Collegiate Times

Jamika Burge, a Ph.D. student in computer science, recently received a worldwide honor in an IBM fellowship, an award that recognizes exceptional Ph.D. students in a variety of areas including computer science, engineering and business. The IBM fellowships are given to 50 students worldwide, making Burge one of the elite in her area of study. After completing her undergraduate and master?s degrees, Burge is working on her Ph.D. at a different university and has traveled to three different IBM centers for internships.

Q: Where did you grow up?  What was your favorite memory/best part of growing up?
A: I grew up in Rome, Ga.  That?s a mid-sized city that's located about one and a half hours northwest of Atlanta. For me, the hot summers were the best part about growing up in Georgia. Most people from the area might disagree, but I loved (and still love) the summer heat!

Q: Explain a little bit about your college career before coming to Tech for your Ph.D.  Where did you attend?
A: For my undergraduate degree, I attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. where I earned my B.S. in computer science. I worked on research projects with foci ranging from high performance computing to database management.  After graduating from Fisk, I attended North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, where I earned my MS in computer science. For my master's research, I developed a protocol for uniformly modeling societies of human and non-human entities using epistemic (knowledge) and deontic (permissions, prohibitions, and obligations) logics. It was neat stuff!

Q: How did you choose Virginia Tech to do your Ph.D. work?
A: My research interests lie in the area of human-computer interaction. One of the goals of HCI is to understand the relationship between people and the computing technology we use. Specifically, I want to understand how technology helps (or hinders) high-stakes communication. I was impressed with VT's presence in HCI and as a member of the Center for HCI, I am excited about the research being done here.

Q: How did you feel when you received one of only 50 IBM Fellowships?
A: Needless to say, I was thrilled! It is, indeed, an honor.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a Hokie?
A: VT has an interesting history. I'm glad to be part of the many, rich experiences that make present-day history for Tech.

Q: What do you do in your spare time? What do you enjoy doing?
A: I love traveling, and yes, in typical computer scientist fashion, I like surfing the Web.

Q: What's your favorite movie? Why?
A: I don?t think I have a favorite movie, but I like comedies and musicals, because they help us see the softer side of life.  We tend to worry about the things we cannot change.  Life?s too short. Work, play and pray hard.

Q: What is your favorite food? Do you have a favorite restaurant and what is it if you do?
A: I love Italian food, so I like Carrabba's Italian Grill. Wait, no...I love Caribbean food. Can I pick two?  There's this great Caribbean restaurant in Manhattan called Negril. It's fantastic.

Q: How did you become interested in computer science?
A: I began my college career as a business major. I became a computer science student a year later after being assigned to a work-study in the computer science department in college. I had no interest and very little expertise in the field. I must have done a pretty good job, because my boss-turned-undergraduate advisor encouraged me to consider CS and told me there would be many opportunities for computer scientists. Well, it didn't take much convincing, and years later, here I am working on my Ph.D.

Q:. You have interned at IBM for two summers, and this summer is your
third.  Where have you traveled?  Where was your favorite place and why?
A: I've done quite a bit of traveling in my lifetime, but not nearly as much as I plan. I've been all over the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. My absolute favorite trip, though, was to Europe with some of my most cherished friends.  (You know who you are!)

Q: What is Blacksburg like compared to where you are now in California?
A: I'm in San Jose, so Blacksburg is quite different. There's no humidity, and as a matter of fact, the sun shines everyday (no rain in sight). It's a little chilly at night, though.  When I'd left Blacksburg, it hadn't really gotten 'hot' (85 degrees or higher). I admit, though, that I miss the heat. I?ll give it time. 

Q: What has been your favorite class that you?ve taken during your college career?  Why?
A: Interestingly enough, my favorite class during my college career was a public speaking course. I learned an extraordinary amount in that class, and the skills I developed in that class are helping me today.

Q: What is your dream job?
A: College dean/motivational speaker/choreographer. Okay, so I want to accomplish a lot in my lifetime.