis talks to us about his time in the military, his transition to Google and why it’s important to keep trying — even if you don’t succeed the first time.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I grew up in Long Island, New York. Both of my parents were educators, and my father was also a volunteer (and eventually Chief) firefighter and paramedic. There was always a strong theme of leadership, academics and service in our household. 

That environment undoubtedly influenced my decision to attend the United States Military Academy — otherwise known as "West Point." Once I got there, I participated in many physical activities while also pursuing my passion for electronics. I majored in electrical engineering and spent most of my downtime tinkering with gadgets at West Point’s computer lab. 

After graduation, I served as an infantry officer in the US Army with the 25th Infantry Division and deployed to Iraq from December 2007 to February 2009. When I returned, I left active duty to become an IT strategy consultant in Washington DC, while also serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the Army Reserves. I attended Columbia Business School two years later, where I was accepted to the Google MBA internship program. I started full time at Google in 2013, and have been here ever since!

What do you do at Google?

I'm on the Google Cloud Customer Experience team, which provides consulting, training, technical account management and support services to our customers and partners. One example of our work that I’m particularly proud of is how we helped the New York City Department of Education support a quick transition to remote teaching and learning with Google Classroom. 

What made you decide to apply to Google?

During my deployment to Iraq, I realized I was ready for a new challenge outside of the military — ideally in the technology world. I started looking through a directory of former service members who now worked at tech companies, and connected with a Naval Academy graduate and Aviator who worked at Google. He shared helpful advice about his own journey, and helped me think about jobs I might like and what skills they required. Through his ongoing coaching and support, he became an important mentor and part of my path to joining Google.

I loved the idea of working at Google, but I hesitated to apply at first. I was worried that I wouldn’t be considered a good fit because of my background, and that it would be hard to convey my experiences to someone outside of the military. It took me a lot of time (and work!) to overcome these feelings. But by continuing to meet with my Google mentor, growing my skills in the military, and earning my MBA, I ultimately built up my confidence to apply for an internship.

Dennis smiling in his military uniform and holding his helmet

Dennis while serving in Iraq

Do you have any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?

Show up with enthusiasm and, most importantly, be yourself. In my case, I embraced my military background and channeled those leadership skills into the business world. And when I reflect on the reasons behind my success at Google, the vast majority tie back to my military experience. 

And finally, don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed at first. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, keep at it.

Dennis and his wife, Tiffany, standing and smiling in front of a Google building, while holding their twins, Gabriella and Mason

Dennis with his wife, Tiffany, and twins, Gabriella and Mason

Google Summer of Code 2021: Results announced!

In 2021, our global online program, Google Summer of Code (GSoC), focused on bringing more student developers into open source for 10 weeks from June to August, concluding yesterday, on August 30th with the final mentor evaluations of their students. We are pleased to announce that 1,205 students from 67 countries have successfully completed this year’s program. There were also 199 open source organizations and over 2,100 mentors, from 75 countries, that took part in the program. Congratulations to all students and mentors who completed GSoC 2021!

The final step of each GSoC program is the student and mentor evaluations.These help us gain valuable insights from our participants about the impact of the program. Here are some results from this year’s evaluations:
  • 96% of students think that GSoC helped their programming skills
  • 99% of students would recommend their GSoC mentors
  • 94% of students will continue working with their GSoC organization
  • 99% of students plan to continue working on open source
  • 36% of students said GSoC has already helped them get a job or internship
  • 72% of students said they would consider being a mentor
  • 88% of students said they would apply to GSoC again
Evaluations also give students and mentors the opportunity to give suggestions to GSoC program administrators. In past evaluations, a number of students have requested a ‘Student Summit’ in order to help connect their GSoC experience with the wider open source community.

We’re proud to announce that this year we held our first GSoC Student Summit on August 27th. Over 275 students attended the virtual summit! The goal of the Student Summit was to inspire and inform our 2021 students. We included talks from Googlers, GSoC mentors and former students who shared their personal and professional path to GSoC and open source. Students were also able to ask the presenters questions and even participate in trivia games to win prizes! More importantly, the summit was a place and time where students from around the world could come together and celebrate their GSoC accomplishments. Inspired by what they learned from the summit, the students know that while their GSoC time has ended their open source journey has just begun.

By Romina Vicente, Project Coordinator for the Google Open Source Programs Office

Persistence paid off for intern James Frater

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today we spoke with James Frater, a business intern working virtually in London. Learn how James’s passion for equitable solutions and love of learning brought him to Google.

