Shivali Singireddy

What’ve you enjoyed most about your area of study? Was there a particular discovery, new skill or way of thinking, or insight that you found especially valuable? Please share an example from your favorite class or experience.

I enjoyed the practical applications of math and statistics. I could see how economics concepts could be applied to everyday life along with how certain theorems were also applicable to other fields. My favorite class was probably 14.15 (Networks). Almost everything can be extrapolated to a form of network, and understanding how social structures worked while also quantifying it through math was super cool.

How does the knowledge from this field, or your interest in it, combine with your other major or minor studies at MIT?

A lot of economics algorithms are directly applicable to CS and AI. We learn very similar algorithms which are used in different contexts, so by completing an economics minor, I was able to learn how a lot of concepts which originally felt somewhat niche to me could actually be creatively applied to a much broader range of topics. This motivated me to think more outside the box when approaching problems as opposed to just trying to take the standard approach.

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you – for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?

By exploring multiple majors and minors, I feel that I have received a more well-rounded education which allows me to converse with people from multiple fields. Having a baseline knowledge about a plethora of topics makes you more engaging to talk to, and also helps you learn from people who are more skilled than you, because you are able to understand the basics of what they are discussing.

What are your plans for the future?

I will be working at McKinsey in the Bay Area as a Business Analyst. I am unsure about my long-term plans for the future, but I am interested in the tech industry and would like to eventually work in some field related to technology or AI.