Student Profile – Sofia Silva

Sofia Silva earned her bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from San José State University (SJSU) in May 2024 and is now a first-year master’s student in the same field. As a first-generation college student born and raised in San Jose, Sofia’s path is supported by her family’s pursuit of the American Dream when her parents immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico, to the U.S.

Sofia’s passion for engineering started when she took robotics and computer science electives in high school. However, when she successfully programmed a robot to climb a ramp after repeated failures, it gave her a sense of achievement. This sparked her curiosity about what else she could do and decided to pursue the program and industry for her college education.

Sofia’s dedication landed her an internship with NASA Ames Research Center and SJSU’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC) as a FireSage intern. She contributed to developing an Arc Geographic Information System(GIS)-based program integrating machine learning to detect objects and vegetation within home ignition zones, to enhance wildfire prevention strategies through aerial imagery analysis. This involved testing image classification algorithms, analyzing key performance metrics using Python, and optimizing classification accuracy. She gained expertise in GIS programming, remote sensing, and AI-driven environmental solutions.

Choosing to intern with NASA Ames and WIRC was an opportunity for Sofia to achieve her goal of applying machine learning to environmental science, but it was the strong mentorship culture that truly made the experience invaluable. Working alongside NASA scientists, engineers, and SJSU faculty allows her to gain technical guidance, career development insights, and exposure to interdisciplinary collaboration.

Sofia credits SJSU classes like CMPE 131, CMPE 133, and CMPE 188, for equipping her with the foundational knowledge necessary for software development and data analysis. Besides technical skills, the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams was a crucial skill proven during her internship, where she worked closely with experts from the Urban Planning and Geography fields.

Sofia highlighted the importance of curiosity and adaptability for students looking to land similar internship roles. “Stay open to exploring different problem-solving strategies, be flexible in adapting to new challenges, and maintain a strong interest in using technology to help people,” she advises. The interdisciplinary quality of this role ties directly to its success, learning from diverse perspectives and applying innovative approaches to real-world problems.

In the future, Sofia envisions herself working at a software company and becoming a Scrum Master. Sofia is committed to leveraging technology for the greater good–her ultimate goal is to contribute to environmental technology or work on innovations that drive meaningful change to people’s quality of life.

Black History Month

Image – Photo by: Trevor Cokley

Lt. Col. James H. Harvey III was a trailblazing U.S. Air Force officer and one of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military aviators in American history. Born in 1923 in Montclair, New Jersey, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943 and earned his wings at Tuskegee Army Airfield. Despite racial barriers, he became a skilled fighter pilot, flying aircraft such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and the F-86 Sabre during his distinguished career.

One of Harvey’s most significant achievements was winning the U.S. Air Force’s first-ever “Top Gun” competition in 1949 as part of a five-man team from the 332nd Fighter Group. Competing against all-white units, they proved their superior flying and shooting skills, securing first place. However, due to racial discrimination, their victory was ignored for decades, and official records failed to acknowledge their success. It wasn’t until 1995 that their achievement was formally recognized, correcting historical racial discrimination.

Despite the discrimination he faced, Harvey continued serving in the Air Force until 1965, becoming a respected pilot and advocate for recognizing the contributions of Black aviators. In 2022, he was honored at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, ensuring that the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and their groundbreaking accomplishments would not be forgotten. His story and excellence set the way for future generations of Black American military pilots.

Hayward City cyber attack – featuring Prof. Ahmed Banafa

A year and a half ago, Hayward City suffered a cyber attack, the city has issued a letter informing 33,000 people that their personal data was stolen and is working with an outsourced tech consultant to mine and investigate the situation. They also claimed that there is no evidence of identity theft or fraud crimes being committed. However, experts like Professor Banafa are not convinced that these data are not being leveraged for personal gain. Watch the full interview now (start from 33:22)