What do you do at Google?

I am a Business Development Representative Intern for Google Cloud working in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. In the role, I help leaders within organizations to work through their specific pain points and match them up with the arsenal of specific solutions that Google has to meet their needs. 

I am fortunate to be in one of the most supportive and encouraging teams I have ever had the pleasure of working in. It means that everyday when I wake up, I look forward to coming to work because I know that irrespective of the challenges that lie ahead, I have a team that will support me.

What made you decide to apply to Google?

My decision to apply to Google was simple. I wanted to be somewhere that allowed me to build sustainable and scalable tech solutions that measurably improved the lives of the people that needed the most help. In particular, a long term goal of mine is to make sure that everyone in the Caribbean has access to good healthcare, education and technology that makes their lives easier. Google is a positive and transformative vehicle that serves the needs of billions of people. I wanted to be a part of that.

I had applied to Google before; this was the third year in a row, in fact! I was really determined to get in because I knew what a great opportunity this was and I really believe I had what it took to be a Googler. I was fortunate enough to attend a Google Black talent event in 2020 and I was able to get some really great advice about applications. For example, in the interview it’s less about arriving at the right answer and more about the thought process. Being able to ask clarifying questions, especially when you’re not sure, will impress your interviewer. It was definitely third time lucky for me!

How would you describe your path to Google?

My path to my current role was… unconventional to say the least. I am a medical student, who has completed a management degree and also dabbles in efforts to reduce inequitable access to opportunities. I have completed internships in insurance, professional services, education and technology.

A picture of James Frater smiling

James Frater

What’s something you’re working on outside your internship?

I am very passionate about the structural challenges that a lot of underrepresented groups face, so I work to make access to institutions (primarily educational) more equitable. I co-founded The Ladder Project CIC which is a social enterprise that helps to holistically develop young people through a series of online and in-person workshops. Our mission is to ensure that all students leaving school are equipped with the skills required to succeed in the world of work and in higher education. Having projects and interests outside of my internship is something that has been encouraged, so it really gives me the confidence to bring my whole self to work.

What’s one thing you wish you could go back and tell yourself before applying?

"Relax!" is probably the main thing but some more practical things are:

  1. Qualify everything you say on your CV/resume. Put numbers and percentages, talk about the impact your work had and its significance in context.

  2. In interviews, it is okay — and encouraged — to talk through your thinking, especially when you are not sure.

  3. Enjoy the process.

Any tips for aspiring Googlers?

Start creating solutions that help people. You don't have to wait until you get into a role to start doing things you are passionate about. I started doing talks and workshops for young people. From that, I co-founded The Ladder Project to help even more young people. It will also make your application stand out if you are able to demonstrate that level of initiative.

Google Summer of Code 2021: Mentor Stats

The global, online program, Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2021, kicked off in May when 1,289 student developers were paired with mentors from 199 open source organizations to work on a programming project for 10 weeks.

This year we have 2,143 mentors assigned to student projects. Our mentors represent 75 countries from around the world and are a mix of past GSoC students, former Google Code-in mentors, long-time mentors and of course, new mentors.

Google Summer of Code logo

Here are more mentor statistics to check out.

Top 10 countries with the most mentors in 2021 are:

Country

Mentors

United States

554

India

302

Germany

185

United Kingdom

152

France

93

Spain

72

Switzerland

62

Canada

61

Russian Federation

49

Australia

45

  • Mentors who have participated in GSoC for 10 or more years: 80 (4%)
  • Mentors who have been a part of GSoC for 5 years or more: 211 (10%)
  • Mentors that are former GSoC students: 530 (25%)
  • Mentors that have also been involved in the Google Code-in program: 343 (16%)
  • First time GSoC mentors: 294 (14%)
Before coding began, students and mentors were introduced during the community bonding period. Together they spent a month planning their projects and milestones while students also learned about their mentor organization. During the program students gain real world experience, make connections in their newfound community, and create code that is beneficial to all. After the program ends some students decide to become mentors themselves or continue to contribute to their GSoC organization, while some blaze their own open source path. By sharing their experiences and know-how with their students, our awesome mentors represent the many possibilities within open source and in turn, continue to help build a healthy, diverse open source community.

A big ‘thank you’ to all our dedicated and enthusiastic GSoC mentors who continue to inspire our students year after year!

By Romina Vicente, Project Coordinator for the Google Open Source Programs Office

Google interns take on 2021

When I applied to be an intern at Google, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. But I knew what I was hoping for: a collaborative culture, to work on interesting new technology, and, of course, one of those colorful propeller hats. 

