Allen School undergraduate Asila Maksumova has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Allen AI Outstanding Engineer Scholarship for Women and Underrepresented Minorities sponsored by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2). Maksumova, who is majoring in Computer Science, is the second Allen School student to receive the scholarship, which was created by AI2 in 2018 to encourage and support students from underrepresented groups pursuing AI education and careers.
Maksumova is an experienced programmer with a keen interest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and the Internet of Things. During her time at the University of Washington, Maksumova has contributed her talents to the UnderWater Remotely Operated Vehicle Team (UWROV), a group of undergraduate students who design, build, and operate underwater robots. She enjoys mentoring others and has spent the past two quarters as a teaching assistant for the Allen School’s introductory programming course, CSE 142. She is also active in the Sigma Kappa sorority.
Off campus, Maksumova has completed software development internships at General Electric, Kernel Labs, and OSISoft, and spent several months as a researcher at the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center. She begins a new internship at Apple in June.
The Allen AI Outstanding Engineer Scholarship covers full tuition, fees, and textbooks for one academic year. Scholars also have the opportunity to participate in a paid internship working alongside AI2 scientists. In addition to encouraging more diversity in computing, the scholarship program aims to nurture students on the path to a lifelong career. Allen School undergraduate Christine Betts earned the inaugural scholarship last year.
Maksumova was formally recognized at a reception this week featuring remarks from Betts; Allen School alumna Joanna Power (M.S., ‘98), senior software engineer at AI2; and professor Ed Lazowska, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science & Engineering at the Allen School.
Read the AI2 announcement here.
Congratulations, Asila!