Leong Shu Ling

Course: Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours), 2019
Nationality: Malaysian
Current role: Software Engineer, Datasonic Group Bhd

Why did you decide to pursue Computer Science?

During my Pre-U program in MUFY, I was actually taking units with the intention of pursuing Chemical Engineering. Upon graduating, however, I found that Physics wasn’t really my cup of tea and at that time, I was constantly intrigued by the various breakthroughs and advances made in the field of technology as well as the huge potential it offered, and that was how the decision is made.

Tell us about your Honours research.

I worked on facial similarities and differences based on ethnicities. While there is splendid research done on ethnicity classification, our approach is slightly different. We tried to discover exactly what were these features, or even patterns, that identified and distinguished people from different ethnic backgrounds by using several handcrafted features, in hopes of providing a different perspective to the problem at hand. This information could potentially serve as an insight into the reason behind false positives encountered in facial recognition applications as well as a basis for ethnicity-based facial expression analysis.

Did Monash meet your expectations?

Yes, it was a splendid journey. Overall, all the materials taught were relevant and up to date, which is an extremely important quality in a Computer Science course. Integration of group work helped to prepare students for future work environments and the staff were always ready to lend a hand. Not to mention the availability of many informal learning spaces that improved the study environment on campus.

Did you have any industry exposure/placements while studying at Monash? If so, do you think it has made a difference for you in terms of career preparation?

While I was eligible for an opportunity to participate in the Industry Based Learning program, in the end, I did not go for it as I was already in the middle of preparing for my Final Year Project at the time. However, while I was doing my Honours program, another opportunity in the form of being a research assistant came knocking and I took it. Along the way, it occurred to me that communication is crucial and that a mutual understanding between co-workers is needed in order for the whole operation to go smoothly. In short, while it is important to own the hard skills required for the task, interpersonal communication skills are something that should not be overlooked and mastering this skill will undoubtedly help to avoid any unwanted situations in my career.