Biography

Hello, My name is Colby and I am currently in my last year of undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. After finishing this year, I am planning to pursue a second degree in Computer Science.

Originally, my plan was to pursue a health profession or become a researcher. Having volunteered at clinics and pharmacies, I realized health professions were not for me. I also did three terms of co-op with Biochemistry to hopefully find passion in research which also did not turn out so well.

My first position was with UBC Biological and Chemical Engineering where I was a research assistant for a project focused on developing bamboo as a feed-stock for bio-fuel and bio-products. Unfortunately I did not find my passion there so I went on looking for something else.

I then became a research assistant for UBC Ophthalmology where I studied genetic mechanisms underlying blindness. Again, I was very enthusiastic for the first few month and then the excitement fell off. It was then I realized I needed to try something completely different and started looking into computer science. I started doing my own computer science classes on Coursera and then took CPSC110 as an elective. Like most people, the freedom to be creative is what really attracted me to Computer Science and of course, the job perspective.

As Computer Science is a huge field, I do not have a clear goal yet on what specific career I want to pursue. I have only scratch the surface of computer science in terms of knowledge and have much more to learn. I look forward to what the future has to offer and can not wait to get out of life sciences and get into the field of Computer Science.