Melissa Chen

Year in School
Senior

Major

Research Interests
Interactive Computing

Research Mentor
Prof. Brian Bailey

Research/Engagement Experience
In addition to my research through the CS STARS program, I am also a SPIN intern at NCSA working on using computer vision techniques on satellite and streetview image data of crop fields. I was also previously involved in a project leveraging blackbox RL for heritability prediction as well as the PURE program. In terms of engagement, I am also very actively involved in Women in Computer Science, where I served as an Explorations co-chair (technical committee) in 2020-2021 and a Growth chair (internal and external relations, among other things) in 2021-2022. I am also actively involved in Girls Who Code as a curriculum planning co-lead. Previously, I have also been involved in outreach programs like Hour of Code and Sail.

Interests
I enjoy playing games, cooking, and watching TV.

Project Title
Calibrated Peer Review

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I was introduced to programming early on, but didn't necessarily find it the most interesting thing. However, I realized that CS was more than just programming and it was about solving problems with algorithmic thinking. I was originally interested in applications of CS in biology or medicine, but have since expanded to crop sciences, HCI, and education. I knew that I really enjoyed CS because I could focus on solving a problem using computing for a long period of time, I was always seeking to improve those solutions, and I was really enjoying the whole process.

What social interests matter to me?
I am very passionate about inclusion and equity, especially in computing. I strongly believe that anyone should have the opportunity to try CS and that more people should be introduced to the field and its many applications. However, there are a lot of barriers in the way of achieving this, so I want to be able to make an impact in this space.

What is my most impactful college experience?
I have been very fortunate to have many impactful experiences in college so far, but two really stand out to me. The first is a class I took in Fall 2021 called AI Applications in Education. The class showed me all of the cool ways that AI can be used in the education space. I plan on going to graduate school to continue studying this and related topics. The second is co-directing HackIllinois 2020. Working with my co-director and team taught me so many important soft skills that I find useful on a daily basis.

These are a few of my favorite things!
Music: I am a huge fan of Coldplay and Linkin Park; Food / drink / snack: Sushi, bubble tea, popcorn, ice cream, and anything that involves potatoes; Hobbies: My most recent hobby is finding time to play Pokemon Legends Arceus; Study places: The WCS office (Siebel 1214) is a great place to get work done because it's a really supportive social community; Movie: Your name., any Ghibli movie, or the original Star Wars trilogy

Research Description

Biography
Melissa Chen is a senior studying computer science with a minor in mathematics. Her research interests lie in intelligent and data-based support for education. Currently, she is a SPIN intern at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, where she is working on using computer vision to accurately segment crop field imagery to better estimate crop yields. For CS STARS, she is working with Professor Brian Bailey on calibrating self and peer evaluations across demographics. Melissa is also passionate about teaching and mentorship, and has served as a course assistant for CS 233 Computer Architecture. Outside of academics and research, Melissa is the Growth Chair of Women in Computer Science, where she focuses on inclusivity and member growth for the organization.