computer science

Interconnected – How Matthew Gelinas ’21 Discovered His Passion for Cybersecurity

Senior Matthew Gelinas ’21 knew he wanted to major in Electrical Engineering in high school when he had the chance to tour Raytheon with a mentor and family friend. It took a bit longer, however, for Matthew to develop the secondary interests that are poised to connect him to his future career path.

Keep reading to find out how Matthew was able to explore his interests, career goals and hobbies as a student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) at Syracuse!

Matthew Gelinas '21 outside of Link Hall, home of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Photo courtesy of IEEE Syracuse.
Matthew Gelinas ’21 outside of Link Hall, home of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Photo courtesy of IEEE Syracuse.

Meet Matthew Gelinas ‘21
Hometown: South Hadley, MA
Major: Electrical Engineering
Minor: Computer Science

How and why did you choose to attend Syracuse University?
I considered several colleges with engineering programs, including public and private institutions. In addition to the scholarships and financial aid I received at Syracuse, I loved that it was far enough away from my hometown in Massachusetts, but not too far. I also was looking for a large university with considerable resources and ways to get involved. Plus, I love the snow!

Tell us more about your interests in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
I came in as an Electrical Engineering major and later added on a minor in Computer Science. As an engineer, I want to be able to solve problems from multiple angles, so it was great to be able to add a secondary interest on to my undergraduate experience.

My interest in computer science, and ultimately, cybersecurity, really took off after taking a class with Professor Shiu-Kai Chin. I approached him after class about research opportunities and he got me involved in a research project the summer after my sophomore year.

How have you been able to apply what you’re learning in the classroom?

Matthew found his internship at the ECS Career Fair. Syracuse offers 11 career fairs throughout the academic year

Research has been a big part of my experience at Syracuse. Professor Chin and I worked on a soft system methodology project that examined interactions between humans and machines for an Air Force lab in Rome, NY.

This past summer, I also had the opportunity to intern with Hanscom Air Force Base. I met with an Air Force representative by chance at the ECS Career Fair during my junior year, and he called me afterward to offer me the internship opportunity. Although the experience ended up being mostly virtual due to COVID-19, I got to learn about all of the engineering and professional opportunities the Air Force has to offer, including the newly created Space Force and different weather systems they operate.

What is your dream job?
I definitely have a passion for cybersecurity, but I wouldn’t say I have a dream career path in mind just yet. I plan to keep saying yes to opportunities that come my way until I figure it out!

What are you involved outside of academics at Syracuse?

Matthew with his intramural soccer team after their championship game. Photo courtesy of Matthew Gelinas.

In addition to playing intramural soccer and pickup tennis and basketball, I’m currently serving as the Treasurer for IEEE, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. We put on various events for students interested in engineering and computer science, including resume review sessions and hackathons!

I also studied abroad in Strasbourg, France in the fall of my sophomore year, which I can’t recommend enough. I went there knowing zero French, but had a great experience taking classes and living with a wonderful host family. I was able to travel to Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands during my trip, as well as play on the basketball team.

I was able to keep up with all of my scheduled classes while abroad, including engineering lab, which was taught in English. An elective class I took in Strasbourg focused on human rights and was taught by a lawyer from the European Court of Human Rights, which is located right over the border in Germany. At the end of the course we had the opportunity to go and watch one of the court cases live!

What classes are you taking this semester?

  • Image Processing
  • Cybersecurity: Access, Control and Trust
  • Introduction to Algorithms
  • Senior Design Lab

My classes this year are a mix of in-person and online instruction. Professor Jennifer Graham’s Senior Design Lab functions almost like Shark Tank – each group, made up of Electrical and Computer Engineering majors, is challenged to come up with a new design idea, build the product, and present it to a panel at the end of the semester.

What advice do you have for future ECS students?
My best advice is to talk to your professors – they are truly your best resource. In addition to being industry experts, they will help you select your classes, find job experiences and connect you to professionals doing the work you are interested in. Everyone I’ve encountered is fantastic and willing to help – I truly wouldn’t be where I am now without their guidance and advice.