Still, I had no idea what part of the company I should work in, and I was worried about completing an entire internship remotely from my bedroom. I eventually was placed on the Global Communications and Public Affairs team — a specialty that was new to me. All my anxieties disintegrated when I met the Googlers who guided me through the internship process. I was welcomed onto a team that didn’t expect me to have everything figured out. They just wanted to support me.

During my internship, I’ve been encouraged to ask questions and given the resources to explore what interests me. Google is focused on continuous learning, and its internships are no exception. I may spend my morning interviewing a team lead about a product launch, followed by a coffee chat to learn about new Search features, and finish my day strategizing for this blog post. 

But my favorite part of my internship has been connecting with Googlers from all over the world and helping share their stories. This year, Google’s 3,500+ interns (who come from more than 400 universities and more than 40 countries) have been collaborating on and leading all kinds of meaningful projects. As we celebrate International Intern Day today, I spoke with a few members of my intern class about the work they’re doing at Google and what they’ve learned so far.

Making a real impact

Woman smiling with Noogler hat

Meet Sarah

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

As a PhD candidate studying human-computer interaction, Sarah is used to designing new ways for people to utilize technology. She has spent her internship researching how a device could be helpful to people with hearing loss who might lipread. As part of her work on the Hearing Accessibility team, she tested a bracelet that can translate audio into tactile vibrations, which can provide an added layer of communication in addition to lipreading. 

New to the area of hearing accessibility, Sarah quickly dove into the existing research, studying sound processing, phonetics and what makes lipreading both difficult and useful. 

“At the start of the internship I built a tool to help people practice with the devices,” Sarah says. “It also lets us run experiments with the devices remotely, and I’ve been really excited by what we’ve been able to learn with this tool over the last few weeks. It’s great to work on something that my teammates as well as our pilot users get value from.”

Work that’s never been done


Man in front of monitor with Noogler hat

Meet Lino

Berlin, Germany

Lino has spent his internship creating a central hub that helps direct Sales teams to relevant support resources and services. When he started, Lino wasn’t told to build a specific product. Instead, Lino’s team explained their problem and supported him while he worked on a solution. Through his project, he’s learned how to thrive in ambiguity.  

“Many of the things we do at Google haven’t been done before,” Lino says. “There’s no manual. It can be challenging to not have a step-by-step guide to follow, but really creating something from the ground up has been a very exciting experience.”

Learning with others

Woman next to monitor wearing a Google shirt

Meet Dana

Los Angeles, California

Throughout her internship, Dana has been working with Google Video Partners to grow a new format for audio ads. She’s partnered with various Google engineers to explore ideas like expanding to new inventory and making ad content more engaging. Did I mention she’s only a little more than half way through her 12-week internship? While working, Dana’s also built relationships with her peers. 

“Working virtually is nudging me to be more intentional about reaching out,” she says. “A highlight for me was when a team member organized a waffle-making event. Imagine 12 people on video call flipping waffles! It just made me so happy.”

Creating new opportunities


Man smiling with Noogler hat

Meet João

São Paulo, Brazil

Balancing two projects, João worked as the technical point of contact for customers at Google Cloud Brazil, and analyzed team productivity at Google using AI. During his internship, he took advantage of Google’s career resources, earning two engineering certificates. The best part is that his time at Google isn’t over: Since João’s internship ended a few weeks ago, he accepted a full-time role.

“I'm very glad that my relationship with Google is only beginning,” João says. “It feels like every single contribution I made as an intern had an impact and it’s great to know there’s even more to come.”


How students built a web app with the potential to help frontline workers

Posted by Erica Hanson, Global Program Manager, Google Developer Student Clubs

Image of Olly and Daniel from GDSC at Wash U.

Image of Olly and Daniel from Google Developer Student Clubs at Wash U.

When Olly Cohen first arrived on campus at Washington University in St. Louis (Wash U), he knew the school was home to many talented and eager developers, just like him. Computer science is one of the most popular majors at Wash U, and graduates often find jobs in the tech industry. With that in mind, Olly was eager to build a community of peers who wanted to take theories learned in the classroom and put them to the test with tangible, real-life projects. So he decided to start his own Google Developer Student Club, a university-based community group for students interested in learning about Google developer technology.

Olly applied to become Google Developer Student Club Lead so he could start his own club with a faculty advisor, host workshops on developer products and platforms, and build projects that would give back to their community.

