Paving a Path to a PhD

Jasmine Moore GC ‘21, MS ‘20

Data and Technology
Data Visualization

Jasmine Moore GC ‘21, MS ‘20

In fall 2021, Jasmine Moore began work on her doctorate at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in human-centered computing. She credits her graduate degrees from Agnes Scott College, where she completed a master of science and a graduate certificate, for helping her gain acceptance into that competitive program.

Before studying data visualization, technology and data analysis at Agnes Scott, Moore used her knowledge of health sciences and public health in her role as an injury and violence prevention coordinator at Grady Memorial Hospital. While working at Grady, Moore knew that advanced graduate study would help her achieve her professional goals.

What she didn’t expect was to pivot from aspirations for a Ph.D. in public health to aspirations for a doctorate in human-centered computing. That transition happened while pursuing Agnes Scott’s master of science degree in technology leadership and management, a degree with a curriculum that is designed to teach students how to make effective decisions about the use of data and technology within an organization.

“I wanted to build my skills and knowledge in data science,” says Moore, who completed an MS in 2020 and a graduate certificate in data visualization in 2021. “What appealed to me was how challenging the course work was. No matter what class I took, I came out of each one with a project or applications of those skills that helped me better understand why I wanted to get my doctorate. I learned what kinds of questions I wanted to ask and the methods that are out there to answer those questions, which was so helpful. Ultimately I came out of the program with a lot of things to show for what I learned -- both direct and immediate applications.”

Now a PhD candidate at Georgia Tech, Moore is studying human-centered computing, which the school defines as “conducting advanced research to support the design of computational artifacts that better support human endeavors.”

In layperson terms, Moore plans to use her degree to examine the way health care and law enforcement use technology at the end-user point. She says she hopes to determine what modifications can be made to reduce the amount of bias or racism that appears in the data to ultimately inform policy and perception about communities and how they experience violence.

“That’s where I do my best work, by thinking of new questions and trying to pull together resources and ideas and create something new and innovative.”

Moore credits her time at Agnes Scott with helping her earn acceptance to Georgia Tech and equipping her with the ability to succeed long-term.

“The program is a great space for people who have seen opportunities to do better or different work in the areas that they come from,” she says. “That’s why it was so successful for me. Agnes Scott creates a space for people to get what they want out of their program and have the impact that they’re trying to see in the world in real-time. That paired with small class sizes and an open-ended, creative environment – one that is new and flexible and trying to serve students best – is the best combination you could have. I loved my time at Agnes Scott!”