"ATLAS allowed me to discover and flourish in my interests of user interface and user experience design and front-end development. I finally felt I found a place where all my passions and curiosities could collide."
Name: Cassandra Goodby
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Program: MS CTD Creative Technologies + Design
Advisor: Ruscha Cohen
My Path to Engineering
I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, and I was always passionate about STEM. I’ve always been curious, especially when it came to technology. My mother says I would always ask the most ridiculous questions of how things worked. From the internet to microwaves, I had to know how these things functioned. I also had a love for design, but I was never sure how to bridge these two passions.
While an undergraduate student, I found the ATLAS program in CU Boulder's college of engineering, and I finally felt I found a place where all my passions and curiosities could collide. ATLAS allowed me to discover and flourish in my interests of user interface and user experience design and front-end development.
As an undergraduate in the ATLAS program, I felt like there was so much more I could learn and do at CU Boulder. As graduation approached, I was offered a research fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as part of their professional research experience program. I immediately knew I wanted to continue my education as part of the program. I am now studying Creative Technology + Design, and I am absolutely in love with my field of study. I am constantly inspired by the innovation and creativity in ATLAS and the college of engineering as well as CU Boulder as a whole. I am also excited to continue to explore the intersection of design and engineering while studying in this program.
Why CU Boulder?
CU Boulder is at the forefront of technology and innovation, and I am surrounded by people that make Boulder a technology hub. During my undergraduate studies, I was able to get an internship working as a NIST Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) fellow, where I was able to combine what I learned in the classroom with real-world applications. I work in the public safety research division at NIST, where I experience hands-on how technology and innovation have a real-world impact on public safety professionals, and later, the public itself. I decided to attend CU Boulder because of the uniqueness of the program that ATLAS offers; I was inspired by my instructors' undying curiosity and discovery as well as true passion for the importance of interdisciplinary innovation. As an individual who has never fit into one box, I felt perfectly at home at the ATLAS Institute.
CU Boulder has given me opportunities I would have never dreamed of while being surrounded by beautiful Boulder, Colorado. Being surrounded by the amazing people in the university and beyond has allowed me to constantly learn and evolve.