Pooja Nara

Pooja Nara began her college education as a computer science major, but a digital design course led to a switch to computer systems engineering.

Those studies have helped her gain expertise in both computer hardware and software, learn computer programming skills and “truly understand the inner workings of a computer’s architecture and how the code is being processed behind the scenes, even at the transistor-level,” she says.

Nara took advantage of opportunities to expand on that knowledge in projects outside the classroom.

In an internship project, she developed a database system for cryptography data, which involved managing the database backend and implementing a front-end dashboard for users to view the data in what she describes as a “digestible manner.”  

“Studying engineering has made me realize just how much the world depends on engineers, says Nara. “Every piece of technology or equipment has hundreds of minds behind it. Every facet of a design is deliberate, documented, and debated on by several engineers to optimize for whatever solution they are developing.”

“It’s made me appreciate how thoughtful and meticulous engineers must be to create products that are safe and effective,” she adds.

Nara, whose academic prowess earned her ASU’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship Award, is now pursuing a higher degree in robotics and artificial intelligence through the Fulton Schools’ Accelerated Master’s degree program.

“The entire world is electronic and continues to grow in that direction,” she says, emphasizing that what she expects to learn in these advanced studies will expand her skills “to help accelerate the growth of technology and human development.”

Nara’s career aspirations, however, extend beyond contributing to technological breakthroughs. She wants to help foster attitudinal changes among those in her profession in ways that bring about more equality of representation within the engineering realm.

“As a woman in engineering, I think it’s important to have stronger representation,” Nara says. “However, categorizing or awarding ‘women in engineering’ separately can feel condescending, as if it diminishes our accomplishments by making them a subsection of success.”

Whatever she will accomplish in her career from this point on, she will most treasure her college experience on a personal level.  

“My biggest achievement from my time at ASU was developing lifelong friendships,” Nara says. “I wouldn’t have been able to make it through college without the support of my friends. They taught me how to prioritize happiness above all else.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2024 class here.