hi, anum here!
i'm a recent graduate from barnard college of columbia university,
where i studied computer science on a combination major
track with education studies.
i run a substack with a friend from university called office hours! - feel free to check it out here!
i learned to code in 2018, during a free two week summer camp for girls called Kode with Klossy.
later on, i also went on to work for the organization as a teaching assistant and curriculum developer. i spoke about my experience on CBS Morning News, which you can check out here!
my time there inspired me to pursue a career in tech, and i went on to win hackathons around the east coast and eventually orgnanize ones myself at school! in particular, i am very interested in combining my passion for education with technology to create impactful learning experiences through code.
outside of my tech interests, i love to read, drink bubble tea, and constantly work on my english and arabic calligraphy :)
career
- Participated in the 6 week DELTA training program
- Currently working on the data pipeline connecting JIRA and other workflow tools to the visualization tool Qliksense
- Developing an internal python library which allows data teams to query productivity data directly to improve analytics
- Utilizing the streamlit library, SQL Databases and the JIRA API to create an automatic ticket creation process for our data pipeline, therefore catching failed loads before client teams report missing data
- Implemented the scanner feature on the Kohl's app, resulting in an improved online and in-store shopping experience and impacting over 2 million users weekly
- Collaborated with product managers and UI/UX designers to update various bugs within the application and update the tech stack from UIKit to SwiftUI
- Implemented technologies and managed products within the SAP practice to modernize client billing systems in the Power & Utilities sector, contributing to a more efficient and automated workflow using Agile methodologies
- Analyzed client data to identify trends and opportunities, provided strategic recommendations that drove digital transformation initiatives, reduced time per story task by 20% through effective change management, included user documentation, process flows, and tailored training materials
- Completed 4 comprehensive courses in Product Management, Python, SAP S/4HANA, and Artificial Intelligence, gaining valuable experience into next-generation ERP solutions and AI applications to drive innovation
- Created a dashboard that utilized Python, specifically numpy and pandas in jupyter notebooks, to explore, clean and prepare 800,000 data points for Tableau, culminating all of the data into a product to highlight Key Performance Metrics
- Integrated monthly feedback from NY Parks & Recreation Department staff to consistently improve the dashboard through 6 iterations, developing new features to allow Borough managers more control over resource allocation
- Collaborated with Verizon staff through biweekly meetings, and team of 5 students to develop a machine learning model for forecasting U.S. population movement and demand for customer services
- Aggregated datasets from the US Census, Realtor.com, and OpenStreetMaps to reduce risky investments in cell-service infrastructure and inform future decisions on providing increased support
- Applied regression, ensemble, and forecasting techniques in predictive models that inform preventative business strategies
- Developed lessons, provided technical support, and built an empowering community with the program's 'Data Science' curriculum to over 200 students through both in-person and virtual instruction
- Selected as the first instructor assistant to support training through leading training sessions, hosting office hours, and managing the team of 23 instructional leaders through training protocol on Canvas
- Directly supported two different virtual coding camps through mentorship, teaching sessions, and analyzing daily microfeedback to improve camp experience to over 200 scholars
- Instructor Assistant (Feb 2021 - Feb 2022): Taught 100+ scholars Data Science through virtual camps hosted on Zoom, using tools like Padlet, Google CoLab, and Google Data Studios. Led Culture of Technology discussion sessions with scholars, inspiring them to pursue a career in technology. Mentored students' final projects and aided in deployment
- Data Science Scholar (Jul 2020 - Feb 2021): Selected as one of 22 scholars nationwide to pilot the program's inaugural data science cohort. Learned through AI/ML, data ethics, and data storytelling sessions. Developed skillsets in Looker, Tableau, Python, and SQL. Created 'Let's Keep Colleges' as a final project - a visual representation designed to showcase the need for increased funding and locate opportunities for growth for colleges at risk of shutting down due to COVID-19
- Mobile Application Scholar (Jul 2019 - Jul 2020): Selected to attend a 2-week bootcamp and learned Swift on Xcode. Received mentorship from industry professionals. Spoke at Brit & Co's #CREATEGOOD event in New York City, NY
- Web Development Scholar (Mar 2018 - Jul 2019): Selected to attend a 2-week bootcamp and learned HTML, CSS, & Ruby. Created SHEInspires as the final project
on-campus jobs
- Selected as a leadership fellow to work on a passion project with support from center leadership
- Created a website aimed to educate college students about tech ethics and responsible technology
- Provided technical support and guidance to students working on computational science projects
- Assisted in teaching computational methods and programming skills to undergraduate researchers
