Mammoth Mountain in California experienced a whopping 192 inches of snowfall in March 2023. These details are very familiar to Case Western Reserve University student Carson Williams, who nervously tracked the storms hitting the area from thousands of miles away. Williams, alongside other members of the University Program Board (UPB), had planned a spring trip to the destination and was hopeful it could still take place.

Just two days before departure, Williams—then the organization’s director of off-campus planning—and other members of the organization had to pivot, instead changing the destination to Los Angeles. With the help of the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, the group reorganized flights, shifted buses, swapped hotels and coordinated with trip attendees.

“While it was tough to see six months of planning change so quickly, those 48 hours of intense teamwork will always be one of my strongest memories from UPB,” said Williams, now a fourth-year student majoring in computer science.

The exercise in flexibility helped prepare Williams for his role as president of UPB, a position he held last year and will continue to fill during the 2024–25 academic year.

Read on to learn more about Williams and find out what he has planned for UPB this year.

Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

1.  What drew you to Case Western Reserve University?

I chose CWRU because of its well-known Case School of Engineering, which includes a robust computer science program. The university offers a nice mix of urban city life, with easy access to downtown locations like Playhouse Square, while still maintaining a campus feel with plenty of green spaces. Additionally, the size of the school makes it easy to get involved in student organizations and connect with others.

2. Why did you choose your area of study?

I chose computer science because I enjoy finding unique solutions to problems and have always been fascinated by how things work. Studying computer science lets me dive into understanding the technology behind it all, which I find really exciting.

3. What do you enjoy most about computer science?

What I enjoy most as a computer science student at CWRU is the ability to take courses that not only teach me how to solve problems but also help me deeply understand the mechanics behind those solutions. I am also able to use my general electives to explore other interests, like technical theater and business management, which adds a great balance to my studies.

4. What are your hopes and goals for UPB this year?

This year, my goal is to enhance the efficiency of our events to not only boost undergraduate attendance but also fit seamlessly into students’ schedules. One way I plan to achieve this is by introducing our Digital Event Terminals, which are mobile devices that integrate with the CaseOneCard to streamline event ticketing, vouchers and a new point system. The system also features a web-portal for students to interact with events in an arcade-like style and enter raffles or redeem points. 

With the help of my peers, Joshua Tam and Melanie Uroda, we designed and created 16 of these terminals over the summer using Sears think[box] for prototyping. The devices will debut at our Back to School Bash during the first week of classes. This initiative will transition into my senior project during the fall semester, where I aim to build out the web portal to allow devices to be easily configured and deployed for various events in the future. 

5. Can you also share a bit about your internship this summer? What did you learn this summer and what types of projects did you work on?

This summer, I worked as an artificial intelligence and flight software intern at Comsat Architects. During my internship, I developed and trained machine-learning models for processing images onboard a satellite. 

One of the key projects I worked on involved designing a communication protocol between onboard computers, which will be deployed in space in the coming years. This experience helped me appreciate the complexities of space technology and practical uses for AI within the space field.

6. Can you also talk a bit about your study abroad experience?

During the spring semester, I had the chance to study abroad at the University of New South Wales (USNW) in Sydney, Australia. Visiting Australia had always been a dream of mine, so I made sure to stay for a while, especially given the 30-hour journey to get there! 

At UNSW, I started with a “summer term” class in January focused on Sustainable Tourism and Australian Aviation, which included a week-long field trip to a remote eco-resort on an island in the Great Barrier Reef. Upon return to Sydney, I took three computer science courses that emphasized industry training. I also made the most of the low-cost airfare in Australia, taking several weekend trips to explore different landscapes in Australia and New Zealand.

7. Are you involved in any other student organizations, volunteer work or research?

I’m also an active member of the CWRU Wilderness Society, where I’ve held both member and leadership roles. I really enjoy the opportunity to get off campus and explore local wilderness areas like Cuyahoga Valley National Park through our hiking trips.

8. What do you hope to do in the future?

In the future, I plan to work in a software development or software management role that combines technology and innovation, possibly in the aviation sector. This was inspired in part by the course I took during my study abroad experience.