Google Data » Sarah H

Google Code Jam Launching New Competition Track

Sarah H — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 19:39:00 +0000

Registration for the 12th annual Code Jam is now open! This year, the competition is adding a new track to the contest that’s designed to give students more real life examples of the work they would be doing as engineers. The new track, Distributed Code Jam (DCJ), will consist of algorithmic problems that are similar to the original Code Jam. But in order to solve for them, competitors will be required to program in a distributed environment.

According to Onufry Wojtaszczyk, a Google Software Engineer and one of the main creators behind DCJ, this new track will challenge experienced engineers and help teach students the skills they’ll need to work at a company like Google.

“Most of my programming skills before I joined Google came from programming contests, and it served me really well at Google. However, the one thing that programming contests didn’t prepare me for were the distributed computations that become obvious once you work at Google for a while. At the scale Google and other web companies operate, doing the work on a single computer, however powerful, becomes infeasible, and you have to learn to deal with spreading the work across multiple machines,” said Wojtaszczyk.

In order to participate in the new track, students will need to register for and qualify for Code Jam Round 3. DCJ will give an opportunity for 10 lucky finalists to make their way to the Code Jam finals, which will be held in Seattle, WA, USA this year. Finalists can win up to $3,000 USD and a chance to be named the first ever Distributed Code Jam champion!

Students of all programming levels are encouraged to participate. Registration for Code Jam is open from now until April 11th. To learn more, visit g.co/codejam.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs

Wroclaw, Poland SMB Global Customer Experience – Employee Spotlight: Damir Agovic

Sarah H — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 20:33:00 +0000

Google’s office in Wroclaw, Poland is one of Europe’s most dynamic workplaces, due to it’s strategic geographical location, offering service and support to some of Europe's most advanced and fastest growing markets, including: Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain and Italy. Meet Damir Agovic a university graduate, who started his Google career working as an Associate Account Strategist in the SMB Global Customer Experience team in Wroclaw, Poland. Why not take your first step towards a Google career by checking out our current positions in the SMB Sales and Global Customer Experience teams, here: google.com/students/emea

Describe yourself in keywords.

Football, traveling, current affairs, sweet tooth, new media.

Tell us a bit about your path to Google?

I’m originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo), but I’ve lived half of my life in the Czech Republic. I earned a dual degree from the American University in BiH, Bosnia and the State University of New York.

Right out of university, Google seemed like the right choice for me, as it offered me the chance to work at a pioneering company in the online world, that is constantly setting new standards. I also knew that joining Google meant I’d be working in an environment where I would have a high quality work life — the company is often rated the best employer, globally. I felt reassured when applying and accepting a Google position that I’d be working with like minded colleagues, as the Google’s Wroclaw office in Poland is filled with people from all walks of life, different backgrounds and cultures — I fit right in.

Why did you choose to go work at the Google office in Wroclaw, Poland?

The geographical location of Poland was very appealing to me, as it’s very close and well connected to other major cities, such as: Prague, Berlin, Warsaw and Vienna. I’ve also found Wroclaw to be a very beautiful place to live. The city is not too small, or too big, rather it has a perfect mix of a young vibrant atmosphere, with great potential and history.

The Google Wroclaw office is very cozy and offers some great features like the office gym and a game room. Since I arrived, I’ve also seen lots of growth take place — as the facilities have expanded and several new teams have opened up — I’ve seen the emergence of more and more opportunities for career development.

What makes the Wroclaw office different from any other Google office?

There is a very family-like atmosphere and the attitude is very positive. There are many people from all over the world here, and everyone contributes in their own way to the culture of this office. The Wroclaw office is smaller than say the Dublin office, which makes it easy to make new friends and contacts.

How does working in the Small and Medium Business (SMB) team give you opportunities for personal and professional development?

By engaging with customers on a regular basis, I’ve gained immense knowledge in the field of online marketing and how this matters for small and medium businesses. The DACH (Deutschland, Austria & Switzerland) market is also, in comparison to other markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, very advanced and sophisticated, which means that SMBs are relatively large corporations and advanced advertising agencies.

I’ve also learned a lot about how different teams within Google function from an operational side and gained first-hand experience in managing stakeholders, as I’ve had the opportunity to co-manage short and long term projects that have had direct impact on the business.

Google encourages internal mobility and is known for enabling its employees to find what’s right for them. The opportunities are definitely there, you just have to find what’s right for you!

What do you like most about your job?

The people I work with — this is Google’s biggest asset.

What does a typical workday look like?

8:45AM: Start off the day with breakfast and coffee.
9AM: Get into the swing of things. Go through my inbox and respond to client calls and emails.
1PM: Lunch time. Have lunch with my colleagues/friends. When I’ve time to spare, I squeeze in a game of FIFA, pool, or a massage :)
2PM: Back to work. I spend some more time contacting our clients, and then I usually go for meetings regarding projects and roles I am working on.
6PM: Call it a day! Sometimes I go to play football with the Google team or stop by the gym.

What makes a person a good match to join the SMB Global Customer Experience team?

In my opinion, the ideal person should have a very customer-centric approach and a passion for new technologies, online-advertising and self-development. They should also have strong communication skills, an interest in working directly with clients, have a self-starter attitude and sharp analytical skills.

What do you like doing in your free time?

I love traveling and exploring new places, either near Wroclaw, or by traveling to different continents. I’m also a big sports fan, so whenever I can, I try to follow as much of it as possible.

What advice would you give a student candidate interested to apply for SMB Global Customer Experience team?

First of all, it’s important to be genuinely interested in the roles that SMB Customer Experience team has to offer, not just to become part of Google as a whole. I would also suggest that you come up with a list of your skills and experiences that you would bring to the team and which would help you succeed in the organization. Make sure you are fully aware of what the role entails and prepare your interviews accordingly.

Good luck with your application!

Whether it’s developing new business strategies, providing online marketing consultancy, selling a great advertising solution to our clients or bringing products to market, there are plenty of graduate opportunities at Google that don’t involve algorithms. Take your first step towards a Google career, by checking out our opportuntiies here: google.com/students/emea

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, EMEA University Programs

2015 Black History Month Google Student Tribute: Michael Tubbs

Sarah H — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 19:12:00 +0000

Over the past month, we've been showcasing the amazing work of some of Google’s Student Programs Alumni in their communities. In the final installment of the Black History Month Student Tribute series we are catching up with Michael who participated in the 2010 BOLD Internship Program and went on to be elected as a Councilman for the city of Stockton, California.

What’s one thing about you that many people do not know?
My email address in high school was “lovetobball247@aol.com”! This is a tough question. I feel like J. Cole when he said, “Share my life with strangers who know me better than I know myself.” I tell my story so many times, I’m not even sure what people don’t know!

Since you’ve graduated from the BOLD internship program, what have you been up to?
As a BOLD intern, I learned about project management, how to interact with others and the importance of transparency and communication. I immediately put these skills to work as an intern in the White House and during my time studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. The summer after, I co-founded the Summer Success and Leadership Academy at the University of the Pacific and designed a week long residential experience for 50 Stockton students. During my senior year at Stanford, I received my bachelor’s degree with honors, my master’s degree in Policy, Organizational and Leadership studies, and decided to run for city council in my hometown of Stockton.

Since graduation, I’ve been featured in a documentary, True Son, that was screened at Google and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. As a Councilman, I have been able to to equip our officers with body cameras and establish an Office of Violence Prevention in partnership with the Police Chief. I have also been able to start literacy programs with the Housing Authority, pass “Ban the Box” legislation to give ex-offenders the chance to apply for jobs for which they qualify, open the first bank in my district in 50 years and I have increased philanthropic support for my district.

You’re a Stockton City Councilman. Was that always something you wanted to do?
Absolutely not. I view it more as a calling, as I was motivated by the murder of my cousin to go back and do my best to use the considerable blessings I had been given to improve my community.

You inspire a lot of your peers but who inspires you?
Mostly local people and luminaries from my past. My mom, aunt and grandmother inspire me and continue to inspire me. They are three single women who are not well educated, yet have done a phenomenal job. Historically, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth have inspired me because they drove change despite facing so many more obstacles than we face today. Marian Wright Edelman inspires me, too, as do the original Freedom Riders. Finally, people in Stockton who are doing amazing things despite extraordinary challenges inspire me.

Why do you think it’s important to give back to others?
“The greatest of you shall be the servant of all,” said Jesus and I agree. Giving back is not a choice but a necessity because we all exist in this ecosystem together and the principle of Ubuntu is so true - “I only am when we all are.”

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

EMEA SMB Sales Employee Spotlight: Julia Arndt

Sarah H — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 20:40:00 +0000

Internal mobility is one of the great ways that Googlers can develop and grow their careers. Meet Julia Arndt a German university graduate, who started her Google career learning and working in the SMB Sales team and has now gone on to work with the world’s top advertisers. Take your first step towards a Google career, by checking out our Associate Account Strategist positions in the SMB Sales and Global Customer Experience teams, here: google.com/students/emea

Tell us about your path to Google?

I’m from Naumburg, a very small town situated two hours South of Berlin near Leipzig. I studied International Management in Bremen and Marseille; followed by a Masters degree in Management and Marketing. Before graduating, I had already signed my contract with Google and joined the SMB team at the end of 2011.

Give us a brief overview of your career at Google, so far?

I started at Google as an Associate Account Strategist on the Sales team, working with small and medium sized businesses (SMB). This was a strategic, consultative sales role where I liaised directly with advertisers regarding their online marketing strategy. I advised clients on how to optimize their Adwords accounts and how they can further develop their online marketing activities with Google’s cost-effective, targeted and attractive products and solutions — in order to grow their business and increase their profit. I see sales as a consulting job, with a better work-life balance.

After one year, I moved roles within SMB, to join the Agency Program; where I worked for 1.5 years. In this role, I managed a portfolio of agencies where I helped grow their clients' accounts by discussing online strategies and advising them on new products and features. Generally, each account strategist manages a portfolio of 5-10 agencies, who in turn can have up to 90 clients.

I’ve recently started a new position as an Incubator Account Strategist on the SMB Solutions team, for which I’ve had to relocate to Google’s Global Headquarters, in the United States. I work with clients to test and get feedback on products before they are fully launched.

How did your two and a half years experience on the SMB team help you being successful in your current job?

It was very helpful to start on the SMB Sales team. This experience helped me get to know Google’s products inside and out and become confident to talk about them to all of our different clients. If I had not had the SMB experience, I would have missed out on a lot of key learnings, such as how to react in different situations and how to handle customer inquiries.

Time management, efficiency and organization are also key learnings of the job, as these are vital skills needed in order to achieve the three-months target, which is set for all Account Strategists. Furthermore, I gained incredible online marketing knowledge, as well as knowledge about the competitive landscape.

What skills are helpful when aiming to enter Google?

Languages — At the Dublin office, Google’s European headquarters, we have Googlers from almost 70 different countries. Speaking English is therefore essential and having knowledge of other languages is always helpful. I personally speak French, English and German fluently.

Leadership — The ability to manage projects is very important. Googlers are expected to learn very quickly how to organize their own workload and other projects that they might support on the side.

Communication — People that would like to apply for this position should be communicative and able to express themselves well when talking to clients on a daily basis. This does not mean that everyone at Google is super outgoing and talkative, but it is crucial to be self-confident and sharp.

What did you like about living in Dublin, Ireland?

I really like Dublin. As it’s the capital of Ireland, it has a lot of cultural activities to offer, such as concerts, theatres and shopping. Dublin airport with its low budget airlines is also only a 20 min cab ride from the office.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

One of the big advantages of working for Google is all the facilities we have. In my free time and sometimes during the work day, I go to the gym, which happens 4 - 5 times per week. I do a lot of weight training, I visit classes such as Tai Bo and Pilates or do cardio training like running at the beach.

What do you like most about your job?

I think everyone at Google would give the same answer: the people. Googlers are very smart people with great ideas. Not only do they have different backgrounds and can tell incredible stories, but they are super open and helpful, which is unique in a work environment.

Whether it’s developing new business strategies, providing online marketing consultancy, selling a great advertising solution to our clients or bringing products to market, there are plenty of graduate opportunities at Google that don’t involve algorithms. Take your first step towards a Google career, by checking out our opportunities here: google.com/students/emea

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs

2015 Black History Month Google Student Tribute: Maurita Ament

Sarah H — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:31:00 +0000

We’re continuing our student tribute in honor of Black History Month and showcasing Maurita, a Sophomore at Spelman College and Google Student Ambassador.

Tell us one really interesting fact about you?

I used to live in Italy for 2 & ½ years!

How were you introduced to Computer Science and what prompted you to study it in College?

I was introduced to Computer Science when I was twelve years old living in Rome, Italy. I spent a lot of time on the computer playing games like Neopets when I lived there. On Neopets, users connected with each other through “Guilds”. After joining a few of them I realized I wanted to make my own. However, once I made them, no one would join. I started browsing through multiple guilds to see what theirs had that mine didn’t. This was how I discovered HTML/CSS, Adobe Photoshop, and Computer Science. After teaching myself how to code and do some graphic design I was able to get over 100+ members to join my Guild.

How are you helping others who are interested in Computer Science?

As a Google Student Ambassador (GSA) for Spelman one of the first events I held was a social for the Spelman College Computer Science major’s where our freshman Spelman Sisters each received between 1-2 upperclassmen Spelman Sisters. The point of the event was to connect freshman with upperclassmen and for the upperclassmen to act as their mentor. If the freshman needed help understanding complex computer science concepts or just a new friend who could help guide them through the transition into college, the upperclassmen would assist them. I believe that Computer Science is a very challenging major/field, and as a freshman it can be an overwhelming experience, especially since it’s not a topic learned in great detail before college.

If you were given $1,000,000 to help others, how would you use the money?

