For Computer Science major and senior James “JJ” Wile, his fascination with computers started when he would mask keys and attempt to type on his mother’s computer around the age of four years old. From his childhood fascination to entering his final undergraduate year at Ϲ, JJ’s wonder towards this field has opened up various opportunities in S.T.E.M. that he credits to the Monarch community for being open-minded and welcoming.
“There was just something about computers that has always been very special to me growing up, and I really had no question that that’s what I wanted to look into more through middle and high school,” said JJ.
Before graduating from Lightridge High School in Aldie, Virginia, JJ had made up his mind that he was heading to Ϲ for the computer science program. “I wanted to be in a place where S.T.E.M. is written in ink in all the things that we do; a school where there are seizable opportunities,” said JJ. “I didn’t want to be just another face in the crowd. I wanted to have real opportunities as a student, so I came to Ϲ.”
Once he arrived at Ϲ, he made it his mission to find his place of belonging and to stand out from the crowd. “I was thinking, how do I stand out from my peers that are doing hack-a-thons and internships? I decided to lean into physics,” said JJ. “I’ve always loved physics, so I decided to use what I do in classes and apply it in a lab where computer science is highly applicable, being used to simulate all these high-level physics problems.”
At first, he thought the process of reaching out to faculty in a department where he was not majoring would be daunting. “I realized it’s not as intimidating as it seems. Professors are people who do research, and they’re happy to be a point of contact for you,” said JJ. “Even though I was a freshman (at the time), I was in a lab with a professor within a month or two.”
During his first semester, he reached out to Assistant Professor Matt Grau, Ph.D., and he’s been doing research in his lab for more than three years. “The faculty in the physics department are very welcoming, and they’re happy to talk to you and teach you unfamiliar concepts,” said JJ. In the Grau Lab, JJ does work in the field of optics physics, focusing mostly on trapped ion quantum science, where his programming background is highly applicable. “I fit in a lot better than I expected, and I’m having a lot of fun here, more than I thought I would.”
Finding his path has allowed him to take advantage of other opportunities, especially through student organizations on campus. “When I first arrived here, I went to the student organization fair, I talked to some people, and I heard about this group that will play Mario Kart on the planetarium and drop pumpkins from the tallest building on campus,” said JJ. “Of course, I thought, ‘that all sounds really cool and I want to join’ and be a part of that, so I did.” After the first meeting, he was hooked, and he knew he had “found his people on campus.” He joined, the Society of Physics Students, and then later became the president at the end of his sophomore year.
“When people hear the name Society of Physics Students, they think, ’it’s not for me, I’m not a physics student,’ and that’s what I thought,” said JJ. “But I joined and I realized we have accounting majors, biology majors, math majors, business majors, and it’s not about being a physics student.” JJ realized that the Society of Physics Students has an “underlying interest in loving S.T.E.M.”, and that focal point has allowed him and this student organization to make real connections with people across the Hampton Roads community.
“We’ll go to the Oceana Airshow, various elementary schools and we go to socials at restaurants, and when I started going to these events, that’s when I knew that I want to stick with these guys while I’m here,” said JJ. “Now, as the president of the Society of Physics Students, I want to give that same experience to new freshmen, because I was that freshman, and I know exactly what it’s like, and that’s why it’s important for me to make it a welcoming community.”
Carving out his pathway to stand out has also allowed him to engage on a deeper level with his classwork and his major. "In the computer science department, the faculty are great and they’re happy to provide a great experience for students and give them a higher education beyond what is taught in the classroom,” said JJ. Faculty in the computer science department have been encouraging him to apply to the BS/MS Linked Program.
As for his future, JJ believes he has options to choose from. “I would like to get my master’s degree in computer science, and beyond that, maybe I’ll get a doctorate, maybe I’ll work in a lab, or I’ll go to a start-up in San Francisco,” said JJ. “I wanted the platform that both computer science and physics can give me, and that’s what I know I’ve received here at Ϲ.”
Ϲ is special to JJ for various reasons, but having a valuable network available to make new connections with his peers and professors stands out the most. “There’s such a great platform for students to get engaged beyond the class work, there’s grants and great student engagement and so many student organizations,” said JJ. “There’s such a rich network here with so many opportunities that I have to recommend it to anyone who’s looking into it.”