CSE-PACE Cohorts
In CSE-PACE Cohorts you will...
  • Connect with new friends
  • Think about big ideas in computing over free food
  • Get insider tips on classes and campus
What are Peer-led Academic Cohort Experiences?

Q: What will I do in a CSE-PACE session?
A typical session will have each 8-10 person cohort and their lead peer mentor talk about a video/ news article related to the cohort theme, do an activity on campus, or try out something you're using in your classes.

Q: Will I get credit?
We encourage students participating in CSE-PACE to add CSE 91 to their schedule so that they can earn course credits as part of participation in the program.

Q: How do I join?
You can come by CSE (EBU3b) 1202 during a cohort time in Winter quarter and we'll help you get set up. To let us know you're interested ahead of time, fill out the registration form and add CSE 91 to your class schedule.

  1. In order to give priority to incoming CSE students in cohorts, we've set it up so everyone enrolls through the waitlist and then we admit people from there. So enrolling via the waitlist is just the right thing to do!
  2. You should pick one of the three Winter quarter times (Tuesday either time, or Friday) to attend CSE-PACE, not all three. You will pick this by adding the corresponding lecture section when you enroll.

First-year CSE students are organized into cohorts led by an experienced CSE undergraduate tutor.

Meet the team!

Join our weekly hour-long sessions to talk about CSE courses and the impacts of cutting-edge computing topics over free food.

CSE-PACE is free, designed for all first-year computing students, and runs for the entire academic year.

Earn 2 units of credit for participation by enrolling in CSE 91: Perspectives in CSE during Winter quarter (or CSE 90 if you already have CSE 91 credit). Priority enrollment to CSE majors. Discussion attendance is optional; don't worry about scheduling conflicts between the CSE 91 Discussion time and your other classes.

Register first to help us make groups ahead of time. Or, if you just show up in CSE 1202 on Tuesday at 11am, Tuesday at 12:30pm, or Friday at 12:00pm during the first few weeks of the Winter quarter and we'll help you get started!

Have more questions? Contact us at pace@ucsd.edu

CSE-PACE Team

Andrew Oabel

Andrew is a 4th year computer science major and linguistics minor at Warren. He enjoys gaming (especially Nintendo), singing, and working out. Fun fact about him is he was once part of a barbershop quartet!

Alessia Welch

Alessia is a Computer Science student in Seventh College from Dallas, TX, who loves ice skating, spending time with friends, and trying new foods.

Audria Montalvo Saravia

I'm Audria :) I'm Peruvian, Christian, and a 4th year Bioinformatics (Bio + cse) Revelle student. I enjoy being silly and love bonding with others. I ran a half marathon last quarter lol! See y'all soon 😎

Charisse Chua

I'm a second year studying computer science. I was in PACE as a student last year, so it's super fun to be able to come back as a Lead Peer Mentor. Outside of school I love to sing and write songs. I've released my music on all streaming platforms, with more on the way. Check them out if you're in search of some new music! I also like playing volleyball, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends.

D'ante McCurty

Hi my name is D'ante McCurty and I am a second year Computer Science major. I love everything pop culture as well as meeting new people. My favorite hobbies are playing video games and playing board games with my friends.

Jose Salazar

I'm a 3rd year transfer student double majoring in Computer Science and Math. I like to explore new places in San Diego to find beautiful sights or delicious food, mand I play the violin! I'm looking forward to helping you navigate your journey in computing!

Joshua Villanueva

Hello incoming students and welcome to PACE! My name is Joshua Villanueva and I am a low income, first generation, Computer Engineering student. I am happy and thankful to be a part of our UCSD family. Fun fact: A side hobby of mine is making music and when I am not doing that, I like to bury my head in a book, go on a fun hike, or go out to a concert with my friends.

Karisma Kumar

I'm a senior studying Computer Science in hopes of becoming a full-time Software Engineer, interested in working in BioMedical Technology in the near future. Outside of my studies, I dedicate my time as a member of the competitive Bhangra dance team at UCSD. I also love going to the beach, trying new food places, and just exploring new activities to do in beautiful San Diego.

