Posted on May 3, 2024 by College of Sciences
#ThisIsWhatAScientistLooksLike
Retrouvailles "Retro" Manishimwe, Computer Science Major
By Ryan Schoensee
Meet Retrouvailles "Retro" Manishimwe, a senior earning her B.S. in computer science, with a concentration in data science, and a minor in psychology. Originally hailing from Burundi in East Africa, Manishimwe began her academic journey at UTSA in 2017 determined to make a difference in her community.
Manishimwe knew from a young age that UTSA would be the right fit for her.
"UTSA was a school I grew up around, literally living less than 10 minutes away since I was eight years old," said Manishimwe. "My first exposure to the school was a UTSA field trip in 5th grade. I honestly knew since then that I'd be attending UTSA."
During her freshman year as a Roadrunner, Manishimwe joined the Rising Researchers Program, a foundational research training program offered by the College of Sciences to help students gain valuable insights into laboratory research while also providing a seamless transition into college life. Beyond the classroom, Retro also served as a Math Matters tutor from August 2020 to 2021 to support her fellow students in their studies.
Manishimwe's academic journey took a rewarding turn in Fall 2022 when she secured an internship at the Executive Office of the President in Washington D.C. under the United States Office of Management and Budget. She contributed to important projects within the Budget Systems Branch and her responsibilities included market research, developing guidelines and tools for data migration, and securing records for future maintenance and disposition.
Manishimwe became a Science Mentor in spring 2023 at the College of Sciences Student Success Center (SSC) where she helped other students prepare for careers, develop their science identity, and cultivate a sense of belonging. She assisted with coordinating SSC events, such as Matcha, Mochi & Meditation and Parfait Par-Tea, which provided science students with a relaxing environment to unwind from stress.
In summer 2023, Manishimwe became an analytics intern at Ericsson 5G Smart Factory in the Lewisville Dallas-Fort Worth area. She contributed to analytic reporting, data modeling and collaborated closely with business owners, stakeholders, and relevant personnel to drive informed decision-making and optimize workflows.
Manishimwe's current research project is tied to a computer science course on deep learning and has her exploring multiple deep learning models to find the best method for detecting malware. Deep Learning is an approach of artificial intelligence that aims to teach a computer to process data in a way that is similar to the human brain. By leveraging deep learning techniques for classifying malware files, Manishimwe hopes to develop new methods for data security.
As Manishimwe reflects on her academic journey over the years, she emphasizes the impact of UTSA's community-centric approach.
"I believe what makes UTSA different from other universities is how deeply ingrained the school is with the community of San Antonio. As a public university not only is it open to locals in the area, but it also serves them as well."
To aspiring UTSA students, Manishimwe encourages them to prioritize building a robust support system, leverage UTSA's wealth of resources, and embrace life's unpredictable adversities with optimism and resilience.
"UTSA has an immense number of resources and amazingly selfless people who can provide the most formidable support system you could imagine when transitioning into this new stage in your life," said Manishimwe. "I find it hard to believe that I would've been able to keep myself grounded the past few years if I had gone to a different school."
Manishimwe graduates this spring was hired on as a software engineer at Moody's Analytics.
— College of Sciences
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May 3, 2024
Retrouvailles ManishimwePublished by College of Sciences
#ThisIsWhatAScientistLooksLike
