UCA Alum Inspires Youth Interested in Artificial Intelligence

Karlygash Kussainova is a Fellow of UCA’s Central Asian Faculty Development Programme. She made history by becoming Valedictorian at UCA’s First Convocation in 2021. She graduated with a degree in Computer Science and was later awarded a full scholarship by Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada, to pursue a graduate degree in Computer Science. Her research focuses on the NFT (non-fungible tokens) market, where she uses various data analysis tools including Machine Learning techniques.

In addition to her research, Karlygash is also passionate about inspiring young girls interested in STEM. She volunteers her time teaching Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at AI4ALL, a US-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in AI education, research, development, and policy. She hopes to encourage and empower the next generation of women in the Computer Science field.

Karlygash's hard work and dedication have led her to a position as a Big Data Analyst at SFU’s Big Data Hub, where she collaborates with Data Hub partners on various projects related to data literacy in Canada.
Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Karlygash has also found time to pursue her passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. She has competed in local tournaments and recently won a gold medal in the leather weight division.

Karlygash Kussainova