I would establish as many computer labs for K-12 graders as possible. I would create these labs in poorer areas that don’t have the resources to fund a fully functioning computer lab. I would also give money to the American public education to change/improve what is taught in the Computer Science classes. I believe that if you know how to code, do graphic design, or effectively use a computer to gain knowledge, you can do anything your heart desires. They could use their creative and critical thinking skills to build android/ios apps or even websites. According to Time Magazine, “Even if students wanted to dive into programming [Java], the course is only offered in 10% of American high schools”. Without being given the education to dream bigger, students are also not given the opportunity to think outside of the box.

Why do you think it’s important to give back to others?

Life is a difficult and beautiful journey with obstacles that may seem insurmountable at the time. I believe that giving back causes a positive chain reaction, inspiring people to overcome the hardships that they are faced with, and enjoy the moments that take their breaths away. By giving back, you’re not only spreading positive energy that can turn an individuals day or life around, but you’re also giving someone the ability to do the same for another.

Posted by Melanie Lazare, Student Outreach team

Google Science Fair 2015: what will you try?

Sarah H — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:15:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog.)

The 2015 Google Science Fair starts today! To learn more about entry details, prizes and more tune in to today’s Hangout at 2pm EST and follow along on Google+.

Science is about observing and experimenting. It’s about exploring unanswered questions, solving problems through curiosity, learning as you go and always trying again.

That’s the spirit behind the fifth annual Google Science Fair, kicking off today. Together with LEGO Education, National Geographic, Scientific American and Virgin Galactic, we’re calling on all young researchers, explorers, builders, technologists and inventors to try something ambitious. Something imaginative, or maybe even unimaginable. Something that might just change the world around us.

From now through May 18, students around the world ages 13-18 can submit projects online across all scientific fields, from biology to computer science to anthropology and everything in between. Prizes include $100,000 in scholarships and classroom grants from Scientific American and Google, a National Geographic Expedition to the Galapagos, an opportunity to visit LEGO designers at their Denmark headquarters, and the chance to tour Virgin Galactic’s new spaceship at their Mojave Air and Spaceport. This year we’re also introducing an award to recognize an Inspiring Educator, as well as a Community Impact Award honoring a project that addresses an environmental or health challenge.

It’s only through trying something that we can get somewhere. Flashlights required batteries, then Ann Makosinski tried the heat of her hand. His grandfather would wander out of bed at night, until Kenneth Shinozuka tried a wearable sensor. The power supply was constantly unstable in her Indian village, so Harine Ravichandran tried to build a different kind of regulator. Previous Science Fair winners have blown us away with their ideas. Now it’s your turn.

Big ideas that have the potential to make a big impact often start from something small. Something that makes you curious. Something you love, you’re good at, and want to try.

So ... what will you try?

Posted by Miriam Schneider, Google for Education team

EMEA SMB Sales Employee Spotlight: Rene Zimmermann

Sarah H — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:46:00 +0000

Internal mobility is one of the great ways that Googlers can develop and grow their careers. Meet René Zimmermann, a German university graduate, who started his Google career learning and working in SMB Sales and has now gone on to work together with the world’s biggest brands, in Google’s Large and Customer Sales (LCS) team. Take your first step towards a Google career by checking out our Associate Account Strategist positions in the SMB Sales and Global Customer Experience teams here.

Describe yourself in keywords

Hamburger, curious traveler, football lover, passionate foodie, movie and series fan, sports enthusiast, coffee drinker, entrepreneur, music lover and spreadsheet pioneer.

What was your path to Google?

I’m from Hamburg, Germany. I moved to Munich for my Bachelor’s in International Business at Munich Business School. I also spent a semester abroad at the University of Melbourne, followed by an internship in Beijing. Afterwards, I studied International Business with a focus on entrepreneurship at Maastricht University, in the Netherlands.

Your first job at Google was in the SMB Sales team. What did you do during this time?

After completing my studies in 2011, I joined Google’s SMB Sales Team where I worked with high potential new clients that were just starting their online advertising with Google products. My job was to advise them on how to best reach their marketing goals with Google’s advertising solutions and helped them to become successful right from the start.

I worked closely with new clients who were either traditional medium-sized business, without a lot of digital experience, or young start-ups who were trying to find new customers. I really enjoyed advising Chiefs of Marketing, founders and investors on their online advertising strategy. During that time, I gained insights into many different and interesting business models. It was great to learn about the clients’ value proposition, target audiences, and to help them successfully tailor Google’s products around their business.

How did working on the SMB team give you an advantage?

Starting off within Google’s SMB Sales team gave me the opportunity to work with many clients from different industries, gain a broad overview on different marketing strategies, and develop insights into how best to achieve them through online marketing. The deep product and solution knowledge has been a constant asset. The fast-paced work environment also honed my ability to optimize my priority setting and time management.

I developed a deep knowledge of online marketing, but also of Internet business models in general, as well as how digital marketing fits into the marketing and branding strategy of large traditional corporations. Since this industry is changing rapidly, I definitely learned to cope with changes quickly. Since my daily job is customer-facing, I also acquired valuable sales skills.

There are loads of opportunities for internal mobility. How have you progressed in your Google career?

After 2.5 years in SMB Sales, I joined the Large Customer Sales (LCS) team, working with the German Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) clients. I’m currently working in a newly founded global team called Global Clients & Agency Solutions (GCAS). GCAS is the team that helps serve some of the world's largest brands. I personally get to work with one of the largest international Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands to help them become more successful in digital advertising to achieve their local and international business goals, such as brand awareness.

What makes Google a great place to work?

I love working for a company in such a fast growing industry. There is something new to learn every day and it never gets boring. Since Google is very innovative, there will be future opportunities that we might not even be aware of yet.

Besides the thrilling industry, I really appreciate the environment at Google. The great food, the gym and sports classes enable me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Last but not least, it is amazing to work in such an international environment, with smart people, from many different backgrounds. I’ve had the chance to make many friends during my time at Google.

You work at Google’s European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. What’s do you like about living in Ireland?

Dublin is a great city with a sunny mediterranean climate! Well, not really... The weather could definitely be better, but Dublin has a lot to offer, especially if you’re into films, music and good food. I was amazed by the density of excellent restaurants and I enjoy meeting friends for a beer (aka a pint)! Within the core city, you can reach everything in walking distance. In my free time I do a lot of sports, such as Squash or exercising in the Google gym. I also play for Google’s Football team, which competes against other companies in the Dublin area.

How do you see your future at Google?

I am currently very happy to have the opportunity of making branding more efficient through digital marketing — a major shift in the traditional advertising world. Since my team is truly international, I could imagine transferring internally to another market, such as the US, on a mid-term perspective.

What advice would you give a student interest in starting a Google career?

An SMB position would be a good match for you, if you enjoy working with people and desire a client-facing job. Candidates should be interested in online marketing, enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, and have some sales talent. From a career perspective, people have the opportunity to either go for a sales-oriented path or to become a people manager in the future.

Whether it’s developing new business strategies, providing online marketing consultancy, selling a great advertising solution to our clients or bringing products to market, there are plenty of graduate opportunities at Google that don’t involve algorithms. Take your first step towards a Google career by checking out our opportunities here.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs

2015 Black History Month Google Student Tribute: Robin McKinnie

Sarah H — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 17:49:00 +0000

Last week, we kicked off the Black History Month Student Tribute series by showcasing the amazing work Elizabeth Davis has done both on and off her college campus. This week we’re catching up with Robin, a member of our inaugural BOLD Discovery class and co-founder of The Village Micro Fund.

What’s one really awesome fact about you?

I’m one of those Southern kids who can trace their whole family’s history back to a few small towns. In fact, a good number of my older relatives live in the same towns and neighborhoods where my family has lived for generations. It seems small, but I’m grateful for being able to acknowledge my roots.

What are you most passionate about?

Community development as it pertains to building up neighborhoods and the people who live there. I was a community organizer my senior year of high school. The experience exposed me to the way neighborhoods and communities work and instilled in me the desire to serve and significantly impact others. In college, that drive extended to helping make structural change in communities and finding ways to build with struggling communities instead of giving back from a distance. Over time this has become something that drives me, not just a responsibility or something I derive happiness from.

You helped start a non-profit along with a few of your peers. Tell us about it and what motivated you guys to create it?

We’re creating platforms for people to invest in small business throughout Atlanta. We provide financial and consulting services to small business, primarily in distressed communities like the ones surrounding our school. Each of us has a strong conviction about using our interests in business and entrepreneurship to serve the community. Over time we realized the need to help communities (especially underserved black communities) become self-sustainable. Money has to circulate within a community for people who live there to feel its effect. So if every business in a neighborhood is a franchise, most of the money spent there won’t be reinvested in employment, infrastructure, and education for the people spending it. The Village Micro Fund became a way for us to give people the intellectual and financial resources to grow with their community.

Why do you think it’s important to give back to others?

I grew up with plenty of privileges and opportunities. At the same time, I have family members who were never able to enjoy some of the life experiences and opportunities that I have. I’ve learned to cherish what I have and make the most of every opportunity, and in the same vain, create as many opportunities for other people as I can.

Robin (far left) and his peers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia

Posted by Chastity Wells, Student Outreach team

2015 Black History Month Google Student Tribute: Elizabeth Davis

Sarah H — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 20:02:00 +0000

At Google, we value diversity and inclusion and support individuals who do the same. In this series, the Google University Programs team is celebrating diversity and honoring Black History Month by showcasing four of our student programs alumni who have done incredible things in their community. This week we're catching up with Elizabeth Davis, who participated in our 2014 Summer Trainee Engineering Program (STEP) in Zurich.

It’s great to catch up with you again. What’s one of the most exciting things that has happened to you since we last featured you on the blog?
This past fall, I had the amazing opportunity to travel with Google to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference was an incredible experience for me as it was the first real chance I’ve had to connect with so many women of color in Computer Science. I was inspired by the thousands of women present who are not only techmakers themselves, but also passionate about supporting other women techmakers from all over the world. I left the conference with some phenomenal new mentors and friends.

Elizabeth at Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, October 2014

Can you give us a quick recap of the Google Women in Engineering Mentorship Program you launched and how it has developed since your internship ended?
During my internship this past summer, I, along with another intern, saw the need to cultivate a stronger community for women at Google. We realized that female Nooglers (new Googlers) needed to feel supported as they began their careers. With that in mind, we worked with the president of Google Women in Engineering (GWE) in Google Zurich, and the Google Head of Diversity for EMEA and decided that our best approach to addressing this need would be to start a mentorship program that connected female Nooglers to experienced employees. We completed an incredibly successful cycle of the program at the Zurich office over the summer, and have actually expanded the program to two other offices: Munich and Krakow. At the end of the summer we also had the chance to talk to the Google Global Diversity and Inclusion Director Yolanda Mangolini who has helped us plan out how we can continue to expand the Google Women in Engineering Mentorship Program (GWE-MP) globally.

What other initiatives have you been working on since being back in school?
As a section leader for our introductory programming course, I have the opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate students who are trying out programming for the first time. This is a unique opportunity for me to not only help my students build a strong foundation in programming methodology and concepts, but also dispel any misconceptions they may have about the field and hopefully keep them involved in Computer Science.

I’m also involved in she++ which is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women in the technology industry. We are currently organizing our national #include Fellowship Program, which provides resources and support to high school students who want to start grassroots initiatives to increase Computer Science education in their local communities. Diversity is really important to me so I have also recently begun working with professors in the Stanford Computer Science Department to figure out how to increase the representation of Black and Hispanic students in the CS major.

Why do you think it’s important to give back to others?
Giving back and helping others in need is a huge part of my core values and beliefs. I want everyone to experience the opportunities I’ve had as well as the confidence to pursue their dreams without feeling like an outsider in a largely homogenous community, or feeling like an imposter due to stereotype threats or other factors. I believe everyone has their unique talents and is capable of so much, and I want people of every gender and race within the technology industry to feel confident and empowered.

For information on additional Google student programs, visit google.com/students/programs.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs team

Google RISE Awards support girls and minorities in tech—from Australia to Mexico

Sarah H — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 00:31:00 +0000

(Cross-posted on the Google For Education Blog)

When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need support, they turn to their daughters. No, really. In a culture whose history goes back 50,000 years, 70 young girls are using technology to give their families a new way to call for help in emergencies. Last year, Engineers Without Borders Australia taught a group of students to build an emergency response beacon using basic hardware and some code to transmit a user’s location and distress message via radio.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up less than 3 percent of Australia’s population, and they’ve historically faced discrimination in society, including in education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, dropout rates exceed 60 percent in certain regions and Aboriginal students are, on average, 2.5 years behind their peers in scientific and mathematical literacy. The problem is often compounded for girls, who tend to be left out of educational opportunities.

So Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWBA) set out to close the educational and digital divide, developing a program which brings together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal girls to create emergency beacons from scratch by coding a Raspberry Pi to work with an LED, GPS module and FM transmitter. It will also work through issues of stereotyping and discrimination, and help the girls to better understand each other’s worlds.

This is just one example of an organization doing extraordinary work to make computer science (CS) education available to women and other underrepresented minorities. Computer science has tremendous potential to make a real difference in the world—but only when more people can access and harness it.

That’s the idea behind Google’s RISE Awards, through which we support organizations in their work to inspire students around the world with CS. Since 2010, more than 200 organizations have received an award, and this year, 37 organizations are receiving a cumulative $1.5 million to keep this vital effort humming along. Our partners facilitate programs and activities including teaching girls about the intersection of coding and music production in California, promoting computational thinking through game-design in Mexico, and inspiring children in Brazil to program alongside their parents.

This year, three nonprofits will receive a new “RISE Partnership Award”—a grant to work with one or two partner organizations to help grow their CS outreach to a wider scale. One of the three is Engineers Without Borders Australia, which plans to work with MEET—an organization with expertise on how coding skills can build relationships and break down stereotypes—to integrate their curriculum to reach up to 2,000 girls across Australia, including in Aboriginal communities.