He didn’t know it at the time, but starting the club would eventually lead him to the most impactful development project of his early career — building a web application with the potential to help front-line healthcare workers in St. Louis, Missouri, during the pandemic.

Growing a community with a mission

The Google Developer Student Club grew quickly. Within the first few months, Olly and the core team signed up 150 members, hosted events with 40 to 60 attendees on average and began working on five different projects. One of the club’s first successful projects, led by Tom Janoski, was building a tool for the visually impaired. The app provides audio translations of visual media like newspapers and sports games.

This success inspired them to focus their projects on social good missions, and in particular helping small businesses in St. Louis. With a clear goal established, the club began to take off, growing to over 250 members managed by 9 core team members. They were soon building 10 different community-focused projects, and attracting the attention of many local leaders, including university officials, professors and organizers.

Building a web app for front-line healthcare workers

As the St. Louis community began to respond to the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, some of the leaders at Wash U wondered if there was a way to digitally track PPE needs from front-line health care staff at Wash U’s medical center. The Dean of McKelvey School of Engineering reached out to Olly Cohen and his friend Daniel Sosebee to see if the Google Developer Student Club could lend a hand.

The request was sweeping: Build a web application that could potentially work for the clinical staff of Wash U’s academic hospital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

So the students got right to work, consulting with Google employees, Wash U computer science professors, an industry software engineer, and an M.D./Ph.D. candidate at the university’s School of Medicine.

With the team assembled, the student developers first created a platform where they could base their solution. Next, they built a simple prototype with a Google Form that linked to Google Sheets, so they could launch a pilot. Lastly, in conjunction with the Google Form, they developed a serverless web application with a form and data portal that could let all staff members easily request new PPE supplies.

In other words, their solution was showing the potential to help medical personnel track PPE shortages in real time digitally, making it easier and faster to identify and gather the resources doctors need right away. A web app built by students poised to make a true difference, now that is what the Google Developer Student Club experience is all about.

Ready to make a difference?

Are you a student who also wants to use technology to make a difference in your community? Click here to learn more about joining or starting a Google Developer Student Club near you.

Mentorship inspires Deyrel Diaz and future researchers

During his undergrad, Deyrel Diaz attended a VR hackathon where he tried out an aircraft training demo. While Deyrel, a computer science (CS) student, had experience with 3D modeling and coding, seeing the results in action was all new. “This was the first time I’d seen the two mediums interact on such an immersive level,” he says. “Seeing how this simulation was used for real world training and research...I wanted to be a part of that.” Today, Deyrel is a PhD student studying Human-Centered Computing at Clemson University with a focus on mixed reality (AR/VR) research. He’s also a graduate of the most recent class of the CS Research Mentorship Program (CSRMP), one initiative by Google Research to support students from historically marginalized groups (HMGs) in computing research pathways. 

Recognizing that the work CS Researchers are doing has broad implications for billions of people across the globe, CSRMP aims to ensure that the community of researchers represents the experiences, perspectives, concerns and creative enthusiasm of all the people of the world, by supporting the pursuit of computing research for undergraduate and graduate students from HMGs through mentorship, peer networking and career exploration.

In June, CSRMP graduated a class of 281 students from 110 universities across the United States and Canada. We spoke with Deyrel to learn more about his experience and plans for his journey in computing research. Here’s what he had to say:

What motivated you to participate in CSRMP?

Through programs and conferences, I learned just how important it is to have representation in the development and design of technology. When I read about CSRMP, I saw the opportunity to not only help expand that community by connecting with other professionals in the field, but to also learn alongside some of the best and brightest students from around the world.

How has CSRMP influenced your research journey?

The pod meetings influenced my journey the most. I was able to build relationships with other phenomenal student researchers and my CSRMP mentor. We discussed the challenges we face while conducting computing research, and we shared lots of helpful tools and resources. These meetings were also a place to find inspiration and motivation, and helped me learn about other career fields, which I might incorporate into my future research.

What are you proudest of?

I’m proudest of winning two national fellowships that will fully fund my PhD studies. The support system my mentors created for me really helped guide me in the right direction, so it’s thanks to this strong mentorship I was able to accomplish this. Plus, having these fellowships gave me the time to take part in programs where I can mentor other up-and-coming underrepresented students and expose them to not only computing research, but graduate school in general.

What advice do you have for students like you who are curious about starting their journeys as researchers in computing?