Kathy Chen

I'm Kathy and I'm a third year student at UCSD studying computer science with a minor in cognitive science. I'm also involved with the CSE DEI committee and Women In Computing. In my free time I love to dance, go to the beach, bake, and spend time in nature. I can’t wait to work with you all!

Peter Lee

Hi! My name is Peter and I'm a second-year Computer Science major at Sixth College. In my free time I like to play tennis and explore new hobbies. Feel free to reach out!

Ryan Batubara

Hello, I'm Ryan Batubara, a second year double majoring in Mathematics-Computer Science and Data Science. Having joined PACE these last two quarters, I'm excited to continue forming a community here, now as a Lead Peer Mentor.

Ryan Rickey

Hi friends! I'm Ryan, a fifth year double majoring in CSE and ICAM-Music. I love all things creative, spending time in nature, and using the Spanish language :D

Samantha Prestrelski

Welcome to UC San Diego! Sam is a third-year Math-Computer Science undergraduate from Warren College. Chat with her about classes, music, and Tetris.

Samvrit Srinath

Hi everyone! My name is Samvrit. I'm a second year CS Major in Warren. In my free time, I love to hike, play the piano, or try new food in San Diego! In my time here, I've been a part of ACM, CSES, TSE, and have worked at the University! I'm really excited to meet all of you guys since being a first year student was not too long ago for me as well! Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and I look forward to being your mentor this year!

Yuan Gao

Yuan is a third-year CS student who enjoys soccer and taro ice cream!

Emily Ekaireb

Emily is a Masters Computer Science student who graduated from Computer Engineering (Muir College), and who loves surfing, skating, and swimming.

Dr. Joe Politz

Hello and welcome! Come visit my office on the third floor to talk about programming, San Diego, and dogs. You can find me posting puns, dog pictures, tech discussion and more on Twitter.

Dr. Kristen Vaccaro

Welcome to UCSD! You can find me on the third floor at the end of the hall (3226, there's also a nice lounge outside) where I'm happy to chat about social computing, UX, and design!

Dr. Mia Minnes

Welcome to UC San Diego! Come by my office on the fourth floor and check out colourful whiteboard markers, cool origami, and a view of our CSE Stone Bear mascot.

Directions
Directions: go in the main doors of the the CSE building. Go to the left of the staircase, straight across the lobby. Past the elevators (to the right of them if facing them) is the door for room 1202.
Discussion Starters

Some CSE-PACE discussions are directly related to your CSE courses, and others draw from news stories or videos about cutting-edge topics in computing. Here are a few examples of conversation starters for our sessions.

How is artificial intelligence (mis)used?
"Machine Bias - There's software used across the country to predict future criminals. And it's biased against blacks." [Magazine article]
"Busting Anti-Queer Bias in Text Prediction" [USC news story]
"TED Talk: How I'm fighting Bias in Algorithms" [TED Talk]
"COMPUTERS IN A JAZZ ENSEMBLE? INVENTING IMPROVISATIONAL AI" [UCSD news story]
"how to stop Artificial Intelligence from marginalizing communities?" [TEDx talk]
Can computing destroy / save our planet and our communities?
"The power of bugs" [UCSD news story]
"Computing as a teammate in healthcare" [UCSD researcher video profile]
"Cryptomining Capacity in U.S. Rivals Energy Use of Houston" [New York Times article]
"Tossed aside in the "white gold" rush- indigenous people are left poor as tech world takes lithium from under their feet" [Washington Post article]
"Bluetooth Signals Can be Used to Identify and Track Smartphones" [UCSD news story]
"Improving Internet Security" [UCSD researcher video profile]
What would computing for all look like?
"Why I Want my Voice Assistant to Speak Spanglish" [TEDx Talk]
"Nike FlyEase" [Product line feature]
"Lady Boss: Black Tech Founders" [Podcast episode]
"Black in AI- researchers can't ignore social structure problems" [Magazine article]
"Women and Information Technology: By the Numbers" [Infographic]
"Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992): A legacy of innovation and service" [Yale news story]
"Inclusive CS Examples" [UCSD Professor blog post]
"Introduction to: Anti-social computing" [Intro notes to Stanford course]