With access to hands-on CS education, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls are preparing themselves for the digital economy, contributing to the diversity of our future’s technology, and taking concrete steps to rise above the inequities their community has faced for decades. They’re not alone. We hope that through the RISE Awards and our other efforts to support diversity in technology, these girls and others like them can have an even greater impact. We can’t wait to see it.

Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, K12/Pre-University Education Outreach

Applications are now open for Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute and the Generation Google Scholarship!

Sarah H — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 21:47:00 +0000

Are you a current senior in high school interested in studying computer science at university?

if (highSchoolStudent && interestedInCS && graduationYear == 2015) {

applyToCSSI();

}

We are now accepting applications for the 2015 Generation Google Scholarship for First Years and Computer Science Summer Institute. Read more about both programs below and apply today!

What’s the difference?:

Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) is a three-week introduction to computer science for graduating high school seniors with a passion for technology—especially students from historically underrepresented groups in the field.

The Generation Google Scholarship for high school seniors helps aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field. Selected students will receive 10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or 5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2015-2016 school year. as part of the scholarship, current high school seniors who are entering their first year of university in 2015-2016 will be required to attend CSSI in the summer of 2015.

Where?: This year, we will offer two types of sessions at CSSI: day-camp and residential. Our day camps will take place in Chicago, IL, Mountain View, CA, and New York City, NY. Our residential camps will take place in Cambridge, MA and Seattle, WA. To learn more, please visit our website.

When?: The Cambridge, Mountain View and Seattle sessions will be held July 13th - July 31st 2015, and Chicago and New York will be held July 20th - August 7th 2015.

Why?: Google is committed to increasing the enrollment and retention of students in the field of computer science. These programs offer both an intensive, interactive, hands-on and fun experience as well as a financial opportunity that seeks to inspire the tech leaders and innovators of tomorrow. Students will learn programming fundamentals directly from Google engineers, get an inside look at some of Google's most exciting, emerging technologies, and even design and develop your very own application with fellow participants that you will showcase to Googlers in local offices. It aims to expose these students to key programming concepts, create a network of like-minded individuals for them (at a formidable time in their young careers) as well as empower them to tackle the challenging problems in CS by creating a safe, comfortable environment to learn, play, break and build.

Who?: We are looking for students eager to spend a few weeks immersed in the Google life – tackling interesting technical problems, working collaboratively and having fun. We want students to leave empowered, heading into their first year of college armed with a unique learning experience that can only be found at Google. The program is open to all qualified high school seniors, and is committed to addressing diversity in the field of computer science. Students who are a member of a group that is historically underrepresented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply.

How to apply: Please visit (www.google.com/students/cssi or GG page) for more information and to apply. The application deadline is March 5th, 2015. Final decisions will be announced in early May at the latest.

Have questions? Feel free to contact us at cssi@google.com or generationgoogle@google.com.

Posted by Sarah Henderson, Student Development Team

Launch & Iterate — a team cooperative card game coming to a campus near you

Sarah H — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 21:02:00 +0000

“What would be a fun way to show students what it’s like to work at Google, rather than just tell them about it?” My manager asked me this question a little over a year ago as we started planning for the upcoming campus recruiting season. Tech talks, career fairs, info sessions — these were our bread and butter events, and we knew there was a missed opportunity to come up with some more creative and innovative programs.

In typical Google fashion, my initial step was to get a few engineers in a room to brainstorm ideas. Some of the more obvious ideas were thrown out — host a hackathon, coding workshop, bring students to a Google office, etc. Then Eddie (the engineer who ended up leading this project) suggested, “Why not build a game that mimics what it’s like to launch a product at Google?” We all sort of laughed, then quickly realized this was a pretty genius (but daunting!) idea. We rallied a group of engineers to take this on as a 20% project, and the game took on a life of its own.

Building a card game 101

As we started working, we quickly discovered that quite a few of our coworkers had either built games like this before or were game aficionados (aka. the group of Googlers who meet up weekly to play board/card games). They provided guidance as we set out goals for the game (first and foremost, it had to be fun!) and general insight as to how long this whole process would take.

After a few months of developing the game dynamics (and building an automatic card generation pipeline, of course), we put an early version into the hands of interns to get some real feedback. Based on their comments, we continued to iterate (pun intended) and make changes to ensure that the game was still satisfying our initial set of goals. We introduced the game to more Googlers to continue collecting feedback, then took the game to the University of Texas at Austin for a true beta test. Feedback continued to remain positive, so we decided it was time to launch the game on a broader scale.

The team playing one of our earliest versions of the game (in black and white!).

So how do you play?

Launch & Iterate is a team cooperative card game with the goal of launching products in order to gain as many users as possible. In order to successfully launch products, players must develop the necessary infrastructure and features while keeping an eye on external events, which might help or hinder efforts. We created a video tutorial where you can learn more about how the game is played.

Celebrating after we beat the game for the first time. Launch ALL the products!

Launching and iterating (literally)

We’ll be bringing Launch & Iterate to university campuses globally over the next few months, so keep an eye out. You can learn more (and review the game if you get a chance to play it!) on our Board Game Geek profile.

Posted by Jessica Safir, University Programs

Google EMEA Intern Insights 一 Meet Michelangelo Marchiorello, an SMB Sales intern

Sarah H — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:33:00 +0000

Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!

Meet Michelangelo Marchiorello, a Google intern on the SMB Sales team.

Where are you from?
I’m proud to be Italian!

Where and what did you study at University?
I received my bachelors degree in Business Administration at Bocconi University, in Milan. I recently finished my Masters in Management at ESCP Europe, a business school that gave me the opportunity to study each year in a different country and in a different language. I think that having a strong international profile is key nowadays.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I’ve always been interested in working at Google. The company philosophy is what distinguished itself from the other players - placing customers and employees at the top of the company's priorities before investors and financial return.

What type of internship have you done? Give a brief description.
I interned for 6 months in the Italian Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) Sales team, at the Google Dublin headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). During that time, I worked with many Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in my home country. As an intern I had the opportunity to get involved in projects that had a direct impact on the business, on customers and on fellow colleagues!

My first Noogler selfie!

What did your workday look like?
Every workday looked different. On quiet days, I had the opportunity to work on my projects in a very chilled out way; on busy days, I couldn’t even find the time to read through all of my emails.

8:30 AM ‒ The day starts. I would meet with some of my fellow Nooglers (other Interns or Googlers who have recently joined Google) for breakfast.

9:00 AM ‒ After a quick catch up, I would be sitting at my desk. That said, at Google there is no need to be at your desk all the time.

50 : 50 ‒ I would spend 50% of my time on Team Support activities and 50% on my projects.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
My main project: “QBR@Scale,” is something I am very proud of. The project was a huge overall success, as it enabled a more strategic pitch for the sales representatives. I created more than 200 presentations with in-depth analysis on the past performance for many of our biggest clients. It didn’t just impact the Italian sales team, but throughout the whole of Europe, the Middle East and Africa!

At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
At the Google Dublin office there are more than 60 languages spoken and you can feel the international vibe all around you. The level of diversity found at Google is outstanding!

One recent moment that stood out to me was the amazing work done by the Brand Club. Every couple of weeks the Brand representatives from Europe, the Middle East and Africa meet up to discuss recent efforts on growing brand equity. It was through the diversity of the team that enabled our group to share different perspectives and points of views, tell our success stories, best practices etc.. And since the group is so diverse, in terms of needs and past experiences, everyone learned a multitude of new and better ways to do their jobs!

At Google, we say: “when you don’t find anything new to learn, it’s time to change your job”.

We all know Googler’s and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The best Google perk is being part of a group of pioneers (well ahead of early adopters) who are shaping the future of the Tech and Digital world.

We are entitled to try out the latest beta, work-in-progress software and hardware, and get to know all the latest internal and external news before anyone else. This is SO EXCITING! The apps on my phone ... my Gmail, my Google Maps, Project Cardboard ... everything gets updated on a daily basis and every update brings something new to test and give feedback on.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means being available to help others, despite your schedule or level of knowledge. Being Googley means always being curious about new things and being open to learn. Being Googley means thriving in an ambiguous environment where creativity is the only compass available.

Enjoying the Dublin sun from the 11th floor terrace

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
Having been lucky to work in the European HQ, I really had the chance to fall in love with the facilities. Everything is designed to be functional to the employees happiness, creativity and teamwork.

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
First of all, I am a travel addict. Since working at Google, I’ve had the chance to travel to Ibiza, Milan, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Berlin.

Beyond traveling, I love almost any water sport, from sailing to kite-surfing. At Google there are groups for almost all sports and a multitude of hobbies and interests. Despite the temperature, there are always those willing to take on the cold Irish waters.

What will you do after your internship?
After my internship I’ve taken some time off to travel for a few days to Milan, Kenya and London. Can’t wait to re-charge my cultural curiosity!

In mid-January, I’m excited to come back to Google. This time, as a full-time Google employee. Yayyyyyyy!

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
Firstly, engage on as many extracurricular projects and activities as you can. These are the parts of your CV that are going to make a difference - your grades, not so much!

Secondly, don’t be scared of the interview process. If you are "a good fit" for this organization, any interview that you’ll have will turn into an engaging conversation about your life. It’s also your first opportunity to show how willing you are to learn from other people, even when under pressure. So, don’t waste the opportunity!

Interested to join the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Hack4Humanity: Students code for social good at Google’s first ever 48 hour hackathon!

Sarah H — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 19:40:00 +0000

While most college students were preparing for finals and eagerly awaiting winter break, 89 students from 10 universities on the East Coast spent the weekend at Google NYC’s Hack4Humanity. Over two sleep-deprived and caffeine-fueled days, these students used their computer science skills to build technologies for social good.

The hackathon opened with several inspirational talks from experts in the humanitarian world, including speakers from UNICEF, the UN Foundation and Christopher Reeve, a journalist working in conflict zones, including Egypt and Gaza. As the hackathon kicked off, members of the Google Ideas team spoke about several major humanitarian challenges facing the world today: online repression and censorship, gender-based violence, and risks facing vulnerable populations. Google Ideas is a team that uses technology to help people confront threats in the face of conflict, instability and repression. These topics informed the project tracks for the event.

After the formal kickoff, Google Ideas engineer Baris Yuksel led the groups in a brainstorming session where they scoped out potential projects. Once projects were drafted, students were set to work on their first major block of coding (with a break for midnight pizza, of course). Students worked with more than 25 Google engineer mentors throughout the event and had “brain breaks” for massages, cookies, gourmet coffee tasting and, of course, Taylor Swift dance parties.

On Sunday, students demonstrated their projects in front of our six judges (three Google Ideas judges and three UN judges). After many amazing demos, our judges deliberated and chose our top three prize winners. Awarded third place were the “Inverse Pandas” from Harvard University, who presented Fire, their SMS-based emergency contact app. In second place were “The Powershell Girls” from New York University, with their app HIDR, an easy to use file encryption tool for traveling with sensitive information, intended for use by journalists and others crossing conflict zone checkpoints. And winning the grand prize were “quickSorta” from Swarthmore University, with Alli, a community-based app for alerting your network if you feel you are in a threatening or uncomfortable situation - intended to help bring male and female students together to minimize sexual threats on college campuses.

Congratulations to all of our Hack4Humanity participants! The entire Google team commends all of our student hackers on their thoughtfulness, hardwork, and dedication to improving the lives of those in need. Google looks forward to continuing our partnership and supporting the next generation of developers doing social good!

Posted by Meggie Smith, Hack4Humanity team

Getting to Know a PhD

Sarah H — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:26:00 +0000

Google offers a variety of opportunities for PhD students who wish to gain industry experience. Through our Getting to Know a PhD series, we’ll provide a glimpse into some of these opportunities as well as the impactful projects PhD students at Google work on.

Today we’re featuring Neil Houlsby, a former Google European Doctoral Fellowship recipient who interned on the Natural Language Processing research team.

So Neil, tell us about yourself and your PhD topic ...
I took an engineering degree at the University of Cambridge. I stayed on at Cambridge to do a masters in machine learning and cognitive science in the Computational and Biological Learning Lab, supervised by Máté Lengyel, then a PhD in machine learning co-supervised by Zoubin Ghahramani and Máté.

My PhD topic was in statistical machine learning, covering broadly two themes, active learning and matrix modelling. Active learning, or experimental design, involves designing algorithms that automatically choose the best data to collect. This is important when data is scarce or expensive, so minimizing redundancy is essential. One interesting application that I looked at was quantum tomographical experiments. Here, one wishes to characterise a quantum state efficiently; the active learning algorithm adapts the configuration of the experimental apparatus on-the-fly to maximize knowledge about the unknown state. My work on matrices involved designing probabilistic models and scalable algorithms to learn from matrix data, such as online purchasing data, networks, or psychometric questionnaires. One can exploit learned patterns to predict future behaviour, or infer people’s personality traits. I was lucky enough to be involved in a number of other collaborations, and the unifying theme of my PhD was the application Bayesian machine learning and scalable learning algorithms.

Why did you apply for an internship at Google and how supportive was your PhD advisor?
Statistical machine learning is an exciting field because there is much interacting research between theory and applications. In Zoubin’s lab we had a fantastic exposure to the statistical aspects of machine learning. Industrial experience allowed me to work more on large scale applications, but using similar statistical learning techniques that I was working on at Cambridge. My advisor, Zoubin, was extremely encouraging of my internship and other academic visits to gain new experiences in machine learning - provided that I finished my degree on time!

What project was your internship focused on?
I worked on semantic understanding. The goal was to annotate text with its referent entities (anything with a Wikipedia article) e.g. ‘Croft scored a century’ is referring to Croft the cricket player, not the fictional character, and ‘century’ means 100 runs, not a period of time. The algorithm needs to learn how to use context to disambiguate the annotation. Unlike previous approaches, we framed this as an inference problem in a probabilistic model. As well as the modelling aspects, much of the research focussed on how to do learning with a ‘Google scale’ model and perform efficient reasoning over millions of possible entities.

