undergrad alumni

Although UBC computer science alumnus and now CEO of Visier Ryan Wong is a busy executive and co-founder of a company valued at over $1 billion, he still writes code for fun.

Imagine a world where individual vehicle ownership is not necessary at all, because there is a fully interconnected transportation network to get you exactly where you need to go, efficiently and affordably. All with just a tap or two on your smartphone.

There’s been no navel-gazing by UBC Computer Science alumnus Shehzad Noor Taus Priyo since he made the Top 30 Under 30 list by Forbes Magazine. Or even before that. Priyo graduated from UBC Computer Science in 2020 with a BSc in computer science and mathematics.

Watch this video about a CS alum who did his BA in computer science at UBC. Mehryar Maalam went on to put his software skills to work at IBM and works with Shopify today. His initial attraction to computer science was realizing how quickly one can build something with software.

As Vice President of Software Engineering at Broadridge Financial, UBC CS Alumna Ghislaine Chan’s days are very full. And that seems to be right up her alley. Ghislaine has long been passionate about contributing in meaningful ways, which is evident with a glance at her robust education and work history.

“Big complex problems don’t scare me anymore, they’re exciting,” tells computer scientist Leigh-Anne Mathieson. For the past three years Leigh-Anne has been conducting bio-computing research at the University of British Columbia. Her research scope explores the computational difficulty of problems that model the folding of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules.

In talking with Anoop Shankar, a TELUS Business Analyst and Consultant and UBC CS undergrad alum, one feels one is in the presence of a person who embodies the growth mindset. Just six years out of the UBC program, Anoop, a gregariously friendly and eloquent person, has made a mark at TELUS in numerous positions requiring an array of skills.

Amy Kwok admits she was quiet and intimidated when she first entered the CS program in September 2005. As a new graduate of the all-girls Little Flower Academy in Vancouver, she'd always been interested in video gaming and was pretty passionate about computers, but she only agreed to apply to CS if her good friend went as well.

When David He took Professor Munzner's 314 graphics class, he thought ‘Oh my god, this is what I’m here for!" That was the first time in his life that he stayed up for days without sleeping, working on an assignment. The excitement of that discovery propelled David into a co-op placement with Electronic Arts, then considered top in the gaming industry.

Andrew Ip had a spotty background with computers prior to entering UBC. “Most of my experience,” he says with a grin, “came through playing computer games.” In high school he had become interested in web development so enrolled in a CS class in the fall of 1999. What ensued ultimately led to his success.