Courtney 'CJ' Chavez

Hi, I'm CJ Chavez! I'm a current 4th-year Computer Science student in the Robot Intelligence applied option, with a minor in Mathematics. I'm an out-of-state student from New Mexico and a tribal member of Kewa Pueblo.  Outside of classes and campus activities, I enjoy watching movies (I’m a new AMC A-list member), baking sweets, and drawing!

On campus, I'm the public relations officer for the American Indigenous Science and Engineering Society at OSU, a regular volunteer in Community Engagement & Leadership programs such as Saturdays of Service and Beavs Serve, a former URSA Engage awardee, and a current research assistant for OSU's SHARE Lab. In the SHARE Lab, I work on human-robot interaction and robotic nudging studies, as well as develop STEM curriculum for bilingual 6-12th grade students! My advice to all students is to get involved! It's a great way to meet new people, gain new experiences, and learn about other opportunities.

In the future, I'll be a robotics software engineer focused on researching and developing assistive robotics. My goal within software engineering is to become a career researcher, bridging the gap in research of assistive robotic systems for individuals living with disabilities.  Additionally, I discovered my passion for STEM because I was fortunate enough to participate in high school summer programs. This encourages me to continue to do K-12 outreach after I graduate to help Indigenous youth envision themselves in STEM careers!

I highly recommend that students apply for as many scholarships annually as possible. ScholarDollars is a great place to start looking for scholarships, both within Oregon State and external scholarships you qualify for!

When applying for internships, summer programs, or a job, the Career Development Center website is so helpful for making a resume if you’ve never made one before.