A passion for teaching and Artificial Intelligence
What helped PhD candidate Hayden Andersen find his passion for teaching and Artificial Intelligence (AI)? He was willing to seize every opportunity that university life had to offer.
These days Hayden’s focus is on becoming a lecturer in AI, but his journey began with an interest in computer science when he was a student at Naenae College, in Lower Hutt.
“It [computer science] fascinated me, so I initially pursued Software Engineering at Victoria University of Wellington.”
“I soon discovered my passion for the theoretical side of computer science and teaching as a tutor—eventually switching to a Bachelor of Science with the intention to specialise in Programming Languages. Then a summer research project in AI, focusing on Neuroevolution for Sentiment Analysis, shifted my path during my third year.”
Being agile with your degree is a key part of making the most of university, says Hayden.
“Don't feel like you're locking yourself into a degree, it's so easy to change a degree at university if you feel like you want to go down a different path. That one random paper you take out of interest could be the path you end up wanting to go down for your whole study.”
As the first in his family to attend university, Hayden is grateful for the opportunities that have come his way and has fully embraced them.
“I'm always grateful to just be here learning and for all the opportunities that have come up. I've tried to throw myself into as much of university life as possible—being part of a number of clubs, learning new sports, being on various committees, and taking the opportunity to tutor each trimester.
“It's given me so many opportunities for growth—learning as much from my screw-ups, as from my successes. Through this, when I have bitten off more than I could chew or needed support, I've found that the engineering and especially the AI staff have always been supportive and understanding.”
These opportunities have also helped Hayden to refine his goal of becoming a lecturer.
“Throughout my study, the University has provided me with a tonne of opportunities, including tutoring in my first year, international exchange in China, club leadership, administrative roles, lecturing, and co-supervising honours students, all of which have enriched my personal development given me new skills, and helped to shape the path I want to take with my future employment.”
Victoria University of Wellington also had the specialist focus and expertise for AI that Hayden was looking for.
“The other massive draw was the University’s focus on software and computer science areas—something that I felt came across a lot more than other universities in New Zealand.
“When it came time to decide on a university for my honours and PhD, Victoria University of Wellington was the obvious choice as it’s the strongest university in New Zealand for AI. Our staff are some of the top in their fields, and working alongside that experience and passion is awesome for someone just getting into research.”
Find out more about studying Artificial Intelligence at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.