Did you publish at Google during your internship?
Yes, we published the project at the 2014 European Conference on Information Retrieval. This conference is not one that the Cambridge lab usually participated in, so attending and presenting my internship work here was useful to broaden the reach of my research.

How closely connected was the work you did during your internship to your PhD topic?
There was a substantial overlap in the machine learning methods used in my internship work and my PhD (topic modelling, variational Bayes, sampling), but my internship was a stand-alone project that did not overlap directly with my other research. For me, a novel (and fun) part of the internship was working with the Google infrastructure and computing clouds which, naturally, is harder to do outside the company.

What impact has this internship experience had on your PhD?
There were two main impacts. Firstly, I learned from my intern host, Massimiliano Ciaramita, and colleagues at Google a great deal about applied machine learning and more broadly, other topics in computer science. Some techniques I learned were directly applicable during my PhD, others added to my general academic education. Secondly, by broadening my view of machine learning, the internship fuelled my enthusiasm for the field, which motivated me during my PhD and beyond.

Has this internship experience impacted the way you think about your future career?
I always expected that I would pursue a career in computer science and research. I don’t think this has changed. However, the internship revealed the possibility of doing fascinating research in industry. It was only after my internship that I seriously considered a career in industry. Although I sometimes considered very different career paths, from my perspective academic research and research/engineering at Google have many similar challenges and possibilities.

You just recently started your job as a Research Scientist on the Pragmatics team in Zurich - What are you working on now?
I continue working in Natural Language Processing, but I am in a new research team, focussing on pragmatics, discourse and dialogue. Our team consists of a mixture of researchers with backgrounds in linguistics, NLP and machine learning. This is a fun and new research area of for me, I am continuing to use machine learning in much of my work, and am enjoying applying it to this rich and rapidly developing field.

Looking back on your experiences now: Why should a PhD student apply for an internship at Google? Any advice to offer?
When doing research at a particular university you tend to get a single view of your field of interest. It is definitely worth visiting industry and other institutions to broaden your field of view. A Google internship provides a unique research experience: the opportunity to work on some of the hardest problems at the largest possible scales, not to mention the unique environment and culture. Whether you decide to go into industry, or continue in academia, you can learn a great deal during an internship, and have a lot of fun. I would advise applying early in your PhD, as it only gets harder later in your PhD to find the time for an internship. Also, take the opportunity to do something new - apply to work in a different country, or work in a different aspect of your field. A PhD is a unique time when you have the flexibility to explore future possibilities, so take the opportunity while you can.

Technical Programs Spotlight: Computer Science Summer Institute 2014

Sarah H — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 21:23:00 +0000

Google strives to increase educational opportunities in computer science and is committed to increasing the representation of underrepresented students in the broader field of technology. In order to do so, Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) was created to help high potential students prepare for college, build confidence, and be inspired to pursue a career in tech. CSSI is a Google-hosted summer program that invites 90 rising college first-years to participate in a 3-week interactive curriculum and learn a practical introduction to computer science (HTML, CSS, Javascript, App Engine and more). Students partner in small teams to develop web applications, and ultimately present and demo their projects to Googlers who are enthusiastic to see their web apps come to life. Students designed and developed a wide variety of applications, from a strategic puzzle game called Nonograms to TaxiCop, an app which tracks and estimates taxi fares in Ghana.

The curriculum is built and maintained by Google engineers, with the intention of giving these students a head start in computer science concepts before heading off to college. With their new knowledge and skills, students are more confident, prepared for their first year of college, and inclined to graduate with a computer science degree. Randy (17), a past participant from Cambridge said; “Career-wise [CSSI] was incredibly helpful. Even though it’s not technically an internship, it really helps set me up for future opportunities. I've met a lot of really cool people here that I was able to connect with. I learned a lot, and because of this program I want to continue pursuing CS in college. It has impacted me a lot.“

After completing CSSI, many of our participants have expressed an increase in readiness and confidence; Monica (17), a student from our Cambridge class said “I did not have much CS experience except one CS class from high school. Now I feel prepared for my CS classes in college. I feel like I can do projects on my own, which is huge. The program very much strengthened my technical skill set.”

If you’re interested in learning more about CSSI, please visit google.com/students/cssi for more details and stay tuned for more information about the program in January 2015. In the meantime, please fill out this interest form if you'd like to be notified when our application opens.

Cross-posted from the Google for Education blog

Posted by My-Linh Le, University Programs Team

Google EMEA Intern Insights 一 Meet Liana Saranga, a Turkish SMB Services Intern

Sarah H — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 16:25:00 +0000

Noogler ― new Googler ― Orientation, wearing our Noogler hats

What type of internship are you doing?
I did my internship in the SMB (Small and Medium Business) Services Turkey team. My job was to sell AdWords features to eligible customers based on their needs and provide troubleshooting for any of the problems they may potentially experience while using AdWords.

It’s amazing! To begin with, I love working with AdWords - I think it’s a brilliant tool. And I genuinely like providing special assistance to advertisers from all over Turkey on their digital marketing strategies and showing them the do’s and don’ts of online advertising. So much fun!

What does your workday look like?
During the day we have workflow tables so that we know when we need to be on hand to talk with customers. During this time I would receive calls from customers and provide a variety of support, such as: troubleshooting and account optimization, etc.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
On top of my core job, I am most proud of my 50% project, which is to optimize the AdWords Turkey Education Channels, consisting of online platforms such as YouTube, AdWords Forum, Blog, Twitter and the G+ page. This required that I take a deep-dive into the various channels and analyze them based on their customer profile. For the final project outcome, I was able to successfully deliver a new targeting strategy.

Soaking up the Dublin sun

At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
I can say without a doubt that my team had people with a wide range of different backgrounds and personalities. I can’t even begin to tell you about the level of diversity at Google!

In my opinion, diversity on the team made for better and more innovative work every step of the way. I can definitely say that the Google atmosphere is created by all the different bits and pieces of these unique people.

It's time for Africa!

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
Besides the amazing perks (e.g. having massage appointments in the middle of the day!) I’d say that my favorite part was how valued I felt. While an intern, there wasn’t a single moment where I felt like “just an intern.” I was alway treated equally and respected by the people I worked with, no matter how senior they were ― which completely amazes me!

Also the level of liberty in this company is unbelievable. The company trusts its employees (‘us’) and does everything possible to remove obstacles that most companies have in place to ensure employee happiness and peace of mind.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
It always rings a bell of a happy, positive, energetic person who’s in pursuit of doing something bigger and better. Always innovates, tries new things, steps out of boundaries and explores opportunities. Strives to be respectful and helpful to the people around them. Creative and open-minded! Can I go on...?!

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
The Google office is just unbelievable. It’s our own little utopia! It’s designed in a way to make employees happy, comfortable and peaceful. I’m so grateful for all the colorful sofas, massages and sleeping rooms!

Nugget, a Google office dog! Who say’s that love at first sight doesn’t exist?

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’m currently building up my travel blog, where I post movie-like videos created of my trips throughout my university years. Really looking forward to it! Other than that, as obvious as it may seem, I’m a travel addict and I try to hop on the plane as much as I can during the year!

Amazing views of Dublin City

What will you do after your internship?
I’m back to studying for one more year at university, to get my bachelor’s degree. After that, I will try my best to join the Google community once again!

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
The Google environment, the people, and the Google soul is what makes Google the unique company it is today. Therefore, learn more about Google’s culture and try to find out for yourself, not just whether you are a good fit for the company but also if the company fits you back.

Be open to new challenges and step outside your comfort zone. If you want to stand out, and be different, definitely push your boundaries and test your limits.

Interested to join the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Laura in the “Lime”light – profile of a 2013 Google Lime Scholar

Sarah H — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 21:39:00 +0000

The Google Lime Scholarship was established in 2009 in partnership with Lime Connect, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities working toward their academic and professional goals in all fields, including computer science.

Today we’re featuring Laura D’Aquila, a senior at MIT and 2013 recipient of the Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. Laura is studying Computer Science/Electrical Engineering and Math enjoys playing the viola in MIT’s Symphony Orchestra and playing tennis. We recently caught up with Laura to learn more about her experience as a Google Scholar and intern.

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about yourself.
I recently took up running as a hobby and ran in the Boston Half Marathon this year for the first time. I had a blast!

In what way(s) has the scholarship had an impact on your studies?
Google recognizing me with the scholarship meant a lot to me. It increased my confidence in my ability to be successful in the computer science field, and the awesome experiences I had at the Google Scholar’s Retreat reinforced the notion that software engineering is the career path for me. I left the Google Scholar’s Retreat feeling very motivated to continue to dedicate myself in my studies so that I can ultimately have a positive impact on others through my work.

What tips would you give to someone when it comes to applying for the scholarship?
I think that the most important thing to get across in your application is that you're passionate about computer science and that you both have used it and plan on continuing to use it to have a real, positive impact on the world. Show some specific examples about how you've taken on leadership positions on a team project, research project, summer internship, etc. and how you’ve worked towards building something useful. The reviewers will give the scholarship to students who’ve been putting their computer science education to good use and have tangible plans to continue to do so. As for your letter writers, choose people who know you well and can attest to both your personal qualities and your technical abilities.

Besides the financial benefit, what else did you gain from the scholarship and Scholars' Retreat?
The Google Scholar’s Retreat excited me about the company, and by the end of an awesome few days I knew I wanted to come back to Google as an intern the following summer. The retreat provided me with some of the resources that helped make this possible – from the resume reviews to technical interview trainings to general tips for getting through the hiring process.

Another highlight of the Google Scholar’s Retreat was the opportunity to participate in my first hackathon – 24 Hours of Good, a hackathon to benefit various not-for-profit organizations. It was cool to be working alongside the other scholarship recipients on projects that had the potential to have a large impact on other people’s lives. There were plenty of activities, such as yoga and lots of food, to get us through the night, and I got to know other people better while working with them throughout the night.

You also interned at Google this summer. What was the best part of your internship experience? The most challenging?
I had an amazing internship at Google that exceeded even the high expectations I had for it! I woke up every morning excited to begin the day and come to work. Everyone at Google clearly loves what they do, and the environment is very open and collaborative. It’s neat to be working on the cutting edge projects that Google has to offer that are used by people all over the world.

Google places the happiness of its employees first. There’s a lot of fun things to do when you want a break, and breaks are definitely encouraged in order to maximize your overall productivity throughout the day. And you’ll certainly never go hungry working at Google with three delicious meals per day plus snacks!

The most challenging part of working at Google for me was trying to stand out among many other highly intelligent and creative individuals. Google may not be the place to work at if you want to be the best one there. But I ended up loving Google’s environment since it pushed my boundaries and helped me grow. I learned so much being surrounded by some the brightest people in the world, and other Googlers were always willing to impart their knowledge on me.

Do you have any advice for students who are just getting started in computer science?
Follow your dreams and don’t be intimidated! There are a lot of large-scale problems in the world that still need to be solved, and as a computer scientist you’ll have the tools at your disposal to truly have an impact. Always ask yourself if things can be done better, and before you know it you’ll be working towards making that happen.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Google Lime Scholarship and other scholarship opportunities, check them out on our Google for Education page.

Posted by Sarah Safir, Student Development Programs

Google Intern Insights – EMEA Intern Exchange to Mountain View

Sarah H — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 18:43:00 +0000

This past August, the EMEA Intern team challenged their 2014 intern class to create a video about a product they would launch if they had an unlimited budget and resources in the spirit of moonshots and 10x ideas. They needed to include their concept, resources required, potential impact and the problem it would solve.

The video was to be a maximum of 2 minutes in length, and points were awarded by a panel of engineers for product idea, feasibility, technology, innovation and impact. The prize was a fully paid week at our Headquarters in Mountain View soaking up the culture, lifestyle and general life as a software engineer in Google Mountain View.

Jakub Czarnowicz, an SRE intern in Zurich, was our winner this year, with his entry tackling how to help visually impaired people navigate everyday activities using “Google Assistance Dog” on a mobile device. We asked Jakub about his inspiration and experience:

Of all of the tech companies to apply to, why did you want to work at Google?
Google is one of the few places that allows you to grow and develop your skills as well as spend some marvelous time in awesome places. It's famous for being innovative and open for new, cool ideas. If you want to affect lives of millions of users - Google is the place to do that.

Due to that choice, my whole summer was one big series of coding, hiking, designing, sightseeing, learning and having fun. One big adventure!

In what way has Google impacted you and how have you left an impact at Google?
Surprisingly, I have learned many new things here. From coffee making and juggling to networking, software design and Go language. There are many talented, brilliant people working at Google and they are all open to sharing ideas and explaining bleeding edge technology. Just a few discussions during coffee time can teach you more than a month at the university.

It is difficult for an intern to have a big impact on such a company but I hope that my product idea from the Intern Competition would be introduced and one day I would see it running. That would be a really big achievement.

What is the most interesting/exciting thing that you have been able to do as a Google intern?
It's not that simple to decide what was the most interesting. As a "nerd" I was delighted to have an impact on Google-scale applications - thousands of instances running in data centers all over the world, millions of users, unbelievable performance and stability of services ... It's just amazing.

And then, after work, there was another kind of excitement. I fulfilled one of my biggest dreams - paragliding in the Alps. It's totally breathtaking!

How was working in Google HQ (MTV) different from working in a European office? Is there an added benefit to either?
Google HQ is different in every way. It's not an office - it's a whole district of buildings including over 30 cafes, tennis courts, swimming pools, bowling alleys and so on. There are ten times more engineers than in any other office. You need a bike to travel from one building to another. The Zurich office is a lot smaller and there are incomparably fewer places to spend your free time. On the other hand, it feels a lot more homely, it's less crowded and as quiet and peaceful as a Swiss facility can be.