The field of computer science touches anything and everything, and if there’s something it hasn’t, you could be the person who makes it happen. That said, there’s no reason for you to pursue something you don’t love, so seek out professors, hack-a-thons, demos or certificate programs to learn more about different fields and how you can use them in personal projects. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do, just start tinkering and create something you’d have fun using.


Congratulations to all of the students who graduated from the CS Research Mentorship Program in the first half of 2021! We look forward to supporting future students who are taking computing research by storm like Deyrel Diaz. Applications are now open for the September 2021 mentorship cycle – apply by July 28, 2021.


How competing unlocked this intern’s coding passion

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today we spoke with Livia Seibert, a software engineer intern working virtually in Pennsylvania. Find out how a fun coding competition with her dad led her to becoming an intern at Google.

What do you do at Google?

I’m a software engineering intern. I’m working on a command line tool that automates the creation of experiments to make it safer, easier and faster for engineers to try out new changes. I like my project because I’m able to have a positive impact on other engineers by helping to speed up their workflow.

What made you decide to apply to Google?

At the beginning of my sophomore year of college, I decided to apply to software engineering internships for the first time. I had taken classes the summer before, but I did not have any internship experience at that point. Many internships I saw listed at other companies only took junior-year interns or were unlikely to consider applicants without experience, so I was really excited when Google talked about the STEP internship during a recruiting visit on campus, and I decided to apply for it.

How would you describe your path to Google?

I was first introduced to computer science when I was 13 because my dad had seen a YouTube video about the importance of coding and the lack of computer science education in schools across the U.S. I was pretty resistant to learning how to code at the time, since I went to a small all-girls school where coding wasn't a super popular course of study. My dad ended up challenging me to see which of us could finish an online Python class fastest, and after a week he had given up on it and I ended up being super interested in the material. I taught myself how to code using online resources throughout middle school, and when I got to high school I was able to take CS classes. Since then, I’ve always known that I want to go into software engineering.

How did the application and interview process go for you?

I applied to Google directly. I was very nervous about the technical interview process because it was completely new to me, but it ended up being a much less stressful experience than I had anticipated. The engineers who conducted my interviews were incredibly kind and supportive, and each interview felt more like a conversation than the interrogation I was expecting.

What’s one thing you wish you could go back and tell yourself before applying?

One thing I wish I could go back and tell myself before applying is to have more confidence. I think that it’s easy to get intimidated by the large number of very talented people that apply to Google every year, and to experience imposter syndrome even once you’ve gotten the job. Instead, it’s important to focus on your own accomplishments and avoid comparing yourself to others.

Complete the following: “I [choose one: code/create/design/build] for…”

Inclusivity. As a woman in tech, I value making sure that underrepresented groups are able to have their voices heard in order to create tech that works for everyone.

Photo of Livia Seibert

Livia Seibert

Google Summer of Code 2021: Student Stats

Google Summer of Code logo

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a global program focused on bringing more student developers into open source software development. On June 7th of this year, 1,286 students started their 10-week programming projects, entirely online, with 199 open source organizations. For the 2021 program, these 1,286 students joined from 69 countries across the globe, including our first student from Zambia! With the 17th year of GSoC underway, we’d like to share some program statistics about the accepted students involved in this year’s program.

Accepted Students

  • 91% are participating in their first GSoC
  • 76% are first time applicants to GSoC
  • 79% participated in open source before GSoC 2021

Degrees

  • 70% are computer science majors, 3% are Mathematics majors, 2% Physics majors, and 25% are other majors including many from engineering fields like Mechanical, Electrical, Bio, Environmental, Civil and Chemical
  • Students are studying in a variety of fields including Oceanography, Finance, Linguistics, Neuroscience, Statistics, Renewable Energy, Robotics, Geography and Digital Design

Schools / Secondary Academic Programs

GSoC participants come from 613 schools/programs that represent countries from around the world like Albania, Australia, Bolivia, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, The United Kingdom, The United States, and Vietnam just to name a few.

All 12 schools with the most accepted students for GSoC 2021 are from India:
 

School

# of accepted students

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

33

Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi

23

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Goa

21

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani

18

National Institute Of Technology, Hamirpur

18

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

17

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

17

National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal

17

International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad

15

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

13

Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi

12

Vellore Institute of Technology

12

We’re excited for all our GSoC participants as they partner with their mentors and organizations for a summer of coding and community!

Next month we’ll share more 2021 Google Summer of Code statistics, but this time, the focus will be on our amazing mentors. Stay tuned!

By Romina Vicente, Project Coordinator, Google Open Source Programs Office