Making an Impact on Millions 

Saumya Singh has big aspirations to apply what she’s learned from Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program.   

Exactly how big is the goal for the soon-to-be graduate?  

“I plan to use my academic knowledge at a company where I can create an impact that can improve millions of lives,” she said.  

Singh believes there is infinite potential when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), so there's no reason for her to think her goal is outlandish. Once she decided to seek a career in AI, she knew she wanted to pursue a graduate program that emphasized AI and was taught by top-notch instructors who had strong connections to a variety of industries.  

MSAI quickly rose to the top of her list.  

“MSAI provided me with great opportunities to learn new AI and machine learning concepts, as well as network with a lot of experienced people,” she said. “The passion these people have excited me even more to work in this field.”  

Sparked by the caliber of her instructors and further inspired by the skills of her fellow students, Singh dove in intensely to her MSAI coursework. She also served as a graduate research assistant at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, where she collaborated with researchers and developers to create a vision product for earlier diagnosis of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and apnea among premature infants. She also spent time as a research assistant at the Kellogg School of Management, where she analyzed political and social effects in Kenya. 

One of Singh's defining moments came outside of campus when she attended the Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando, Fla.  

The annual weeklong event was started in 1994 with the goal of inspiring future generations of women to work in technology. The celebration is named after Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, one of the first women to receive a doctorate degree in mathematics. Hopper served in the U.S. Naval Reserves during World War II and helped develop the Mark I computer, which, among other things, streamlined calculations during the Manhattan Project to determine the effects of an atomic explosion.  

Hopper was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.  

“The Grace Hopper Celebration was an amazing experience,” she said. “I had never been to any place like that.”  

Singh spent her time at the event networking with students and leaders from different universities and companies. She even landed a few on-the-spot job interviews. Her hope is to ultimately be able to apply her AI knowledge in either healthcare or finance — two fields rife for innovation. 

“I have always loved to be a problem solver,” she said. “With the way AI is making our lives easier every day, the opportunity to make an impact is out there.”