Graduation Spotlight: James McHargue

James McHargue

Graduate student receiving a master's in computer science.

Why did you choose this area of study for an advanced degree?

I chose to get an advanced degree in computer science so I could learn more about artificial intelligence. I was exposed to the basics of AI during my undergrad, but I felt like there was so much more to learn about it, and I knew it was a field that was becoming more important with every passing week. Pursuing a master's allowed me to get that deeper level of education on the topic.

What are your next steps?

For right now, my plans are to begin work at Amazon in the fall as an engineer on the Amazon Echo. Working there, I plan to apply what I learned in my thesis on speech synthesis to make Amazon devices more natural and more interactive. After spending some time in the industry, I'm also considering returning to academia for a PhD to explore how AI can be applied to complex problems in other fields.

What is your favorite memory at CWRU?

My favorite memory at CWRU is of hanging out with friends in the Village House 3 common area late at night during my senior year. My friends would set up game-show events for our friend group, and they were always a lot of fun.

What is your advice for a student starting a graduate or professional program at CWRU?

Know your deadlines, and plan out your work accordingly. It's easy to procrastinate when your deadlines are months away, but you have that amount of time for a reason. Make a schedule and hold yourself to it.