Uzair Siddiqui

Year in School
Sophomore

Major

Research Interests

Research Mentor

Research/Engagement Experience

Interests

Project Title

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I have always been around computers since I was young. I did a lot of block coding when I was in grade school, and I enjoyed it a lot. High school introduced me to some basic python coding, and learning a new language was very enjoyable. Being able to code something that other people would find useful was something I enjoyed, so I decided to try to advance technology to try to help people and ease their lives.

What social interests matter to me?

Why did you choose Illinois?
Illinois is a top school for computer science. Its vast resources and classes that are offered intrigued me. Plus, it was close to home as I preferred not to be too far away from my family.

What are your passions outside of computing?
I enjoy playing video games a lot. During high school, I entered tournaments for different video games and won money off of those tournaments. I also played volleyball for my high school varsity team.

What has been one of your favorite experiences at Illinois that you would like to share with prospective students? (For Continuing UIUC Students)
One of my favorite experiences at Illinois is definitely going to the ARC to play volleyball or workout. It helps take my mind off the stress of some of my harder computer science courses.

What has been one of your favorite experiences as a CS STAR? (For Returning CS STARS)

What is my most impactful college experience?

These are a few of my favorite things!
I love trying to solve puzzles. This got me into solving Rubik's cubes, and I learned how to solve many different types of cubes, some of them being 3x3x3, 4x4x4, and 5x5x5. I also like hanging out with friends and trying new foods.

Research Description

Biography
I was born and raised in Chicago. I am a current undergraduate computer science student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My academic interests include artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with a focus on understanding how technology can be implemented into different fields. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing competitive volleyball and video games. I am motivated by continuous learning and aim to develop technical solutions that can help other people.