- Maintained and managed computing resources and lab equipment
- Served as teaching assistant for multiple computer science courses across semesters
- Held weekly office hours to provide one-on-one support for students with coursework and assignments
- Graded assignments and exams, providing detailed feedback to help students improve their understanding
- Assisted professors with course preparation, lab sessions, and student assessment
- Managed a residential floor community, fostering an inclusive and supportive living environment
- Organized and facilitated community-building events and educational programs for residents
- Provided crisis intervention and support, serving as a resource for student concerns and conflicts
- Collaborated with residential life staff on policy enforcement and student conduct issues
- Served on university task force to assess and improve campus climate regarding freedom of expression
- Participated in discussions and policy recommendations to enhance inclusive dialogue on campus
- Collaborated with diverse student groups and administration to gather perspectives and develop solutions
- Contributed to final report with actionable recommendations for campus leadership
- Compiled weekly reports on newspapers' success, highlighted top stories and communication trends to newsroom teams to 18 news sections, leading the transition into using the Google Analytics 4 kit
- Sent out daily newsletter, incorporated sponsor advertising and showcased top articles using MailChimp to 17,000 students and alumni
education
Barnard College, Columbia University
B.A. in Computer Science | May 2025 | Summa Cum Laude
campus leadership: President of the Muslim Student Association, Lead Organizer for Columbia Divhacks, Board Member of Women in Computer Science Association, Student Government Representative, Pakistani Student Association Secretary
Dean's List for all semesters
Machine Learning Certificate | Cornell Tech
August 2023
Selected as one of 50 from 1500+ applicants to participate in the Break Through Tech AI Fellowship at Cornell University. Engaged in a 12-month program and developed an ML model using Python, Scikit Learn, Matplotlib, NumPy, and Pandas.
fun stuff i've worked on
Know Your Vote 🏆
Winner of Fake News Political Polarization Challenge at TechTogether Boston 2019. A Tinder-inspired interactive web app that allows users to swipe on political candidates' agendas (without seeing names/pictures) to find their best match based on beliefs, not party lines. Implemented LeapMotion hand sensor for gesture-based swiping.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • JSON • Python • LeapMotion
Election Snail 🏆
Winner of Best Use of Wolfram Technology at PennApps XXI. An interactive web application teaching users about mail-in ballots during the pandemic. Users scroll through the educational content using hand movements detected by machine learning, making civic education engaging and accessible.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • TensorFlow.js • p5.js • Machine Learning
Positivitea 🏆
Winner of Best Domain Name at HackTCNJ 2019. Featured on CBS Philly! A two-tiered mental health platform with a website featuring an anxiety quiz and a mobile app with emergency hotlines, mental health resources, translator, and visual aids to help students manage stress and prevent long-term mental illness.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • Node.js • Adobe Illustrator • Thunkable
VitSquad
Created for the MIST Games Public Health Hackathon, inspired by Lebanese Red Cross volunteers. An iOS and web app that helps volunteers with limited medical knowledge provide effective care by storing patient health data locally, diagnosing conditions, and finding nearest hospitals using Google Maps API.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • Bootstrap • Swift • Xcode • JSON • Google Maps API
Meme-o-pedia
A fun educational web app featuring a timeline of iconic memes dating back to 1920. Includes interactive features like a "memeify" button that transforms the page with fun fonts and colors, a viral TikTok-inspired fairy comment generator, and a personalized quiz for meme-music playlists.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • jQuery • Bootstrap
Comment Generator
Built for Hack Girl Summer. A lighthearted web app featuring fairy and demon comment generators based on popular TikTok trends. Includes a personalized quiz to determine what era of "meme-music" users would enjoy most. Designed to bring laughs and positivity with dynamic JavaScript functionality.
HTML • CSS • JavaScript • jQuery • Glitch
Plant Pod
Created for Data Day Grind hackathon. A creative web app that tells you your plant personality based on your favorite Beatles song. Integrates Spotify API and Trefle API to connect music preferences with botanical information, making plant discovery fun and personalized.
Flask • HTML • CSS • Spotify API • Trefle API • Heroku
Rubik's Cube Walkthrough
As a final project for my data visualization class, I mapped out the process of solving a Rubik's cube and created an interactive tutorial using JavaScript in an Observable notebook.
JavaScript • Observable • D3.js • Data Visualization
Linux Minishell
A fully functional executable minishell built from scratch with cd and exit as built-ins, proper signal handling, and fork/exec commands. Demonstrates low-level systems programming and understanding of Unix shell mechanics.
C • Bash • Vim
Personal Portfolio Website
This site! Designed and developed a minimalist portfolio to showcase my professional journey, technical projects, and personal interests. Focused on clean aesthetics, user experience, and responsive design.
HTML • CSS • Bootstrap • JavaScript