TRAIN Scholar Evelyn Rivera Elias' Blog

  This past week I have been working on time management. Fortunately for this semester I only have 2 classes that assign homework and require outside studying: Physics and Calc 2. I had to switch to online for Calc 2 because I could not handle doing evening classes Monday through Thursday but I am now caught up on Calc 2. Physics will require more time, the math for physics isn't difficult because it's mostly applying algebra and precalculus concepts but putting together the equations and understanding the context is the real challenge.  My goal for this week is to update my current Google calendar (as shown above) and add set times for when I will study and when I will go to office hours for Physics. I used to study whenever I had the time or when I felt like it because I hated doing homework (especially math) when I felt tired or upset. I don't plan on forcing myself to work when I am not feeling well but I am going to do something about those feelings by taking a walk or...

  Today I was able to narrow down what exactly my project will be for this semester. I settled on using machine learning to predict economic inflation in the United States. The idea is to create an algorithm that will be trained with economic datasets from previous years and then test the algorithm with more recent data. From the small bit of research, I have done so far, economists are predicting inflation will drop later this year but in the last two years inflation has been at its worst since 1981.  I wanted to do a more data science-related project since it is more aligned with my major. I also wanted to do an economic-based project since that's a field that needs data scientists and it pays well. I would like to do an internship related to business sometime during my undergrad just to see if it is the kind of industry I would like to work in.  On a side note, I am doing more research on what I may want to do/study after I leave PC. I still plan on transferring to ASU...

  This week was pretty rough, I decided not to do the internship at TGen since I thought it would be better if I completed my materials, equipment, and safety for micro nanotechnology class since they had some research on that available. Fortunately, the people at TGen were very understanding and said I could do an internship with them in the Spring. I also got rejected from a different opportunity that I had really wanted to do, so it feels like I'm back at square one with my TRAIN project. I wanted to continue my project from last semester but the sensors aren't great so that idea is scrapped.  I am trying to be optimistic and see what new thing I could do for this semester but it is a bit tough because of the stress I've had this week but I have spoken to Josh about it. He asked what I would want to do after PC and after ASU, which admittedly I didn't think that far ahead of what I would want but maybe the setbacks I've had this week will help me determine what I...