Do teams work differently in different offices? Is the culture different?
Each team is different, each can work in any way the members prefer. There were two most noticeable differences between my team and the team I've spent my time in Mountain View with. First is working hours. In Zurich, many people prefer to stay up late. The office is far from being empty even at 9pm while Googlers I've met in MTV leave much, much earlier.

Another thing is the coffee culture. My team spends a lot of time chatting over a cup of a latte prepared with all the proper rituals. As a coffee lover - I really enjoy this way of spending a break.

What types of lessons/skills have you learned at Google, especially in your exchange office, that you will take back to school after this summer ends?
For me, the most important skills were independence and self-confidence. At Google, if you have an idea - you should introduce it and try to make it happen without any hesitation. Even if it's criticized and rejected, you will learn a lot and draw conclusions that will help you in the future.

During my exchange, I continued to work on my main project even though I was separated from my team. In my opinion, this was the best way to learn how to solve problems on my own and work on even the most difficult problems without any supervision.

After spending time in your exchange office, do you think differently about other office locations? Would you consider working in a different office?
Nothing changed in my way of thinking about different places - I always loved traveling and experiencing new cultures. This exchange just confirmed my beliefs that I should make full use of my youth before finishing my studies and starting work as a full time employee.

Each office is different and I would love to visit as many as possible.

You had to create a video to enter into this exchange competition. Tell us a little bit about yours and where your idea came from.
My idea was to create an app that would help visually impaired people deal with everyday activities. Even ordinary actions are challenging if you have problems with your sight. Shopping? Using public transportation? Crossing a road? If you think those are simple operations - try doing them with your eyes closed.
That is where the most marvelous ideas came from - just putting yourself in someone's else shoes and try to solve their problem in the most Googley way.

After this summer, what comes next for you?
It's hard to say. I still have two years of my masters degree so I want to come back to Poland and finish my studies. In terms of Google - my biggest dream for now is to come back as an intern to work awesome offices, such as New York or Sydney.

If you’re passionate and excited by working on cool things that matter, enjoy tackling the toughest problems in information technology and developing innovative products that make a positive difference in tens of millions of lives every day, Google might just be for you!

As an intern, you come here to build, lead, break, create, improve, shi, and shoot for the moon. Our career paths are varied. Google gives you tons of options to develop yourself, and then get out of the way and let you choose what’s best for you.

If you’re inspired by Jakub and other #googleintern stories, we encourage you to apply to our 2015 internship program. Applications are open now - apply today! We’re hiring for 2015 internships right now, click here to apply!

Posted by Raquel Inacio, University Programs Recruiting Specialist

EMEA 2014 Android Camp: A reflection

Sarah H — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 20:31:00 +0000

In early August, 20 students from 10 countries and 15 universities had the opportunity to attend Google’s European Android Camp in the London office. Students were invited to a jam-packed week of Android learning and development, career panels, tech talks and social activities. The goal of the event was to give students a chance to learn, practice and have fun while developing applications for the Android operating system with the support of Google engineers. The theme for the week was Create the Good in Your Community, with the winning team designing a carpooling app for ride sharing.

We asked the winning team to tell us about their experience at Android Camp:

What was the highlight of Android Camp for you?
Andreea: Android Camp was a mix of intensive programming, having fun and making new friends.

Hanna: My highlight was looking at my sleep deprived, zombie-like teammates in disbelief after the judges announced us as winners.

Raquel: I’d choose the last day of Hack-a-thon. Creating a fully functioning app from scratch within 24 hours is a blast! But the most important thing: we learned a lot while having a lot of fun.

Brit: The best part for me was the moment we solved the main problem in our code and got it to work.

Do you think Android Camp helped you build or develop any skills?
Andreea: Android Camp helped me understand the best way to be successful when developing apps (your app should do one thing and do it good).

Hanna: I went from knowing nothing about Android development to developing an app in just a matter of days - so that should serve as proof. I also learned a thing or two about teamwork.

Raquel: I learned a lot about Android development, how to develop user-friendly apps, and how to adapt to real users’ requirements.

What was your favorite session?
Hanna: The hack-a-thon was my favorite part of Android Camp. To go from an idea to a functional app in 24 hours was really cool, and the level of focus and determination in the room was truly inspiring.

Raquel: I’d choose two: the development of real-world applications session and the presentation skills session. Those tips will help me during my whole career.

Brit: My favorite studying session was the animation class. We learned how to create short animations for our apps, and it’s amazing how pretty and professional you can make it look with just a little effort. And the great sushi class!

How do you think Android Camp will help you further your academic career?
Andreea: I am thinking about creating an android application as my bachelor's thesis so all the work I did during that week will be helpful.

Raquel: It has reminded me that as an engineer, I can contribute to creating things to improve the lives of millions of people. Moreover, I feel more confident with my technical skills, and it has encouraged me to continue improving my software engineering skills.

Brit: When I arrived at Android Camp I knew absolutely nothing about Android development, and by the end of the week I built a whole app from scratch.

What are your next steps?
Andreea: I want to develop as many Android Applications as time allows to practice the skills I have gathered during my week in London, and also apply for the Google Internship next summer.

Hanna: I’m continuing my Masters in Computer Graphics, and developing a game in my spare time.

Raquel: I am doing a research internship at the University of Southern California as a part of my PhD. After attending Android Camp, I am really motivated to apply for the next Google summer internships.

Brit: I’m starting my Masters in Computer Science, but I hope to reapply for an internship at Google in a year of two!

Read more student testimonials in our ‘Live from London Android Camp’ G+ series.For more information on opportunities at Google, please visit Google Students. For more updates please stay tuned on the Google Students Blog.

Posted by Maya Tudor & Karine Karpati, EMEA University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014一Meet Vlad Muntean, an EMEA SMB Services Intern

Sarah H — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 19:05:00 +0000

What type of internship are you doing?
I did a Business Associate Internship at the Google Wroclaw office in Poland. Half of my time was spent working with Small and Medium Business (SMB) Services for the Russian Market and the other half was spent working on my project: AdWords Policies optimization.

What does your workday look like?
Typically I would use the morning to do all of my SMB Services tasks and after lunch, I would mostly work on my project, which involved analyzing data, getting in touch with Googlers in other offices and developing supporting materials for my findings.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Besides working on the core job related to SMB Services for the Russian Market, I completed an analysis of all of the major issues related to AdWords Policies in this Market. Based on my research, I was able to provide Google employees solutions and implementations related to providing a better user experience when it came to dealing with AdWords policies. Additionally, I managed to host two Webinars related to AdWords for the Russian speaking market. Finally, I delivered three trainings for Nooglers (New Googlers) and Full-time employees of the Russian SMB Services Team.

At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
I was able to work with Googlers who had deep knowledge on the subjects related to my core work and received support from the people around me, on any questions that arose during my project. Additionally, the team diversity made every working day unique, starting from people playing on the guitar when they wanted to relax and finishing with amazing travel stories from Mount Kilimanjaro.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The perk that I loved the most was the ability to work from any Google office. This option gave me the chance to travel around the region and explore some amazing cities like Berlin, Prague and Warsaw.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
“Being Googley” is about being open to everyday awesomeness and collaboration. It’s about having a unique hobby and sharing it with other people. It's also about giving support whenever needed and loving all of the things that you do.

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
I simply fell in love with Wroclaw. Google was wise to place its office there. It is a super lively and a large beautiful city, while still providing you with a sense of coziness. It had anything a person needed for his or her free time, like: kayaking, aqua park, football, great pubs and restaurants, beautiful architecture and the friendliest people.

What will you do after your internship?
I’m back at university completing my senior year. Soon, I will start a part-time internship at a Marketing company in Bulgaria. I'll also be pursuing my hobby in theatrical acting.

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
First, be honest in your application. Everything you write should express who you actually are.

Secondly, be active during your student years by participating with different clubs and activities, and develop yourself through an interesting hobby.

Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Megan Killion an EMEA SMB Sales Intern

Sarah H — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 20:35:00 +0000

Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland!

Where and what do/did you study at University?
I’m about to begin my fourth year of Marketing and Innovation Technology at Dublin City University, which is going to be pretty hard after spending a Summer at Google! After high school, it was my dream to go to art school, but when I was offered this course I decided to give it a try. Lucky for me, I absolutely love it! It’s an awesome and super modern course that covers basic marketing practices, but also explores the cutting edge technology and design skills that are needed to become a 21st century marketeer!

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
My Google story actually started about a year ago, when I was asked to participate in Google Adcamp EMEA (read my article about the experience here). If you haven't heard of AdCamp before, it’s 3 days of pure awesomeness! You get to spend those 3 days in the Google office, meet other students from across EMEA, attend product talks from seasoned Google employees, and explore Dublin.

I have always had an obsession with technology. More recently my focus has been on mobile and developing my mobile marketing skill set. Google is at the forefront of everything that is “mobile” and “connected” so it became apparent very quickly that this was where I needed to be.

Disclaimer: The free food, killer gym and massages did NOT play any part in my wanting to join Google (I swear) ;)

What type of internship are you doing?
I am a Business Associate Intern and am on the UK SMB Sales team for Google AdWords! I count myself so lucky to be on this team, because I am SO passionate about the product we sell. My role is to help small and medium businesses across the UK scale and grow through the use of Google's advertising solutions (it sounds amazing, I know).

The businesses that I work with come in all shapes and sizes, and no one Google advertising solution works for all of them. Adapting and developing unique online marketing strategies for each client is what makes my role so awesome! Every day is different and that is really important to me.

I am also working on Customer Education and have formed a Hangout on Air program for my team. We actually had our first live broadcast last week, which went down a storm. The customers loved it!

What does your workday look like?
Every day is different at Google, it’s what makes this such an amazing place to work. But here is what my average day could look like:

9:00 Breakfast with the Interns (Google has the best omelettes, so I usually opt for one of these!)
9.30 Work through emails
10:00 Consultation with an Advertiser
11:00 Intern events committee meeting
12:00 Lunch (Yes, it is free - all you can eat)
13.30 Consultation with an Advertiser
14.15 Consultation with an Advertiser
15:00 Training (this could be anything from Youtube, Google Shopping or Remarketing trainings)
15.30 Grab a coffee with one of my mentors
16:00 Shadow a different team (I try to spent at least two hours a week shadowing other teams)
17.00 Meeting with marketing team in Mountain View (The mountain view marketing team played a huge part in my customer education project, so I have a lot of evening meetings with them!)
18:30 TRX & Kettle Bell Class in the Google gym with my buddies

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
My biggest accomplishment was being able to plan, execute and report on our hangout on air series from start to finish. We targeted the Hangout on Air at 5000 customers, so it was a pretty big project. There were so many stakeholders and being able to manage all is something I am super proud of. My team had never done anything of this scale before and I was delighted that I successfully launched the biggest one yet! I was also able to convince other teams (such as marketing) to support us with various assets, which felt pretty awesome too!

At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
Diversity is one of the best things about working at Google. The ability to work with people from different places and backgrounds, gives amazing opportunities to learn from one another.

During my Internship, I was lucky enough to be elected onto the “Intern social committee” which was a small group of interns who ran internal events! The group was made up of Irish, English, Russian, Dutch and Croatian members. A moment that stood out to me, was a brainstorming session when we spoke about the events that we could potentially run! Everyones ideas were so VERY different, but all equally wonderful! I guess it was just interesting to hear about what everyone considered a “normal” or a "frequent" event in their hometown!"

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
When you don't work at Google, you think the perks are the best part. Speaking from experience, I can say that the best part about working here is the unique people. Being surrounded by such smart, enthusiastic and outgoing people, everyday, is incredibly inspiring. There is something fantastically interesting about every person you talk to here. You learn so much from your peers, it’s insane. Being around people like that everyday makes you the best possible version of yourself and it opens your eyes to so many different cultures, mind sets and ways of doing things.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
I love this question! It’s something I get asked all the time! I honestly think that everyone has a different idea on what Googliness or what being Googley is, but it doesn't matter what it is or whether it's work related or not. It’s a passion that they bring to work and want to share, and use to help their work, their team, or all of Google itself.

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
The Google Dublin (EU HQ) is ridiculously cool! I just love it!

It spans 4 buildings and there is something totally unique about each one!

We have a gym, a swimming pool, dozens of kitchens, a bar, games room, karaoke rooms, nail bars, massage chair ... literally, you name it and it’s probably here!

My favourite area is in the Gasworks building. It has an old fashioned library, with hundreds of books and big, comfy armchairs. I get most of my blogging done there. Its just the perfect spot to plug in your earphones and get stuck into some work!

What will you do after your internship?

After my internship I am returning to college, for my final year of Marketing and Innovation Technology at Dublin City University! As much as I’ll miss Google, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my old classmates and getting stuck into some project work.

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?

1.) BE UNIQUE ― Do you have any idea how many people apply for these internships? No? Well, neither do I, but I’m guessing in the thousands. So it’s important to spend some time thinking about how you're going to stand out from the crowd. Be creative when it comes to your resume, add as many links as you can to your college assignments, any project work you’ve done, videos, slideshows ... you name it! I also think having a nicely formatted resume can do wonders!

2.) GAIN EXPERIENCE ― I know first hand, that it can be tough to get good work experience as a student. Remember that experience doesn't always mean “work” experience. There are a lot of things you can do to make yourself a more appealing candidate, such as:

Enter the Google Online Marketing Challenge: this will show that you have first hand experience with AdWords and running online marketing campaigns.

Become a blogger and have your own website: blogging is a great way to raise your personal profile and share your ideas. It also shows recruiters that you are dedicated and hardworking (if you post frequently). If you set up advertising on the blog (Via Google Adsense) and tracking (Via Google Analytics) it instantly shows recruiters you have first hand product knowledge.

Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Kendra Ibsen an EMEA SMB Service Intern

Sarah H — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 17:28:00 +0000

Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Helsingborg, a small town located in the beautiful southern part of Sweden, only 4 KM from Denmark. The geographical location enabled my mother and father to meet each other, and hence I am half Danish. For the last five years, I have lived in Stockholm. Feel welcome to visit!

Where and what do/did you study at University?
I hold a bachelor degree from Stockholm School of Economics in Business Administration and Economics and I'm currently enrolled in their Business and Management Masters Program. I’m also super excited to be going on an exchange semester at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China in the fall of 2014.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
Google has always been a dream employer for me due to its innovative corporate culture, diverse employees and the fast-moving business. My infinite interest in Google developed when I read “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, who held a high managerial position at Google. Sheryl Sandberg is my role model in business related manners, due to her interest in female empowerment. The fact that Google prioritizes diversity in its corporate climate made me even more interested in joining the organization. Furthermore, to be part of a successful tech company with corporate values that are aligned with my values played a significant factor in my motivation to apply. Since I had one year left at university, the best choice for me was to apply for an internship. Luckily for me, I got the fantastic opportunity to be part of Google team for three months.

What type of internship are you doing?
I was an intern at the SMB (small and medium size businesses) Services team for the Nordic countries. In my opinion, as an intern in the SMB Services department at Google you get the best possible internship. In services, half your time is spent working on a business development project and the other half with AdWords and customer support. As a result of this setup, I quickly learned the ins and outs of AdWords and how to troubleshoot and provide excellent solutions to our customers. I strongly developed my customer-oriented mindset, problem-solving skills and my ability to multitask.

For my business development project I was accountable for a revenue related project that required an extensive quantitative analysis. I structured, analyzed and created recommendations for how SMB Services can work more efficiently with revenue performance. I truly loved my project and all of the challenges I faced during the project path. I also got the opportunity to work closely with senior revenue Googlers on our team and across markets. From this project, I developed my quantitative analysis skills, learned how to break down a complex business issue to operational recommendations and how to structure and prioritize a project.

What does your workday look like?
I spend half of my day working on the core business giving AdWords customer support and the other half working on my project.

During my project time, I often chose to work elsewhere than at my desk, i.e. at the 13th floor which had the most beautiful view. This definitely gave me creative stimulation during working hours.

The team spirit was fantastic. We ate lunch together every single day and would regularly have fun playing ping-pong or pool.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I am mainly proud of two accomplishments.

Firstly, I exceeded expectations when I passed the AdWords exam after only two training days. This resulted in a very fast ramp-up and enabled me to do customer face-time after only one week (normally this takes four weeks).

Secondly, I am very proud of my project analysis and recommendations. I was successful in communicating my key findings and recommendations to my team in a very concrete way and hence, grasped their attention and execution mode. The result of my project was appreciated and the recommendations are already being implemented as part of the core strategy in the SMB Services Nordics team and will soon be launched to the entire EMEA market.

At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
The diverse mindset is a fact at Google. You positively face it everyday. You meet people from all countries in the world - men, women, the LGBT community, different cultures and backgrounds, engineers, business people, etc. Before coming to Google, I had never experienced such a diverse environment and I am quite sure that nothing can compare with Google’s workplace diversity. This is totally fantastic and admirable!

The most outstanding moment was when I met one of my colleagues who is blind. Despite her impairment, she conducted her work with excellence ― talking with customers, guiding them through to find different features of the product. Google facilitated her work, by providing her with special resources so she can deliver without clear obstacles.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
It's definitely the people. A company can provide as many perks as possible, but the thing that impresses me the most are the people. The people you meet at Google are intelligent, helpful, humble, have a high level of social intelligence and have fantastic energy. This naturally affects the atmosphere in the office landscape in an extremely positive way.

At Google many different communities exist and as a feminist and as a person with a high interest in female empowerment, I attended different female events and talked to many successful women at Google. This provided me with insights into how I, as a woman, can potentially reach my goal to become an executive in the future. As a young woman, it was extremely interested in talking to women in senior-level positions and I appreciate and admire how much time these women invests in collaborating and chatting with us.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
For me, it means being innovative, humble, open and to have positive energy.

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
That’s a difficult question since the Google Dublin (EU HQ) office in Ireland is totally amazing. If I am forced to choose, it would have to be the different relaxing/creative areas, where you can work or just have a coffee with your colleagues.

Being a Googler means being a part of a big and lovely family. I spent all my spare-time with other Googlers. We explored the beautiful nature of Ireland, the fun nightlife and partook in the delicious food.

What will you do after your internship?
I will complete my masters degree and try to handle all of the recruiters that are contacting me after joining Google :)

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
(1) Be personal but professional; and

(2) Keep it simple, with a very results-oriented mindset.

Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Martin Zaborowski, an EMEA SMB Services Intern

Sarah H — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 18:52:00 +0000

At my workstation, chatting to a client

What does your workday look like?
It starts with an awesome breakfast! After my morning glass of fresh orange juice and some fruit, I would usually support our customers either by calling, emailing or having a chat. When I don’t know the answers, I can always consult with my colleagues, which is important to really understand all underlying issues and learn. On average, I would also have a couple of hours a day to work on my intern project, which in my case was focused on increasing our customer satisfaction. I looked into past data, found patterns, interviewed people from different offices and departments, and had meetings to keep all stakeholders updated.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
It would have to be when I presented my project findings to my team and management at the end of my internship. It was really exciting to share what I had been working on over the past few months ― knowing that the work I’ve put into my project was really insightful to them.

Motivational Message

What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?

Time for balloons!

This would have to be planning a TGIF (Thank Google It's Friday!) with the other interns. We were a group of students from all over Europe with different backgrounds and experiences. The input from so many diverse people certainly made the planning a very creative process, with many different ideas and thoughts being picked thrown on the table in making the 'Intern TGIF' a summer highlight.

For me it’s really important that a workplace is international and has diversity. I greatly appreciate that Google provides me with just that. It’s really awesome!

We all know Googler’s and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
Assuming that you, as the reader, already know all about the amazing food, gym and massages, my favorite part of Google is how amazing the people are. I’ve made so many friends and have had such amazing times. Speaking of time, time flies when you’re at Google. Really, it’s that much FUN!
Enjoying the Google swings has also been one of my favorite parts.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
It's kind of hard to define. But ultimately, what it comes down to is: being an open-minded, social and caring individual (perhaps mixed with a little bit of craziness).

What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
When I found out that Google imports German products like "Club Mate" or "Fritz Cola" for us, I couldn't quite believe it. This was just the cherry on the cake. Or more like the softly baked Oreo cookie on my cake, as I'm not actually a big fan of cherries. Anyhow, the office is amazing! I remember how on my first day when I was given an office tour, I was just walking around with my mouth wide open, not quite believing this is where I'd be working over the next months.

Highlights: the relaxing room with its massage chair, the fact that we have an office dog, and the central location of the office with a view over the city.

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
This year I have dedicated myself to music by joining the 'Acapella Project' at my university and starting piano lessons. It's my goal to be able to play a couple of my favorite songs on piano and sing along to them, by the end of the year.

What will you do after your internship?
I’m going on exchange for my Masters in Canada, for about half a year. As sad as I am that my internship is over, I’m super excited about living in North America for a while. And who knows, maybe I’ll return to Google faster than I think ;)

What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
1. Believe in yourself! It sounds cheesy, but it’s really important. Once you’re in the recruitment process, you must believe that you have the ‘googleyness’ they are looking to see in you (because you do!), show them what an engaged and caring person you are. Google isn’t all about having the best grades; it’s much more about being an engaged worker with ambition.

2. This might sound a bit dull, but prepare well. Depending on what internship you’re applying for, the questions might vary of course, e.g. if you’re applying for SMB Services/Sales, you should familiarize yourself with the relevant products, be clear about your motivation, your aspirations ,etc.

I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you! :)

Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our student positions today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team

Wrap-up of the Grace Hopper Celebration

Sarah H — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 21:12:00 +0000

The annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing wrapped up last week, and as attendees from all over the world head back to their schools, universities, companies, and organizations, we want to reflect on what our commitment to this Celebration means to Google.

What started as a vision and a blank piece of paper shared between Anita Borg and Telle Whitney over dinner in 1994, has now become the single largest gathering of women in computing. From the first conference in Washington DC with 500 attendees, the Grace Hopper Celebration has grown exponentially to the massive number of over 8,000 attendees this year.

Google has been attending the Grace Hopper Celebration for over a decade, and we are proud to show our long-standing dedication to this conference by partnering at the highest level as a Visionary Platinum Sponsor. Google has been working with the Anita Borg Institute (ABI) since 2004, and Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President of Knowledge, has been a member of the ABI Board of Trustees since 2006. To Google, Grace Hopper is more than a conference, it's an opportunity to invigorate and unite technical women.

20,000 glowsticks lit up the final night’s celebration at Grace Hopper.

We experienced many highlights this year and encouraged attendees to post about their experiences, as they happened using the hashtag #GoogleGHC14. These posts most accurately capture the exhilaration of GHC on-the-ground; excitement over seeing the self-driving car, reunions between interns, chatting with Megan Smith, the new Chief Technology Officer of the United States, and students pleased to demo Cardboard and get their very own to bring home.

Grace Hopper also reminds us of the work we have left to do to welcome future generations of women to the tech field and to retain those already here. GHC serves as a setting for women to share their experiences--and talk honestly about technology--the amazing, the awe-inspiring and even the extremely challenging aspects.

When we talk with faculty on college campuses, they frequently tell us how important the Grace Hopper Celebration is for their students, and that Grace Hopper can often serve as a game-changer for younger students in solidifying their interest in Computer Science. For that reason, Google was proud to sponsor travel scholarships for over 100 students, as well as invite and fund over 200 of our interns to join the celebration at Grace Hopper. These students came from all over the world; as far as Kazakhstan and South Africa. One travel grant recipient, Brianna Fugate, class of 2018 at Spelman College had this to say about her experience at Grace Hopper:

“Thank you so much for the opportunity and grant to attend Grace Hopper. When I share my stories with young girls considering tech I always tell them how important it is to have a strong network of social encouragement. It was an amazing experience to network with so many successful women in tech and gain insight as to what path I should be taking as a woman just beginning her journey in this industry.”

The Grace Hopper Celebration allows women in computing and their allies to connect, develop skills, and become invigorated as we - at Google and in the larger computing community - set our vision for bringing even more women into the technology industry. We can hardly wait for GHC 2015, and hope to see you in Houston!

Posted by Sidnie Davis, University Programs Specialist

The Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 2015: Supporting innovators of the future

Sarah H — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 16:29:00 +0000

Applications are currently open for the Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 2015. This scholarship supports talented computer scientists with a disability across Europe by offering 7,000 Euros towards their studies for 2015-16. As part of this commitment, Google has teamed up with EmployAbility, an organization dedicated to assisting disabled and dyslexic students in the transition from education to employment.

We recently caught up with Michael, a student from Russia and 2014 recipient of the Google Scholarship for Students with Disabilities, to hear first-hand about his experience as a Google Scholar:

So Michael, tell us a little about yourself…

I am studying for an undergraduate degree in Information Engineering and Management at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. For me,Computer Science and its subdomain of Software Engineering are fields which offer an intellectual challenge and satisfaction through innovation and problem-solving. I enjoy analysing problems and then designing and implementing applications that solve these problems in the most efficient and elegant way.

Broadly speaking, I am interested in creating and developing new technologies that will improve human life in some tangible form.

What do you think of the application process?

The application process was very clear: you have to write several essays, upload your resume and find two referees who will write letters of recommendation for you. If you are an international student, then you will also need to translate your official documents into English before submitting them with your application.

If at any stage during the preparation of your application you have any queries or problems, don't hesitate to contact the EmployAbility team, they can very quickly help you with any question and they can also give you valuable advice. They helped me several times with my application at the beginning.

In what way(s) has the Scholarship had an impact on your studies?

The scholarship, as recognition from Google and my university, was very important to me. It increased my confidence and encouraged me to continue what I am doing and to work even harder to achieve my goals.

During the course of my studies I wanted to attend some tech conferences. Now, after receiving this scholarship, not only will it be possible for me to attend these conferences, but I can also attend several others.

What tips would you give to someone when it comes to applying?

Start your application process with writing the answers to the essay questions. In writing your essays try to show who you really are, talk about your interests, contributions to open-source projects and commitment to computer science and technology. But don't forget that the Google Scholarship will assess you as a whole person, therefore your leadership skills and achievements are also crucial for this application.

If you are not sure you understand particular questions or any other aspects of the application process, discuss your issues with EmployAbility - they can really help.

Other important pieces of the application package are your recommendation letters. Try to submit your application early and leave enough time for your references to write them for you. It is in your own best interest.

Besides the financial benefit, what else did you gain from the scholarship?

I am extremely grateful to Google for selecting me as a scholarship recipient. It really means a lot to me. This has given me more confidence and understanding of what I can achieve, and has motivated me to continue to work on my projects, make contributions to assistive technology and promote the value and importance of Computer Science among students with disabilities and also encourage them to consider careers in technology.

Did the scholarship influence your thoughts about a career at Google or within the Tech sector?

It certainly did. It made me feel more confident in my abilities and once again confirmed my plan to have a career in the tech industry. I hope to continue to develop my technical breadth and depth while taking on more responsibilities and leadership. By the time I graduate from my university, I’d like to either start a tech company or join a company such as Google, a company that has a disability inclusive and diverse environment made up of smart people who work on innovative products that change the world around us.

What advice would you give to someone who isn’t sure about applying for the scholarship?

If you are not sure whether you should apply or not try to write the answers to essay questions and prepare all the necessary documents. After that you can ask the EmployAbility team to look at your application and judge whether there is enough relevant content and what can be done to improve your application. Even if you are unsuccessful in your scholarship application, you can reapply next year. You have nothing to lose, but you could potentially gain a lot.

We are currently accepting applications for the 2015 Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. Applications close on Thursday, January 1st, 2015, 17:00 GMT.

