As a computer engineering major, leader and founder of several student organizations across NC State’s College of Engineering, the United Nations’ National Council’s youngest elected official, and more, Sanskriti Deva had a lot on her plate, but she wouldn’t give up any of it. Deva graduated in December.
You mentioned in an interview with Inside Quantum Technology that you learned a lot about quantum computing via YouTube. Were you mostly self-taught before undergrad?
A lot of it was self learning, but I did have a lot of wonderful physics teachers growing up. Dr. Charles Payne was my physics teacher at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina. He would roll you around in a chair just to show Newton’s motions and stuff like that. For me, quantum computing is a mix of the two things I really liked about learning: the technology aspect, and then also the wonder part that teachers like Dr. Payne instilled in me.
What brought you to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at NC State?
I really loved the facilities here when I came to visit, and it just seemed like a very collaborative environment as well. I visited other schools and they were super competitive. Here, it felt like it was a Wolfpack, like it wasn’t just a gimmick or some sort of marketing thing, like everyone really had each other’s backs.
How did you come to be the UN National Council’s youngest elected official?
I got connected to someone at the UN who told me, “We have these elections, and you should run because we need more young people to run.” My initial answer was actually no because while I have an interest in policy, I’m going to be a computer engineering major. To my surprise, they told me, “We really want a diversity of thought and ideas in our represented government, and then even if you run and you lose, other young people are going to see that you ran, and it’s going to make a difference still.” The last part really meant a lot to me, and somehow I ended up running and winning.
How did you set yourself up for success and find a community for yourself in ECE?
I really sought out a community of other women who were going through the same thing. I refounded a club at NC State called Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering, so that club was a huge way that I found my community. Now, it’s actually one of the biggest clubs in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
How did you balance your schoolwork, extracurricular activities and mental health?
That’s something I definitely learned how to do in college, because before that, I think I would just work, work, work. When I got to college, I was like, I really need to figure out what I want to do with my life and what the work is for. I really like to center myself on a why, so that way I don’t burn out and I can remember, OK, this is my end goal.
- Categories:
