Intern Spotlight: Introducing Aahanaa

Hi there! I’m a rising senior at Macalester College, majoring in Computer Science and Studio Art with a minor in Linguistics. I’m from Kolkata, India, practically on the opposite side of the world! 

I knew early on that I had a passion for both art and technology so I learned to combine them to create better products and cooler art. Problem-solving is one of my favorite things to do. Puzzles, mysteries, code errors – as frustrating as they may get, solving them is always fun. I also love iterating over the same thing and varying small things to get a better result. The process of iteration and pushing limits is something I do often in both art and code. That’s why I do Macathon every year. Macathon is an overnight innovation competition at Macalester College and I’ve placed 1st and 2nd in the last three years!

I love making art with my hands and creating something 3-dimensional, that I can touch or feel. My art often explores textures and new techniques combined with new technology to make unique objects. I also enjoy gardening and am growing my own veggie garden in my backyard.

What inspired you to explore internship opportunities in the startup space?

I think startups give interns like me a lot more room to grow by exploring different spaces of work and filling various roles as needed. When you’re in a small team, you get to wear a lot of different hats and I love learning about new things that aren’t necessarily directly related to what I do. It develops my skills and improves my adaptability to different situations.

What interests you about health tech?

The healthcare system in The States was one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced when I moved here. It’s so different from other countries and at times super inefficient and I’ve struggled with it myself. I’m so interested in DOCSI because it gives me a platform to help improve some of the problems by reducing waste, saving time, and saving money. All of which are things I am passionate about.

What are you hoping to gain from your internship experience?

I’m hoping to learn a lot more about the development process for solution-driven platforms like DOCSI’s and gain knowledge about how small teams work to create such intricate products. I want to use the skills I have to make a difference in this platform while learning more skills I can take forward with me in my Software Development journey.

What are your plans/aspirations post-grad?

I want to get a fun job where I can do software development and lots of front-end development to use both my CS and Art degrees and make better products.