For questions about the scholarship or your application, please reach out to EmployAbility at googlescholarship@employ-ability.org.uk.

Posted by Efrat Aghassy, EMEA Scholarships Program Manager

Application for the Google EMEA Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship is now open – Apply today!

Sarah H — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 19:22:00 +0000

We are very excited to announce that applications for the Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship have opened today and university students in EMEA are eligible to apply.

The Google EMEA Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship honors Dr. Anita Borg who devoted her life to encouraging the presence of women in computing. The scholarship is open to current female undergraduate or graduate students who will be studying at a university in Europe, the Middle East or Africa for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Applicants should be enrolled in a Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or closely related technical program and maintain a record of strong academic performance. Recipients of the Scholarship will each receive a € 7,000 (or equivalent) award for the 2015-2016 academic year. As an Anita Borg Scholar, you will participate in a unique program that includes professional development as well as outreach in your community which kicks-off at the Scholars Retreat in Zurich.

We will be accepting applications until Monday, February 2, 2015, 17:00 GMT. Apply today!

For more on Google’s scholarships, please visit Google Student Scholarships.

Posted by Efrat Aghassy, EMEA Scholarships Program Manager

2015 US and Canada scholarship opportunities for Computer Science students

Sarah H — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 16:04:00 +0000

We are excited to announce that applications are now open for 2015 Google scholarships. The application deadlines are in mid January, but don’t wait to get started on your application!

At Google, we believe information should be universally accessible. Our education and scholarship programs aim to inspire and help students become future leaders in computing and technology by breaking down the barriers that prevent them from entering these fields. We are now accepting applications from current university students, undergraduate and graduate, for the following scholarship programs:

Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship for women in technology
Generation Google Scholarship for students from underrepresented backgrounds in computer science
Google Lime Scholarship for students with disabilities
Google Student Veterans of America (SVA) Scholarship for students who are serving or have served in the military
The Generation Google Scholarship for current high school seniors will open in early 2015

Read through these helpful tips before getting started on your application.

Apply!
The first advice is simple: apply! You never know unless you apply - don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

What we look for
When evaluating scholarship applications, we are especially interested in the following qualities: passion for and commitment to computer science, technical accomplishments, leadership and involvement in your community, and academic achievements. Keep these in mind as you fill out your application.

Work on your resume
Be sure to update your resume, as it is an important component of the application that helps us understand your interest and accomplishments in computer science. Google has some tips for preparing your technical resume here. Your university’s career center may also be a helpful resource.

Be descriptive and call out your accomplishments
Don’t be shy when it comes to describing your accomplishments. We often come across applications where the applicant has worked on an amazing project or has great leadership experience, yet barely mentions this in their application! While we evaluate an applicant on all components of the application (i.e., resume, references, transcript, and essays), we want to know what’s important to you, and we encourage you to call out the accomplishments that you are proud of.

The essays matter
The essays help us to get to know you better and they hold a lot of weight in the review process. We read through many applications and what we remember most is the quality of the essays. Read the questions carefully and answer each component of the question, as they’re designed to help us evaluate your application based on the criteria we look for. Trust us, someone who has put a lot of time and effort into their essay questions stands out above the rest!

Proofread
Though this may sound simple, you may be surprised at the number of grammatical and spelling errors that we find in our application pool. You wouldn’t be ruled out for a typo, but a well-polished application does say something about the effort you put in filling it out.

Be mindful of deadlines--both for yourself and for your references
Don’t miss out just because the deadline slipped your mind! Mark your calendars and be sure to submit your application on time. Likewise, give your references ample time to write a recommendation and remind them about the approaching deadline to ensure your application is complete.

For more information on all scholarship programs, please visit the Google Scholarships site.

Posted by Sarah Safir, Tech Student Development Team

Professor registration for the 2015 Google Online Marketing Challenge is now open

Sarah H — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:39:00 +0000

We are excited to announce that professor registration for the 2015 Google Online Marketing Challenge (GOMC 2015) is now open.

The Google Online Marketing Challenge, now in its eighth year, is an annual global online marketing competition for students from higher education institutions around the world. Student teams develop and run an online advertising campaign using Google AdWords and/or Google+ for a real business or non-profit organization of their choice, using a US $250 budget provided by Google. An independent GOMC Panel of Academics, along with our own team, review the campaigns and select winning teams based on the success of their campaign and the quality of their competition reports.

Why GOMC?

GOMC provides a unique, hands-on learning experience by integrating a real-world business partner and budget into the classroom.
Students get a chance to support their local community by working with a non-profit, and the opportunity to win donations from a total pool of US $30,000.
GOMC enables professors to provide their students with an engaging and innovative in-class experience, which provides real-world impact and grading material.
Great prizes for global and regional winners of the challenge, including trips to Google offices, digital devices and more.

To learn about the impact of GOMC on the lives of students and academics, check out this recent video:

What’s next?In order for a student team to participate in the competition, they need to have their Professor register first. Professors can register from Oct 8th, 2014 until April 8th, 2015, and students from October 15th, 2014 until April 22nd, 2015. For more information, please visit www.google.com/onlinechallenge. To stay informed about GOMC, add our Google+ Page to your circles: google.com/+googleonlinemarketingchallenge. Here’s your chance to make a global impact! Posted by Claire Lloyd, The Google Online Marketing Challenge Team

Get your code on with Google Code-in

Sarah H — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 19:30:00 +0000

At Google, we’re passionate about introducing students to open source software development. Since 2005, the Open Source Programs team at Google has worked with over 10,000 students and over 485 open source projects in a variety of fields to create more code for us all.

For students ages 13-17 interested in writing code that could make a difference in the world, we're excited to tell you about a program designed to introduce you to open source software development: Google Code-in.

December 1, 2014 kicks off the fifth consecutive year of this international, online contest designed to introduce pre-university students to the world of open source development. Open source projects are about more than just coding, and this contest highlights a variety of ways to contribute to open source projects.

You might be thinking to yourself:

What is open source?
What types of work do open source projects do?
I’ve only taken one computer science class, can I contribute to an open source project?
I’m not really into coding, how else can I contribute to open source?
I’ve never participated in open source or an online contest before, can someone help guide me?
Open source sounds fun, how can I get started?

If you’ve wondered about any of these questions and are a pre-university student (age 13-17) then we hope you'll join in the fun and excitement of the Google Code-in contest starting Monday, December 1st.

For seven weeks from early December to mid January, the Google Code-in contest will have students working with up to 12 selected open source projects on a variety of tasks. The different categories of tasks that students will be able to work on include:

Code: writing or refactoring
Documentation/Training: creating/editing documents and helping others learn more
Outreach/research: community management, outreach/marketing, or studying problems and recommending solutions
Quality Assurance: testing and ensuring code is of high quality
User Interface: user experience research or user interface design and interaction

For more details on how you can sign up and participate, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Google Code-in site. On November 12, we'll also announce the open source organizations that will be participating in the contest.

We look forward to welcoming hundreds of students from around the world into the open source family again this year, and hope you'll be a part of it.

Posted by Stephanie Taylor, Open Source Programs

Google at Grace Hopper: Google Women Engineer Spotlights

Sarah H — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:22:00 +0000

The annual Grace Hopper Conference is just a few days away! Before the festivities officially kick off, we’re shining the spotlight on several Google Women Engineers (GWEs) who have been nominated by Googlers for the great work that they do and the contributions they have made as women in the tech industry.

For our last spotlight, we’re featuring Emily Bernier.

Can you share with us your role at Google?
I joined Google Cambridge in February 2013 as a software engineer on the Android for Education team. I have a dual background in developmental psychology and computer science, so I was psyched to have the chance to combine both interests.

My team is tackling the thorny problem of making an effective, easy-to-use tablet solution for schools. I write code across many different pieces of the Android OS; one of my first projects was writing a tool to let IT admins and teachers quickly set up hundreds or thousands of tablets by passing configuration information via NFC. Doing things at Google-scale is pretty awe-inspiring; there’s nothing quite like seeing a random teacher use an app you’ve created, or knowing that schools across the country are using code you wrote (eeee!). When I’m not coding, I work with our product management and UX teams on some of our difficult big-picture questions, and visit schools and ed-tech conferences to learn more about the growing role of technology in learning.

What do you enjoy most about being a woman in tech (or at Google specifically)?
I spend a fair amount of time with our student outreach and recruiting teams. Google is hugely committed to supporting diversity in tech and engineering, and to growing the next generation of computer scientists. Numbers we published earlier this year demonstrate how far these efforts have to go, but the creativity and enthusiasm of everyone working in this space is pretty inspiring.

What are you looking forward to most at the Grace Hopper Conference?
I’m super excited to attend the Grace Hopper Conference for the first time, and to meet more of the brilliant, phenomenal women of the computing community!

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Elizabeth Davis

Sarah H — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 17:23:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
I played football when I was four years old. I was a pretty incredible running back, if I say so myself.

What has been your path to your current internship at Google?
I actually just started coding less than a year ago. I took a few classes in college and found that Computer Science was pretty fascinating to me, and programming appealed to my extremely logical yet creative approach to problem solving. I looked into internship opportunities with various tech companies and was pleasantly surprised to receive an offer to work for Google in the Zurich, Switzerland office!

I was extremely excited to have the chance to work for Google and visit Europe for the first time. I’d been very inspired by Google’s incredible commitment to innovation especially when applied to a social cause. They’ve been leaders in the movement towards bringing more diversity into the tech industry and are working on projects that are centered on increasing accessibility for users in developing countries. Google is making an impact in fields I deeply care about which made it such an appealing company to work for. And having the opportunity to work on a diverse team, with people from so many different countries and cultural backgrounds, has been an invaluable experience.

What’s the best part about working with your team?
Objectively speaking, my team is awesome. Everyone is really close, so much so that we’ve all eaten practically every meal together at Google this summer. I’m amazed at how well my teammates work together professionally and how many of them have formed close personal relationships with one another. Our entire team just went together to Mallorca, Spain, which goes to show just how much fun we have together inside and outside of the office.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
One of my favorite moments was getting to present my project at the EMEA Tech Intern Summit. I was given the opportunity to share my project with interns from all over EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). However, I’m extremely proud of the women’s mentorship program that I co-founded and launched this summer.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the Google Women in Engineering (GWE) Mentorship Program you launched?
I, along with Alice Chang, a fellow intern, noticed a need for a program that would connect Nooglers and interns to the women’s network and community within Google Zurich. Working at Google is great in that if you ever have an idea or something you’re passionate about, everyone encourages you to pursue it wholeheartedly and see where you can take it.

We were able to talk to senior-level Googlers involved in diversity initiatives about our project proposal and to discuss how to go about designing such a program. We then did everything we needed to do to get the program off the ground: recruit experienced mentors from diverse professional backgrounds in Google Zurich, create a formal curriculum for the program, organize the dates, and match all of the mentors and mentees to ensure a successful and rewarding relationship. We are just about to complete our first mentorship cycle which we’re incredibly excited about.

Ideally, how would you expand this program?
We’ve contacted ambassadors in two other Google offices and we’re working with them to implement the program in their locations as well. We’re hoping to expand the program to all of the Google offices, and increase the number of Nooglers worldwide who are able to cycle through the program.

What impact has this mentorship program had so far that you’ve noticed?
So far, the program has definitely cultivated a greater community between experienced female Googlers and Nooglers like us! We had an amazing luncheon with all of our participants. It was a lot of fun to discuss the importance of mentorship and to initiate conversations about how to succeed as women in the tech industry.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means celebrating your own diversity. It means embracing who you are—academically, professionally, culturally, and personally—and contributing your individuality to a diverse team. You are an incredibly unique, weird, and valuable individual. Own it, welcome the uniqueness of everyone around you, and come together to spark innovation.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Candidates shouldn’t be discouraged if they don’t have as much experience as others. Take it from someone who just started out programming, and who has definitely felt that overwhelming feeling when it seems like everyone around you has been coding since they were in diapers. If you work really hard and are willing to take on the pretty steep learning curve, you can be just as successful as a software engineer at a company like Google.

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
At school I’m involved in the CS 198 Section Leading program which is an opportunity for undergraduates to help teach introductory computer science courses. I also work with the Black Student Union and Society of Black Scientists and Engineers which promote community, achievement, and support among African American students within Stanford and in the surrounding communities. Otherwise, I love to play beach volleyball, read, and binge-watch TV shows.

Best conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator?
The best conversation I remember having was when I was eating dinner in Milliways Cafe and casually talking to a woman who was sitting across the table with her kids. Later on that night, I realized that I’d had dinner with Susan Wojcicki! Not recognizing her kept me from fangirling so it was probably for the better.

Dream Google office to visit?
So far I’ve been to the Mountain View, New York, Zurich, and London offices. I’d love to see the office in Sydney, Australia though!

Best intern event you’ve attended?
Definitely Noogler Prom. Nothing beats fancy dresses paired with Noogler hats.

Our technical internships for summer 2015 are now open! Apply here: http://goo.gl/7nmfXO

Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

Google at Grace Hopper: Google Women Engineer Spotlights

Sarah H — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 17:09:00 +0000

The annual Grace Hopper Conference is just one week away! Before the festivities officially kick off, we’re shining the spotlight on several Google Women Engineers (GWEs) who have been nominated by Googlers for the great work that they do and the contributions they have made as women in the tech industry.

Today, we’re featuring Elynn Lee.

Can you share with us your role at Google?
I am a Master’s student in Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin. I was in the Turing Scholars honors program and did my thesis in Computer Science Education. I have interned twice at Google as a Software Engineering (SWE) intern in the New York office on the Google Forms team. Working as a SWE intern meant that I got to develop cool new features for Google Forms.

