Featured Graduate Student, September 2006
Kunmi Otitoju

Interview:

How would you describe your area of study to your grandmother?
I would tell her that I study and develop new ways of using computer-based devices to make life easier. I also try to improve these interactions between humans and machines, by helping other engineers to build with the user in mind.

What is your primary motivation for persevering through graduate school?
My main motivation is a thorough enjoyment of my field. I like what I am studying, and the nurturing environment in which I am studying it. This provides me with motivation everyday.

Do you think there is any value in social networking with other graduate students in non-related fields?
Yes. Students in non-related fields are oblivious of what I am studying, so when I ask them HCI-related questions, their answers are often refreshingly different from answers I would get from someone who has been schooled in HCI. Because we design systems for the everyday user and not HCI experts, this is a very good thing. Students in the fine arts and dance also provide exposure to fields that I enjoy.

Did your past experiences in life or education help prepare you for graduate school or did you have to develop different strategies to succeed?
Yes. I attended a boarding secondary (high) school in my country, and this helped me get accustomed to being away from home for long periods. I was also raised by perfectionist parents, so I have learned to do things well the first time around.

What is the last book you read strictly for pleasure and how long ago was it?
In May of this year, I finished reading 'Tis, a book by Irish writer Frank McCourt. With a little help from my mother, I am currently struggling with Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmole (The Forest of A Thousand Daemons), a novel by Nigerian writer D.O. Fagunwa. The book is written in Yoruba, my native language.

Please describe your most meaningful academic relationship.
My most meaningful academic relationship is with my thesis advisor, Professor Steve Harrison. I came into Virginia Tech seeking a way to merge art with computer science. Professor Harrison shows me that it has been done before, successfully, and that it can be done again.

Which field are you most happy that you did not enter?
I like to think I am up to any challenge, but I am most happy that I did not enter the field of Biology. I like big words, but the gargantuan nature of the words in Biology, both in number and in sheer length, may ensure that I do not survive a day in the field! Computer scientists tend to stick to acronyms; I like that.

What do you feel is the greatest challenge that graduate students face and how have you dealt with this challenge?
As a graduate student, it is difficult to attend to all the facets of graduate-student life: courses, research, social life. I am trying to deal with this challenge by planning each day well, asking lots of questions, interacting with people who enhance my life, learning from my mother who is an expert at multitasking, and being kind to myself. Kindness to self means that I do everything in moderation, whether it is working on a software engineering project or perfecting a new step in dance class. I also try to enjoy all the things that I do.

What is your favourite comfort food and why? How often do you consume it?
Bread with boursin cheese, which I eat at least once everyday. Besides tasting really good, it is reminiscent of my Parisian host mum who, during a study abroad program, gently but persistently ensured that I acquired a taste for French cheese.

If you hadn’t been admitted to graduate school, what do you think you would be doing right now?
I would be trying to convince Pixar or Bang & Olufsen to hire me.

View previous Featured Graduate Student interviews >>

Would you like to nominate a student to be featured?
Currently enrolled VT graduate students can be nominated for a variety of reasons -- academic or personal accomplishments, service to the department or the university community, or any other reason that makes them a unique and valuable member of academe. Students, faculty, or staff can submit nominations by completing a short nomination form.