Leadership
Thu Nguyen, Faculty co-advisor for the class of 2022
Thu Nguyen is a professor of computer science and was the faculty co-advisor (with Ana Paula Ceteno) for the CS LLC class of 2022. During this time, he was also Chair of the Computer Science Department. He is actively engaged in research on improving and scaling CS education and has been involved with the CS LLC since its inception. His primary areas of scientific research focus on building efficient, scalable, and dependable computer systems.
Cynthia Sanchez Gomez, CS LLC director
Cynthia Sanchez Gomez was the director of the CS LLC and director of the Douglass-DIMACS Computing Corps. As LLC director from 2016-2019, Cynthia oversaw day-to-day operation of the CS LLC, including the coordination of community building programs, student-faculty engagement events, study sessions, and opportunities for professional development. Cynthia is a double alumna of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Newark College of Arts and Sciences and a master’s degree in College Student Affairs from the Graduate School of Education. Prior to joining the staff at Douglass Residential College, Cynthia’s work focused on developing student life initiatives and trainings while advising multiple student organizations. Cynthia utilizes her extensive knowledge in student development theory as the foundation for her work in higher education.
Rebecca Wright, Founding faculty advisor
Rebecca Wright was one of the architects of the CS LLC and served as its founding faculty advisor. In this role, she was a faculty resource for students in the CS LLC classes of 2020 and 2021, and she taught the “Great Ideas and Applications of Computer Science” seminar in the spring semesters of 2017 and 2018. During this time she was also a professor in the Computer Science Department and Director of DIMACS. Rebecca’s research spans the area of information security, including cryptography, privacy, foundations of computer security, and fault-tolerant distributed computing. She is a member of the board of the Computer Research Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) and a strong advocate for promoting diversity in computer science.
Student Mentors
Jeemisaba Chudasama, Graduate mentor for the class of 2022
Jeemisaba Chudasama was the graduate student mentor for the CS LLC class of 2022. During that time, Jeemisaba pursued her masters degree in Computer Science with major focus on data science. As the graduate mentor, Jeemisaba assisted with the operation of the CS LLC by helping students with their coursework and mentoring them on career development. She also assists in planning activities, such as study sessions for CS LLC students. She is an immediate resource for students in the LLC and is often available during her office hours in the residence hall. Before coming to Rutgers, Jeemisaba worked as a software engineer. Her studies focused on machine learning, and she also conducted research on underwater autonomous vehicles.
Ananya Prakash, Peer academic leader for the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022
Ananya Prakash was the undergraduate peer academic leader for the CS LLC classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022. She graduated in 2019 with a major in Information Technology and Informatics and a minor in Business Administration. As peer academic leader (PAL), she provided mentoring and academic support in the residence halls and is an immediate resource for LLC members. Ananya was an avid member of the Harry Potter Alliance, an on-campus community service organization, and an executive board member for the Meditation Club. She was also a part of the Douglass-DIMACS Computing Corps, an organization focused on creating interactive and fun activities for middle school girls interested in computing. As PAL for the LLC, she grew both academically and professionally and “made many friends and connections that [she] will cherish for life.”
Sharvani Pratinidhi, Graduate mentor for the class of 2023
Sharvani Pratinidhi was the graduate student mentor for the CS LLC class of 2023. She recieved her masters's degree in Data Science from the Rutgers Department of Computer Science in 2020, and she holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering. As the graduate mentor, Sharvanishe acts as an immediate resource for the LLC students by encouraging and promoting student participation and engagement in eventsheld by the LLC. She also mentors LLC students and helps them with their coursework during her office hours and study sessions.
Xinqing (Cindy) Tao, Graduate mentor for classes of 2020 and 2021
Xinqing (Cindy) Tao was the graduate student mentor for the first two years of the CS LLC, during which time she assisted CS LLC students in the classes of 2020 and 2021. She graduated in 2018 with a double master’s degree in Computer Science and Statistics, where her studies focused on computer software development and data analysis. Cindy is now working as a software developer for Intuit in California