We sat down with Charles Branning, who is a CECS Advisory Council member, VP of AI Vols and double major in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, to discuss his time at CECS.
What interested you in CECS?
“I was originally going to be an architecture student, but I got denied from architecture school. After talking with my parents, I was still trying to think of something I was interested in doing. I came across [Applied Artificial Intelligence] and thought it was an on-the-rise field, so I decided to see what it’s all about.”
What is your major?
“Last semester, I declared a double major in Applied AI and Cybersecurity. I just think they’re really interesting fields with lots of things moving toward AI. There are a lot of tools that can be really helpful, but people use them poorly. It’s something that needs to be regulated pretty heavily—that’s why I brought in cybersecurity. It’s interesting seeing how the two fields come together. Coding in AI is extremely prevalent right now, especially.”
What is our favorite part about being a CECS student?
“I really liked CECS-giving, our Thanksgiving lunch. Being a student at CECS, you get to experience a tighter-knit community than you would at other colleges. Other colleges may not have the same opportunity to form personal relationships with the faculty and staff like you can at CECS, too.”
If you could tell other students about CECS, what would you tell them?
“You’re going to get back what you put into it here. Those that are motivated are attending all the RISE Base Camps and other events, we’ll probably get the most back from those activities. That’s really how you’ll succeed in a professional career in the future.”
What else are you involved in at CECS?
“I’m the Vice President of AI Vols, the first AI club on campus.”
What do you hope to do after graduation?
“I would be happy to do either cybersecurity or AI work. If I could find a field that combines the interesting parts of both fields, that would be the dream! Training AI bots and testing the cybersecurity of other companies. I’m learning about white hat hacking in my classes which is really cool.”