Nashlie Sephus Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Nashlie Sephus
Born	Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma mater	Mississippi State University Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering
Occupation	Computer engineer, entrepreneur, technology evangelist
Awards	Ada Lovelace Award (2019)

Nashlie H. Sephus is an American computer engineer and entrepreneur. She works with machine learning, which helps computers learn from data. Dr. Sephus also finds and fixes unfairness in these computer programs. She is a technology evangelist at Amazon Web Services. Dr. Sephus is also a co-founder and CEO of Bean Path. This company helps new technology businesses grow in Jackson, Mississippi.

Who is Nashlie Sephus?
See also

Who is Nashlie Sephus?

Nashlie Sephus is a brilliant computer engineer and business leader. She helps make technology better and fairer for everyone. Her work includes creating smart computer programs and supporting new tech companies.

Early Life and Education

Nashlie Sephus was born and grew up in Jackson, Mississippi. She lived in a home with only women, which shaped her early life.

Discovering Computer Engineering

When she was young, Nashlie attended a two-week engineering camp for girls. This camp introduced her to the exciting world of computer engineering. It sparked her interest in how computers work and what they can do. She graduated from Murrah High School in 2003.

In 2007, Nashlie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering. She studied at Mississippi State University.

Advanced Studies and Research

After college, Dr. Sephus received a special scholarship called a GEM fellowship. This fellowship paid for her graduate school. It also gave her internships and a job offer after she finished her Ph.D. She went on to earn both a master's degree and a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering. She completed these advanced degrees in 2014 at the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering. Her professors, Aaron D. Lanterman [] and David V. Anderson [], guided her research. Her advanced studies explored how to use sound patterns in music for computer programs.

Career in Technology

Dr. Sephus has had an exciting career in the world of technology. She has worked for startups and large companies like Amazon.

From Startup to Amazon

In 2013, while still a student, Dr. Sephus started working part-time for Partpic. This company was founded by all black women. At Partpic, she created computer programs that could "see" and identify objects. She also built early versions of these programs. Later, she worked as a software engineer at Exponent in New York.

In 2015, she joined Partpic full-time as their chief technology officer. This meant she was in charge of all their technology. In 2016, Amazon bought Partpic. Dr. Sephus then became the leader of the Amazon Visual Search team in Atlanta.

Fighting Bias in AI

Dr. Sephus later became a manager for machine learning at Amazon Web Services Artificial Intelligence. Her team works to find and fix unfairness in computer programs that learn. This is very important to make sure technology treats everyone fairly. She is currently a technology evangelist at Amazon. This means she shares exciting news about new technologies.

Building the Future: Bean Path and Jackson Tech District

Dr. Sephus is also dedicated to helping her hometown. In 2018, she started planning a special place for technology and new businesses in Jackson, Mississippi. This was part of her nonprofit company, Bean Path. She is the co-founder and CEO of Bean Path.

In 2019, Dr. Sephus and Julie Cwikla received an Ada Lovelace Award. This award honors women who excel in technology. On September 11, 2020, Dr. Sephus bought 12 acres of land near Jackson State University. Her goal was to build the Jackson Tech District there. This district aims to create a community where new tech ideas and businesses can grow.