Q&A with Cognitive Science Alumni Athena Samonte

Recent BA Cognitive Science alumni Athena Samonte is currently completing the first year of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, with a research focus on equity gaps at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), public policy, and society.

Samonte currently serves as a Teaching Assistant for an undergraduate policy course at SFU, in addition to working as a Research Assistant with SFU Climate Innovation and the Dialogue on Technology project. Her research primarily examines the energy consumption of AI systems and evaluates Canada’s existing AI policies through a sustainability lens. Read more about her experience at SFU in the Q&A below!

1. Why did you decide to study Cognitive Science during your undergrad? Did you have any favourite courses or professors during you time as a COGS undergrad student?

I was initially drawn to Cognitive Science because of my interest in psychology and AI. Overtime, I realized how valuable lingusitic, philosphical and computer science perspectives were in understanding how our minds work. My favourie COGS professor was Dr. Margaret Grant becuse she was such an enthusiastic professor who explained tough concepts well. I took LING 315 (Psychology of Language) & COGS 300 (Exploring the Mind) with her, and these were some of my most favourite courses during my undergrad.

2. What did you originally plan to do with your BA in Cognitive Science during undergrad? How did you decide upon pursuing your Master's in Public Policy afterwards?

Originally, I planned to use my BA in Cognitive Science to pursue a career in AI development. I had always been fascinated by our mind’s processes and was eager to learn how to replicate them with machine learning. Learning about the development of AI during my degree opened my eyes to the inequalities that are stemming from and being magnified by it. This led me to pursuing my Masters in Public Policy as I realized that I wanted to learn about AI regulation and address AI inequities, rather than continue to develop AI in the current system. 

3. How did your time at SFU change you and influence your career and academic goals?

I changed my academic goals and career trajectory countless times. SFU allowed me to explore multiple areas of interest that I didn't realize I could pursue. I started off as a Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (BPK) major, assuming I would become an occupational therapist. However, I pivoted to Cognitive Science when I realized how much I enjoyed learning about the mind. My minors in Global Humanities and Public Policy were both areas I discovered through completing my WQB courses. Without SFU's array of flexible and interdisciplinary programs, I would not have found what I wanted to do. 

4. Do you have any advice for students who may wish to apply to graduate school in general?

Connect with your professors! This can be hard to do, especially if you’re more introverted like me, but it became an integral part of my academic journey. Letting my professors know about my interest in graduate school helped me receive valuable advice, feedback, and opportunities that strengthened my graduate school applications. Building those strong relationships also helped immensely when it came time to ask for letters of recommendation. While I had always planned to pursue a master’s degree at some point, I only applied to the Master of Public Policy program directly after undergrad because of the encouragement and support of an SFU Public Policy professor.

5. What are your plans after completing your MA in Public Policy?

After completing my Masters of Public Policy, I aim to continue my research in AI inequities and develop AI policies in any capacity that I can. Ideally, this would be for the federal government’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development department or a non-governmental organization that holds similar values regarding AI development. Eventually, I’d like to return to academics to pursue my PhD in the inequalities perpetuated by AI or an adjacent AI topic.