Meet the Interns: Priya Kalra

If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been featuring our talented interns and learning more about their interests and ambitions. This time, we invite you to meet Priya Kalra, a University of Michigan student majoring in Industrial and Operations Engineering. Priya has a black belt in Taekwondo and enjoys playing field hockey, watching basketball, biking, and spending time with friends and family. But wait, there’s more. Read on!

What are some of your professional interests?

I was on a robotics team throughout middle and high school, and I have always loved taking apart things and putting them back together to figure out how they work. I also have attended a few hackathons in my free time, which I have enjoyed. I am specifically interested in finding innovative ways to make current technology more efficient in the future.

What drew you to an internship at Octo?

I was attracted to Octo because I wanted to intern at a place that would allow me to apply my own skills and knowledge to create solutions and help customers. After exploring the website and many of the amazing projects Octo has worked on in the past, I was extremely impressed and immediately knew that I wanted to intern at Octo.

What do you hope to get out of this experience?

I hope to build upon both my technical skills and soft skills through working on our AI project with my team. Additionally, I want to build connections with employees at Octo to learn more about their current role and experiences they have had in the past.

Who is an innovator you admire?

An innovator I admire is Marie Curie, who was responsible for inventing mobile x-ray units to diagnose injuries during World War I, in addition to discovering the elements radium and polonium. As a female innovator, she serves as an inspiration for all.

What is your impression of Octo so far?

One thing that stands out to me about Octo is how strong the community here is. Everyone has been so welcoming, and it is evident that they understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle and genuinely enjoy their job. I have also noticed that all the employees truly care about each other and encourage a fun and collaborative environment.

What are you most excited to be working on at Octo?

I am most excited to be working on our current project where we will improve the GSA Advantage search page by creating a bi-modal application. I look forward to further exploring how aspects of data collection and backend, and frontend will contribute to the final product that we plan to present. I am also excited to build new friendships and connections with my fellow interns.

What excites you about the future of machine learning/artificial intelligence? (ML/AI)?

I am excited to see all that ML/AI is capable of in the future, specifically the level of advancement that machines can achieve, and how they will be incorporated into our daily lives. It is amazing to me that we have not yet discovered all that it could be capable of.

What do you want to be working on in two years? In five?

In two years, I plan to build upon my technical skills by working on an innovative project that will help impact the future. In five years, I want to work for a company with a strong community and mission of serving others. In the future, I aspire to obtain a leadership role to guide the direction of the company and help it achieve its goals.

Would you enjoy working in a dynamic environment that provides tools and resources to help you succeed? Octo is an inclusive workplace for employees at every career stage. We’re hiring technologists and support staff with a passion to learn and empower customers to meet essential missions. Check out careers at Octo now. And stay tuned for our next installment of Meet the Interns.