Several Stanford men's tennis players have completed internships in their field of interest over the summer. First in a series of Q&A is Dean Stratakos.
Where were you interning, and why did you choose it?
Over the past 14 weeks, I interned at Apple under the Core OS team. I was working on a machine learning project to revolutionize the way engineers manage large inflows of crash log reports from hundreds of millions of Apple devices. This internship aligned well with my passion for software engineering and machine learning specifically, and I knew when I accepted my offer that Apple had a lot of core values that resonate with me such as innovation, diversity, sustainability, and privacy.
What sort of work were you doing? Describe a typical day or week.
My internship was heavily focused on software engineering. My project was largely individual, so I would spend hours in my "remote office" (a.k.a. my bedroom) writing code and running tests. Machine learning projects typically require vast amounts of data and computation, and my project was no exception. Sometimes, a single program would take 2-3 hours to run, and on occasion I had to wait 8-10 hours. To make the most of my time, I would schedule tennis practices or workouts during those long code runs. Then, when I came back to my computer, I could analyze and debug the results. I also participated in weekly team meetings where I would discuss my progress for the week with my coworkers and get a glimpse into the other projects and tasks that the full-time employees were working on. These meetings would often be in the late evening, as some team members lived in China! I'd say the repercussions of COVID-19 and working from home led me to be more independent than I would have been had I been working from Apple Infinite Loop.
How did your Stanford tennis experience help you with your projects?
Being a member of the Stanford team, I have developed many useful traits that have translated well to my internship. As the internship was remote, a lot of responsibility fell upon my shoulders to manage my time well and hold myself accountable for my work. Time management is a skill that all student-athletes must possess in order to be successful in both athletics and academics, as both areas already require so much commitment and dedication on their own. While I managed a similar lifestyle in high school, coming to Stanford has definitely elevated my awareness and capability to make the most of every moment each day. Accountability has been a persistent theme during both of my years on the tennis team. In an athletic context, we emphasize that the most important training you put in is the training you do when no one is watching you. I have undoubtedly carried that principle over to my internship, as I have been the main driver behind my project, working hard even when no one is in my "office" to keep tabs on me. Tennis has afforded me valuable skills, which I believe have become even more consequential amidst this summer's circumstances.
Can you see yourself doing more in this realm in the future?
Software engineering is certainly my passion and strength, and I plan to explore the field for many years down the road. Despite having never met any of my coworkers in person, my summer internship at Apple was an influential experience that gave me an even greater look into the world of computer science and the tech industry as a whole. As I transition into the second half of my Stanford career, I will continue to build the educational foundation that will be vital as I enter the workforce. Additionally, the tools I learn as a member of the tennis team will go hand-in-hand with academic concepts, helping me leave the best possible impact on society. Certainly, Apple is one of the leaders in the tech industry, and working for such a large company with its enormous customer reach enables each employee to have the maximum potential to make a positive change in the world.