During my time in the lab, I worked on the Misty recipe recommendation system, focusing on backend API integration and debugging for an AI-driven pipeline that supported recipe generation workflows and image retrieval for a tablet-based interface. This experience helped me strengthen my skills in Python, API development, problem-solving in a research setting, and gain hands-on experience with Git and Scrum, which I believe are essential for my future.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from the professor, mentors, and teammates in the lab, and I’ll be carrying these experiences forward into my future academic and professional work. I highly recommend joining the RARE Lab for anyone looking to gain real-world technical experience. It’s a great environment to learn and grow!
— 12/16/2025
Hi, I’m Alissa Ann Josy, a Computer Science major at USF. I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of technology and people, not just how systems work, but how they can be designed to make life better. That’s what drew me to research in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and data-driven applications.
Technically, I enjoy working with Python, Java, and C++ for building algorithms and problem-solving, and I’ve been gaining experience in full-stack development too. I also have a growing interest in machine learning, using libraries like scikit-learn and Pandas to analyze data and build predictive models.
What excites me about joining the RARE Lab is the chance to combine these skills with meaningful research questions. I want to contribute to projects that not only advance AI technically but also tackle real challenges, like making systems more fair, explainable, and supportive of human well-being. For me, this is an opportunity to grow as a researcher while working on problems that matter.
— 8/20/2025
