Never having considered Computer Science as a study option, Janina only stumbled across it when her boyfriend decided to teach her some programming. She enjoyed it so much that she started to learn Java from a library book and continued on to enrol in Computer Science at UC.

'I really enjoy the challenge of studying Computer Science. There is so much to learn and so much I don't know,' she explains.

'Computer Science is really practical and allows you to use your imagination and creativity. The software engineering courses at UC are particularly practical. Students usually have two hours of practical classes (labs) per week in each subject. This means you don't just learn about computers but you get to try out what you’ve learned and see results right away. Students also do a group project and make software for a real client. You learn skills that are really useful once you go out into the industry.'

'There are a lot of different Computer Science courses to choose from. The department has great facilities which really help with studying. I also really like the campus. It's nice and green and the facilities are very good. Especially in spring, when all the cherry trees flower, the campus looks really beautiful.'

Janina is originally from Germany and moved to New Zealand for her final year of high school. After completing her master’s degree at UC, she returned to her home country to take up an internship at Google in Munich.

‘Working at Google was an amazing experience and I met so many interesting and talented software developers and interns. I worked in the privacy group which develops privacy tools such as Google's dashboard.’

Janina has been awarded a full scholarship from the Rutherford Foundation of the Royal Society of New Zealand to do a PhD at the University of Cambridge. Her research looks at programming languages and how to improve them.

‘After my PhD I want to work in the industry as a software engineer rather than staying in academia, perhaps working for a company like Google or a start-up.'

She reassures people that Computer Science is not just for guys, a false perception she also had once.

'I think anyone who likes maths, logic, problem solving and science in general would really love Computer Science. Unfortunately many don't even consider it as an option. Girls especially think that Computer Science is for guys. I really think that people should give it a go and see if they like it. Personally, I find it really interesting and challenging.'

'I think Computer Science is a great subject to study. There are so many different areas you can work in once you have your degree. Graduates are very sought after at the moment so it's a good time to get into the job market.'