How CuseHacks Founder Caitlin Sanders ’21 Designed Her Syracuse Experience

Finding your best-fit college or university can be a daunting task. Many students who embark on their college search process have a few criteria in mind (i.e. size, location, major) but struggle to decide which campus to make their home.

Caitlin Sanders ’21 was in that very boat four years ago as a high school senior. She knew she wanted to study computer science and was looking for a university with lots of school spirit. When she visited Syracuse for the second time she realized the University was where she wanted to spend her undergraduate career.

Caitlin Sanders '21 during a site visit to Google's headquarters. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.
Caitlin Sanders ’21 during a site visit to Google’s headquarters. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.

Meet Caitlin Sanders ‘21
Hometown: Webster, NY
Major: Computer Science

What made you want to attend Syracuse?
I grew up an hour away from Syracuse and loved going to the Dome for games as a kid. I took an official tour of campus, but it wasn’t until I got a scarf in the mail from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) that I decided to do more research and attended an event for admitted students. There, I met with representatives from ECS and realized that Syracuse was the place I wanted to be.

How did you choose your major?
During my freshman year of high school, my geometry teacher encouraged all of his students to take his Intro to Computer Principles class. I took him up on the offer and loved it! After that, I continued to take all of the computer science classes my school offered, became co-president of the Coding Club, and started attending hackathons.

As a Computer Science major at Syracuse, I get to take classes like Social Media and Data Mining, which had everything I love rolled in to one: social media, Python, problem solving, and more. Nothing felt like homework – I thoroughly enjoyed my assignments for class.

I also feel very supported as an ECS student. Dr. Oh, the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department chair, helped me and a group of students bring the club we wanted on campus to life – CuseHacks – during my freshman year. I feel lucky Syracuse has these opportunities for me to pursue!

Caitlin is a founder of CuseHacks, Syracuse's first student-run hackathon. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.
Caitlin is a founder of CuseHacks, Syracuse’s first student-run hackathon. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.

So, what is Cuse Hacks?
A hackathon is a 24-hour event in which students come together in teams to create a project that solves a problem. There is free food, free t-shirts and “swag”, really cool prizes, as well as a bunch of companies there recruiting. I participated in a few hackathons during high school and when I got to Syracuse, I was excited to get involved in more. I was devastated to find out we didn’t have one on campus!

As a freshman, I partnered with four seniors also looking to start a hackathon. We planned and held the first CuseHacks in 2018 and there has been one every spring semester since! I am super excited to see the event continue to grow past my time here.

3 Caitlin is a member of Alpha Omega Epsilon, an academic Greek organization focused on STEM. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.
Caitlin is a member of Alpha Omega Epsilon, an academic Greek organization focused on STEM. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Sanders.

How has Syracuse helped you prepare for your future career?
My dream job since 7th grade has been to work at Google (I can’t believe anyone that watched “The Internship” when it came out felt otherwise). My dream career route, however, is staying in software engineering for a few years and trying many different things in order to have a breadth of technical knowledge and a variety of experience before pursuing a path in product management. I’ve had many opportunities to gain experience in the field throughout my time at Syracuse, including through internships at Lockheed Martin and Intuit. I’m also part of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority for women passionate about STEM!

What does your senior year have in store and what advice do you have for students hoping to pursue a major in Computer Science?
I am not taking classes this fall because I had an excess of credits and want to graduate with my class in May. This semester, I will be contributing to open source and personal projects and preparing for my job search and interview process!

I recommend any students interested in computer science pursue hands-on experiences. The only way to learn and prepare for the industry is to participate in internships and projects along the way. Go to every career fair and hackathon you can, use LinkedIn and lean on your professors and mentors for help!

What do you do for fun on campus?
I love attending hackathons and going to concerts. Syracuse has a big concert each semester – Juice Jam in the fall and Mayfest in the spring! Since COVID-19 hit, I’m also enjoying spending time with my roommates, going on hikes, and of course I love social media – Twitter, Tik Tok, etc.!

My favorite spot on campus is the fourth floor of Link Hall (home to ECS) and the third floor lounge of the Life Sciences Building (but the best bathroom is definitely in the bottom floor of Bowne Halll!).