In her own words
Gisselt Gomez
I recently completed my undergraduate degree at Carnegie Mellon University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Politics and Public Policy. This endeavor represents one of the greatest challenges I have ever undertaken, yet one of my proudest accomplishments, especially as a first-generation, low-income college student. Pursuing higher education has proven to be indispensable to my personal development, allowing me to redefine myself and my capabilities within research and academia. My experience as a first-generation college student at Carnegie Mellon awakened in me a spirit of unwavering resilience, unbridled optimism, and boundless intellectual curiosity. For me, higher education is passion in action, and my undergraduate career in architecture and public policy has served as a strong first step forward in pursuing my long-term career goals.
This fall, I have the opportunity to continue my education and return to Carnegie Mellon for my graduate degree in Public Policy and Management, with an additional concentration in Smart Communities. At the nexus of architecture, urban design, public policy and data analytics, I have discovered my passion for urban analytics and smart cities, two emerging fields of study that seek to explore how society can use readily available high-fidelity data to evaluate the built environment and its contribution to concrete aspects like a community’s safety and economic vitality, as well as more nebulous aspects like the vibrancy and livability of a community. Upon completion of my graduate education, I hope to work as a data analyst, urban designer, city planner, or policy researcher. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute meaningfully to shaping our cities and built environments in a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive manner.