Student Spotlights
Ellen Li
Senior
Where is home/Where did you grow up?
Beijing, China. It’s a huge city that takes me 3 hours to commute every day, but I still love it because it holds all the best food and memories.
Why did you choose this major?
I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of art and technology. Digital Media Studies’ flexibility to explore a range of courses, from art history to computer science, makes it the perfect fit for my interests.
What’s your capstone project?
I serve as the UX/product designer for the team Pawsitively URs. We are a group of passionate cat loversworking closely with the Pawsitive Cat Cafe in downtown Rochester. Our main focus right now is building an internal tool called Cat-a-logger to help them with their daily petcare tasks. It’s rewarding to know that our product willplay a key role in supporting their plans to start a cat rescue.
Why is community engagement important to you?
My favorite moment is seeing my designs make a real-world impact in society. For example, in one of myfavorite classes, WRTG273, we collaborated with the Ganondagan State Historic Site and created a website aimed at raising awareness about land preservation and native american culture. I’m glad to put my skills to good use in giving back to the community.
What are your plans after you graduate?
I’m interested in the field of HCI and aspire to become a UX/product designer upon graduation.
What is your proudest accomplishment while at the UofR?
One highlight for me was during my junior year when I took on the role of UX design lead at RocLab, a student developers organization. I led a talented team of five designers and collaborated with groups of engineers. Together, we launched a redesigned version of the CDCS website in November 2023. Our final solution, Melcourse, is a course searching and scheduling tool that is beneficial to thousands of U of R students. It truly brought me a sense of accomplishment to see our design come to life and to see my friends around me benefit from it. If you haven't already, feel free to check out the website at:https://melcourses.com/.
What do you like to do when not in school?
During my breaks, you'll often find me traveling with my camera and sketchbook, exploring local bakeriesand restaurants. Over the past two years, I’ve visited 20+ cities, and Paris is my favorite among them. Hope I can find my way back there again in the future.
A Rochester must?
Taking a walk along the Genesee Riverway Trail during a summer sunset and watching the birds gliding above the river.
Feast/meal of the times? Details, please!
Dumplings. There are always at least five bags of frozen dumplings in my freezer. Sometimes I find it relaxing to make them from scratch (starting from the wrappers).
An inspiring book/movie/show? We are really curious as to why!
Since my second major is psychology, I read quite a few psychology books and one that has left a lastingimpression is Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I’ve recommended it to all my friends who have felt stressed out during job hunting, academics, and more. Perhaps you might find some answers within its pages too!
Fun fact or quote:
Here’s a random fact about me: I’m extremely terrified of bugs, especially spiders. My top two strategiesfor keeping them away are sealing windows and creating chili pepper barriers. If those fails, I give them names and try to be friends with them instead :))
Ask me about…
Bakeries, places to eat, Nintendo switch, illustration, photography