Georgia Tech OMSCS
School after work. I'm in Georgia Tech's online MSCS while building software full-time. The AI track is where I go deeper on models, evaluation, and research — then bring that back to production problems.
Like a betta stirred by curiosity,
I find my way — welcome to my story.
Hello I'm
Sandra Nguyen
By day, I'm a software engineer building user trust and guardrails for AI systems; by night, I'm a part-time student absorbing artificial intelligence like caffiene. Off the clock, you'll find me feeding my chubby fish and chasing candid photos.
In undergrad, my mentors gave me the fire to innovate, my peers the courage to mentor, and my sister the partnership of a lifetime.
As an Asian American woman in tech, I lead with that identity — proudly.
The world was my oyster.
Where formal learning shaped how I think and build.
School after work. I'm in Georgia Tech's online MSCS while building software full-time. The AI track is where I go deeper on models, evaluation, and research — then bring that back to production problems.
Where I got serious about CS. Fullerton is where research, mentoring, and real projects started stacking up — not just homework. I left with a stronger sense of how systems behave when people actually rely on them.
Where it started. CS clicked here first. Calc taught me to sit with hard problems, and AP Lit made me pickier about how I explain things — still useful.
Education
California State University, Fullerton
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Relevant Coursework: Artificial Intelligence, Introduction to Machine Learning, Intro to Data Sci. & Big Data, Cybersecurity Fnd. And Prncp., File Structure & Database, Algorithm Engineering, Data Structures, Statistics Applied to Natural Sciences, Mathematical Structure
Fountain Valley High School
Graduated Magna Cum Laude
Relevant Coursework: Relevant Coursework: AP Computer Science A, AP Calculus BC, AP English Literature and Composition
The currents changed once I started building for real people.
Roles that turned curiosity into practice.
Experience
Ideas kept bubbling up past midnight...
Things I built when an idea needed a home.
Projects
May 2024 - August 2024
Security, Privacy, and Compliance Engineering (SPACE) @ Reddit
February 2024 - May 2024
Theta Tau @ CSUF
Malicious Link Fingerprint
Real-time detection and scoring of malicious links coupled with novel fingerprinting methodology on dynamic content for safeguarding Reddit Ads.
Lightning MuQueen Remote-Controlled Car
Arduino-powered RC car with motor management, steering, speed control, and Bluetooth communication and mechanical assembly.
Along the way, I found friends with the same drive.
Fast sprints where pressure sharpened the work.
Hackathons
February 24-25, 2024
FullyHacks Hackathon @ CSUF
February 16-18, 2024
TreeHacks Hackathon @ Stanford
June 22-23, 2023
Tech Solutions to Reduce Sexualy Transmitted Infections Hackathon @ National Academy of Medicine
April 15-16, 2023
Embark Datathon @ UCI
April 8-9, 2023
FullyHacks Hackathon @ CSUF
Lumi's Quest: Revival
Coral reef conservation brought to life through an immersive 2D adventure & quiz game.
Evergreen
Gamification for equitable access to CS education, featuring AI-driven, customized learning paths.
Rheia
Novel solution to STI early intervention and contact tracing with data-driven healthcare application.
Mischief in Montreal
Thorough data analytics & machine learning approach for developing policies in Montreal criminal landscape.
Fully Green
AI-powered image recognition assistance with recycling mobile app.
Burning questions became answers I built.
Questions that needed more than a weekend to answer.
Research
January 2024 - Dec 2024
Senior Capstone Project @ CSUF
March 2023 - May 2024
Digital Learning Lab @ UCI
June 2023 - August 2023
SoCal Data Science Program @ UCI
August 2022 - May 2023
ASSURE-US @ CSUF
May 2022 - July 2022
ASSURE-US @ CSUF
LightBox XAI
Exploratory XAI initiative integrating novel methodologies, visualizations, and real-time LLM explanations to demystify the decision-making processes of AI models.
Phocrastination: A Game-Based Approach to Assessing and Classifying Academic Procrastination in College Students
Exploratory classification of real-world academic procrastination through game-based simulation of student learning environments.
Hippocampal Ensembles Represent Sequential Relationships Among an Extended Sequence of Nonspatial Events
Data science & statistics-informed analysis of neuronal activity from a rodent-based odor experiment to determine hippocampal involvement in temporal event organization.
Data Science Analysis of Malicious Ads and Threat Detection Automation for Cybersecurity Progress
Novel approach to automating the analysis of malicious content on the internet to protect users against Google ad fraud.
Data Science Analysis on Real/Fake Job Postings
End-to-end Scikit-learn workflow on 18k real/fake job postings from 2020 to predict legitimacy.
And I finally got a taste of the vast ocean.
Work that made it out of the notebook.
2025 ACM CHI / Expected Author & Presenter
Also presented at NCUR 2024 and SCCUR 2023
AHFE 2023 / Co-Author
IEEE CCWC 2023 / Author & Presenter
Also presented at SCCUR 2022
Publications
April, 2025
Yokohama, Japan
July 2023
San Francisco, CA
March 2023
Las Vegas, NV
Phocrastination: A Game-Based Approach to Assessing and Classifying Academic Procrastination in College Students
2025 ACM Computer Human Interaction (CHI)
Expected Author & Presenter
2024 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
Presenter
2023 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR)
Presenter
Improving Internet Advertising Using Click-Through Rate Prediction
14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023)
Co-Author
Data Science Analysis of Malicious Ads and Threat Detection Automation for Cybersecurity Progress
2023 IEEE 13th Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC)
Author & Presenter
2022 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR)
Presenter
Each success steers me in the right direction.
Small recognitions along the way.
Recognition for student leadership in WiCSE.
$500 support for student travel to NCUR.
Honorable Mention for potential in computing research.
$5,000 grant to conduct and present research.
$3,750 grant supporting full-time study.
$7,500 grant for education in technology.
Awarded recognition for exceptional student leadership in WiCSE.
Awarded $500 to support student travel to NCUR.
Honorable Mention for demonstrating outstanding potential in computing research.
Awarded $5,000 grant to conduct and present research at the annual symposium.
Awarded $3,750 grant to attend classes full-time and graduate with less student debt.
Awarded $7,500 grant to further education in the technology field.
Awards
December 2024
Edwards Lifesciences
March 2024
Southern California for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR)
January 2024
Computing Research Association (CRA) Education
November 2023
CSUF Undergraduate Research and Opportunity Center (UROC)
May 2023
STEM Advantage
March 2023
Advancing Women in Technology (AWT)
Edwards Lifesciences Scholar
Awarded recognition for exceptional student leadership in WiCSE
William M. Whitney, Ph.D. Travel Award
Awarded $500 to support student travel to NCUR
Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award (URA)
Awarded Honorable Mention for demonstrating outstanding potential in computing research
UROC Fellowship Award
Awarded $5,000 grant to conduct and present research at annual research symposium
STEM Advantage Scholarship
Awarded $3,750 grant to attend classes full-time and graduate with less student debt
AWT Scholarship
Awarded $7,500 grant to further education in the technology field
A few thoughts to leave you with.
Longer notes for ideas that need more room.