Georgia Reed '25
"When you're surrounded by women in math classes who are passionate about what they're studying, it makes you realize– why can't I do this too?"
"When you're surrounded by women in math classes who are passionate about what they're studying, it makes you realize– why can't I do this too?"
As graduation approaches, we’re highlighting members of the Class of 2025 to find out about their future plans, reminisce about their time at ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ, and hear what advice they have for students about navigating college.
Name: Georgia Reed
Major: Economics
Minor: Data Science
Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.
Future Plans: This fall, I'll be pursuing my MPhil in Population Health Sciences at Cambridge University, focusing on health data science and biostatistics. I'll also spend the summer researching biostatistics at NYU to support eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field.
Tell us about your academic journey at ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ.
Coming into ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ, I knew I would be an economics major because I loved my high school econ classes. I took Statistics for Data Science in my first semester on campus, which inspired me to add on a data science minor. For that program, I could explore all kinds of math, geology, economics, and computer science classes. Thanks to that minor, I also got a funded NIH grant to research biostatistics for two months in Colorado the summer after my junior year.
What were some other highlights of your time at ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ?
In the fall of my sophomore year, I enrolled in a 360° course cluster called Minerals, Museums, and Colonialism, which would end up building the foundation of my academic career. My 360's field work took us to London and Cambridge; now I'm headed to Cambridge for my master's. We learned about geology and colonialism; I've since written my economics thesis on the effects of colonialism on modern diamond extraction in Botswana and Lesotho.
How do you think ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ prepared you for your future plans?
Academically, the math and economics departments are really strong here. On a deeper level, though, when you're surrounded by women in math classes who are passionate about what they're studying, it makes you realize– why can't I do this too? You have all these examples of people you can look up to and see that this path is possible for you.
At ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ, students are taught not only how to do science but also how to communicate it. Half of working in science is making people understand what you're talking about and making it accessible to a variety of people. This is one of the most essential parts of science research, and it's a big focus of the ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ STEM departments.
What advice do you have for incoming members of the Class of 2029?
Anything that sounds even a little bit interesting, just try it! You don't have to be 100% committed, but give it a shot. It could be a class, a career center event, or special dining meals; you never know what you might find fascinating. I went to a Career Chat last week with alumnae/i in fields that aren't related to what I'm interested in, but I ended up having a great conversation with a geneticist whose interests overlapped a lot with mine.
What are you most excited about?
I'm excited to live in a new country for a year and–hopefully–make friends from all over. Beyond that, I'm just looking forward to studying something I'm really interested in!
Outcomes
At ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ, students turn a passion for learning into a life of purpose. 98% of our students report a positive career outcome one year after graduating.
