Computer Science

(From Eagle Drive magazine, December 2023) 
 
As Tennessee Tech computer science alumna Deanna King of Knoxville approached graduation in December 2023, she reflected on her time at Tech – with the Autonomous Robotics Club, National Center for Women and Information Technology’s Aspirations in Computing program and more. 
 
Q. What led you to major in computer science?  
 
A. I always knew I loved technology and wanted to pursue it as a career. When I started researching colleges, I learned about Tennessee Tech’s computer science program. I came on a campus visit and immediately fell in love with the university and the department. It’s been home ever since!  
 
Q. How did your interest in robotics lead you to become president of Tech’s Autonomous Robotics Club? 
 
A. I’ve always had an interest in robotics. Throughout middle and high school, I was a member and mentor of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics and Lego league teams. I wanted to continue working on robotics in college, which is why I joined ARC freshman year. I never planned to become president, but I was able to serve two terms starting my sophomore year. It ended up being the best experience!  
 
Q. What is ARC? 
 
A. ARC is a student organization that allows members to work on various robotics projects based on their personal interests. Some of these projects work toward nationwide competitions, while others aim to benefit the university and its students. As president, I worked hard behind the scenes to make these projects come to life and to provide a sense of community and belonging for club members. Some of the administrative tasks I’ve completed include event planning, budget proposals, media design and project management. I’ve also had the privilege of presenting ARC’s work to local elementary schools, Tech’s Advisory Council for Engineering and at multiple university events and award ceremonies.   
 
Q. What is the connection between your work in robotics and artificial intelligence?

A. Before I became president of ARC, I worked on the TALUS project. TALUS (Totally Autonomous Legless Useful System) is a robot that resembles a human from the waist up. Our goal is to integrate TALUS into campus tours so that prospective students can ask questions about the university and see firsthand what they can accomplish here. Using the Google Assistant SDK (software development kit), I created a baseline voice assistant that allows TALUS to answer basic questions, make small talk and play Mad Libs games. Now, any student who is interested has the opportunity to work on improving TALUS’ ability to process natural language and integrate voice control with robotic motor function.   
 
Q. How do you think AI will impact the future?   
 
A. I think AI has many valuable use cases if put in good hands. I hope AI makes healthcare more accessible and provides patients with more accurate diagnoses in less time. I am also curious to see how natural language processing advances and what changes are associated with it. For example, I constantly see “AI covers” of music, where AI learns the voice of an artist and creates a cover of a song. I think this will have a significant impact on intellectual property and copyright laws. Overall, I am optimistic that AI will bring improvements and efficiency to certain aspects of everyday life.   
 
Q. What else have you enjoyed at Tech? 
 
A. One of the most rewarding experiences was becoming reunited with the NCWIT (National Center for Women and Information Technology) and Aspirations in Computing community. In high school, I received the NCWIT Aspirations Honorable Mention for my work in FIRST robotics. I stayed involved with robotics in college and was a finalist for the NCWIT Collegiate Award in 2022. I was invited to present my work at the award ceremony and watch as the next generation of high school girls received their awards. The next year I was invited again but as a panelist speaker. I remember being in high school and watching the panelist speakers... I was so inspired. It feels so gratifying to become the woman you once looked up to and to hopefully inspire those younger than you. I cannot thank NCWIT and Tennessee Tech enough for these experiences.   
 
Q. How about internship opportunities?  
 
A. I’m grateful to have had an internship with ARCS Aviation in Cookeville, where I assist in the creation of virtual and mixed reality applications used for training and aircraft maintenance and operation. The company has given me the opportunity to apply the skills I have learned throughout my degree completion while also allowing me to experience how a post-graduate work environment functions.   
 
Q. What are your plans after graduation?   
 
A. I am so excited to say I will be staying at Tennessee Tech to earn my master’s in business administration. I loved the administrative side of ARC, so this degree will allow me to combine this passion with my computer science skills in a future career. 
 
Q. How will you change the world with what you learn at Tech? 
 
A. It would be amazing to become a chief technology officer. Less than 10 percent of CTOs in the U.S. are women, so I hope I can use the skills I learn at Tech to inspire other women to pursue technology or leadership and to help increase that percentage.   
 
Q. Looking back on your time in Tech’s CS program, what are you most proud of?  
 
A. I am so proud of all the accomplishments that ARC has made during my time as president. It was such an honor to watch the club expand and succeed, and it was especially rewarding to watch the club be recognized for our hard work. The organization was awarded Breakout Student Organization of the Year by Tech’s Student Government Association, and I am incredibly proud to have received the award of Outstanding Student Organization President of the Year for Academic and Professional Organizations. Both ARC and I have received a lot of love and support from the computer science department, and I am so grateful! It means the world to me to know ARC will continue to be supported as I graduate.