What do you enjoy most about being a woman in tech (or at Google specifically)?
As a woman in tech, I have always been encouraged to dream. I’ve thought of the endless opportunities in the tech industry as a chance to create my own path. Though many problems seemed too hard to solve, the support of the awesome tech community motivated me to be persistent and always reach for the stars. I’ve had the privilege of working with incredibly passionate Googlers who are truly changing the world. They taught me to be confident in my ability to make important contributions to the product and to not be afraid to be bold. Even as an intern, I was always a part of the conversation and encouraged to share my vision. At Google, I felt like I was really making a difference.

What are you looking forward to most at the Grace Hopper Conference?
At Grace Hopper, I'm looking forward to being inspired by the tech talks and connecting with other women in tech! It’s exciting to reconnect with friends and meet new people. I love learning about all of the ways that women are changing, improving, and developing the world around us.

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper and the lead-up to the celebration, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag. Stay tuned for more GWE spotlights here on our blog.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google at Grace Hopper: Google Women Engineer Spotlights

Sarah H — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 18:43:00 +0000

Can you share with us your role at Google?
I’m a Site Reliability Engineer at Google - that means I’m a software engineer who works closely with our serving systems as a whole, designing traffic flow and large-scale system interactions to keep Google’s services running. A typical day’s work could see me writing automation software in Python, working with developers to tweak their new feature’s scalability and reliability, or implementing monitoring and configuration changes across our system.

What do you enjoy most about being a woman in tech (or at Google specifically)?
I love being a GWE (a Google Woman Engineer) with my team because I love the eagle-eye view we have over our serving stack, and the freedom we have to design solutions to interesting problems. I also love my team in particular because they never make me feel unusual for being a technical woman, and they passionately support diversity in software - in fact, of my two-dozen teammates, seven will be joining me at Grace Hopper, and three of those seven are guys.

What are you looking forward to most at the Grace Hopper Conference?
Last year was my first Grace Hopper, and the strongest thing that inspired me about that amazing experience were all the brilliant women who refused to settle for being ‘comfortable’. Well, in the year since then, I’ve volunteered to lead a team, given technical talks around the US and the UK, and even wrote a novel! As we like to say at Google, I’m ‘uncomfortably excited’ to see what this year’s Grace Hopper will teach me. I hope I'll see you there!

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper and the lead-up to the celebration, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag. Stay tuned for more GWE spotlights here on our blog.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google at Grace Hopper: Google Women Engineer Spotlights

Sarah H — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 17:41:00 +0000

Can you share with us your role at Google?
I have been with Google for over four years and have been a software engineer for over 11. I currently work in an interesting overlap between Google search and Google Now on Android/IOS.

What do you enjoy most about being a woman in tech (or at Google specifically)?
I enjoy being in tech because it allows for a lot of creative freedom with minimal setup cost. Google takes that further by facilitating side projects and even providing a platform to share through demo sessions! I am happy to be a woman in tech at a time when everyone recognizes the importance of tech education and diversity within tech. I have met several inspiring engineers along the way and I hope to meet many more.

What are you looking forward to most at the Grace Hopper Conference?
Last year, I presented a poster on Stereotype Threat and attended several interesting sessions including a speed-mentoring session. That is where I met many several senior technologists and also met a student that then joined my team as a summer intern!

This year, a few of us are presenting a session on how to do good (for the world) while also improving your tech portfolio. I am really looking forward to this. Working on pet projects provides a safe place to experiment, take risks, fail, try again and learn. Our goal in this session is to help participants understand the importance of this process and to help them select a project that also gives back to society.

This year's GHC is even larger, so I am waiting to simply absorb the enthusiasm and excitement. If I had to pick, however, I would say I am very eager about the poster session. I am always impressed by the kind of interesting problems presented and the elegant solutions that are offered. It fills my stomach with butterflies.

Also, this year, my mother and my cousin are both presenting posters for the very first time. I look forward to cheering them on.

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper and the lead-up to the celebration, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag. Stay tuned for more GWE spotlights here on our blog.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google at Grace Hopper: Google Women Engineer Spotlights

Sarah H — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 19:28:00 +0000

The annual Grace Hopper Celebration is just one week away! Before the festivities officially kick off, we’re shining the spotlight on several Google Women Engineers (GWEs) who have been nominated by Googlers for the great work that they do and the contributions they have made as women in the tech industry.

Today, we’re featuring Sabrina Williams!

Can you share with us your role at Google?
I am what we call a Software Engineer in Test (SET) at Google. The title can be a little misleading - people often think that we focus on writing tests, but that isn’t quite true. We SETs are a specialized version of the typical Software Engineer (SWE); whereas a SWE focuses on creating products for our users, a SET focuses on creating tools, frameworks, and processes that make our engineers more productive. I currently work in the Ads Engineering Productivity group, but I've also been a SET on Google Cloud Print and Google Glass. Some of our focuses include code health, release efficiency, test efficacy, and designing for testability.

What do you enjoy most about being a woman in tech (or at Google specifically!)?
I have been afforded so many opportunities to meet some spectacular women who have had a positive effect on me, both professionally and personally. Just as some have served as a role model for me, I try to be a good role model for others. It is nice to be part of such a positive cycle. For example, I am currently on rotation with the Google-in-Residence program where I am teaching computer science courses at Howard University. Speaking of teaching (shameless plug), you should totally come to my talk next Friday afternoon that I’m giving at Grace Hopper on Test-Driven Development. It’ll be super fun.

What are you looking forward to most at the Grace Hopper Celebration?
Come see us at the Career Fair to find out more about the various types of software engineering roles we have available. It may be a mob scene at the Google booth, but it is my favorite part of the conference because I get to meet a ton of bright, talented women (even some future Googlers!). In fact, that’s one of my favorite things about being at Google.

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper and the lead-up to the celebration, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag! Stay tuned for more GWE spotlights here on our blog!

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google at Grace Hopper 2014

Sarah H — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:19:00 +0000

Google is excited to announce their presence at the upcoming Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, sponsored by the Anita Borg Institute in Phoenix, Arizona on October 8-10, 2014. Google has been attending the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) for over a decade, and we are proud to show our long-standing dedication to this conference by partnering at the highest level as a Visionary Platinum Sponsor. Google has been working with the Anita Borg Institute (ABI) since 2004, and Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President, Knowledge joined the ABI board in 2006 and continues to sit on the ABI Board of Trustees. Google has been recognized as an official ABI partner since 2006.

GHC is the largest gathering of women in tech and their allies, and we plan on showing our support by bringing 450 Googlers in various capacities. Our participants include engineers, who will be leading panels and talks, and People Operations experts who will be answering questions about available roles and processes.

In addition to the events taking place and a constant presence at the career fair, we will also be holding a series of events each evening, including receptions celebrating Black and Latina women in technical roles.

We look forward to celebrating with everyone attending Grace Hopper in Phoenix next week. Please stop by booth 716 to check out the Google self-driving car, test out Cardboard and speak with Googlers who are excited to meet you!

To follow the fun at Grace Hopper and the lead-up to the celebration, check out Google Students on Google+ and Twitter using our #GoogleGHC14 hashtag. Remember to check back here for stories of GWEs (Google Women Engineers) and more about our plans at the conference.

Posted by Sidnie Davis, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Josep Ballester

Sarah H — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:31:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
I have a twin brother.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I initially applied for a Google internship because of my love for Google products. I believed that Google would allow me to work on cool things with exceptional people. When the opportunity to intern came, I took it without a doubt.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I work on the Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) Services team, helping advertisers improve their businesses. My specific project revolves around improving customer satisfaction.

What’s the best part about working with your team?
They are always easy to work with and we've all become good friends.

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I love to travel. It really doesn't matter where. I just like to learn new things and meet new people. I also really like to ski.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
First, the people. Everyone is super kind and helpful. I also like the fact that interns work right alongside full-time employees.

Best overheard conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator
I once had breakfast next to a Googler I didn’t know and we ended up chatting. A few days later, I found out that he’s an important manager.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Throughout my internship, all of the customers I’ve interacted with have given me positive feedback.

Dream Google office to visit?
Headquarters in Mountain View, California.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means always thinking about what you can do to improve things. Be involved in what you like and what you do.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
First of all, apply! Don’t be afraid and also apply as early as possible. Make sure to prepare for the interviews and don’t forget to be yourself!

Best gFit class?
It’s not a class but having a swimming pool in the office is awesome!

What were your biggest concerns when relocating for the position when it comes to accessibility?
The public transportation and housing accommodations in Dublin. You have to be comfortable in order to work well!

If a student with mobility restrictions were reluctant to consider a position at Google, what would you tell them?
That there's no need to worry - Googlers are very helpful. Also, Google’s buildings are the most accessible buildings I have ever been in ... seriously.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Jocelyn Schulz

Sarah H — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 18:25:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
For a few years during my childhood, I would go to the pet store and buy feeder mice just so I could raise them and give them a life that didn’t involve becoming a snake's dinner.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I interned at Google in Mountain View during the summer of 2012 and had a good experience. The next summer, I interviewed again for a Google internship. After having a bad experience during the interview that was out of my control, I decided to cut my losses and declined a second interview. I looked for other opportunities after it didn't work out with Google and ended up receiving a Turing Fellowship for the summer. It allowed me to intern for a startup in NYC and I had a fantastic time. If any advice were to come out of this, it would be to apply for internships as early as possible! Especially if you're applying for a smaller internship program. The earlier you apply, the more hosts are available for you to potentially match with, and the more buffer time is available should something go wrong along the way.

What has been your path to your current internship at Google?
I was briefly introduced to computer science in high school and thought artificial intelligence was really cool. I decided to become a CS major in college, and then applied for my first Google internship as a freshman on a whim. The summer after my sophomore year, I was awarded a Turing Fellowship and matched with an ed-tech startup in NYC called Knewton. I interned at Knewton for the summer and then stayed on as a part-time software engineer during the school year. I really liked working in the city and wanted to get a taste of a slightly different focus, which is where my current internship on the Cloud team at Google comes in.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m working on the Google Cloud Platform, specifically within Developer Projects. My main project this summer was to integrate projects so that users can manage their Cloud Projects right from the command line.

Favorite Doogler?
The beautiful Harlow, even though she breaks my heart by living on the other side of the continent in SF.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager, Dave, is really goofy and easy to talk to, and he always has great input. The rest of my team is on the west coast and Google makes it easy to work remotely, so I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks visiting them. They range from sassy to stoic, but each and every one is so kind, approachable, and beyond intelligent, which are invaluable qualities in a co-worker.

Best gFit class?
That’s really tough. I’ve tried the majority of the ones here in NYC, and I have to say the classes I will miss the most are Kerry Ann King’s wacky, yet brilliant themed boot camps, and Stephen Moore’s invigorating yoga.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
This internship has been my favorite so far because I'm genuinely happy to go to work everyday. There are two perks that contribute to this: 1) I love my team. I went through a few rounds of host-matching before I found one I thought I'd mesh with, and though it was a bit nerve-wrecking, it made all the difference in my desire to go work each day. 2) The fitness classes are way too good. It's great to be able to spend an hour a day just clearing my head and then conveniently go right back to work.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I was able to complete my project about a month early and release it to Google users to test. Getting positive feedback and questions about it from other Googlers I didn't even know was such a good feeling, since it affirmed that my work actually mattered and helped people. I'm excited for it to be publicly available.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
The NYC kick-off summer intern event was a boat cruise. But we were actually on a dock. There was a small boat tied off, but we weren't allowed on it!

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To me it simply means being a good person and having a desire to make users' lives easier.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Practice your technical interview skills! If you know your stuff and can express that eloquently, you'll kill it.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

The Chromebook Lending Library is coming to campus

Sarah H — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:02:00 +0000

Chromebooks are college-bound this fall. Introducing the Chromebook Lending Library.

The Chromebook Lending Library is traveling to 12 college campuses across the U.S. loaded with the latest Chromebooks. The Lending Library is a bit like your traditional library, but instead of books, we're letting students borrow Chromebooks (no library card needed). Students can use a Chromebook during the week for life on campus— whether it’s in class, during an all-nighter, or browsing the internet in their dorm.

Chromebooks are a new type of computer that helps students get things done faster and easier. They have the battery life you need to study all night and are light enough to slip easily into a bag or backpack. With Google Maps, Drive, and Gmail, important information is stored in the cloud, so students no longer need to worry about losing documents, pics, music, and more. The days of losing a paper are over!

We hope you can swing by the Chromebook Lending Library for a little study break this fall. Check out chromebook.com/forcollege for all the details and spread the word with #ChromebookforCollege. And if the tour isn’t hitting your campus this fall, you can follow along on Twitter and Google+.

Posted by Lindsay Rumer, Chrome Marketing

(Cross-posted on the Google Education Blog.)

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Alice Chang

Sarah H — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 19:56:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
In the fifth grade, I won a pie on Pi Day for reciting one hundred digits of Pi.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
The Summer Trainee Engineering Program (STEP) internship in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) was a great option for me, as it’s targeted at underclassmen seeking industry exposure to tech. Working in Zurich has been an invaluable learning experience - it’s shown me just how much international collaboration goes into so many of my favorite Google products. Not to mention, the “Zoogle” office itself is just plain crazy and fun.

For such a large, multinational corporation, I’ve found that Google does a surprisingly good job at retaining a startup-like culture. Googlers are constantly working on new and innovative projects (Google Fiber! Project Loon!), and they’re encouraged to pursue ideas that are different and wacky because you never know what might lead to something awesome. Moreover, I’m incredibly appreciative of the fact that Google is spearheading the diversity in tech movement through initiatives, such as Made with Code.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m working with YouTube MDx (Multi-Device Experience) here at Google. We strive to make the YouTube viewing experience available across a variety of device platforms. For my project, I am making the multi-user experience on YouTube TV more engaging and social by delivering specific forms of visual feedback in response to user actions.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager, Johnny, is super friendly and supportive. He had a fairly hands-on mentality toward this internship so I didn’t spend excessive amounts of time studying codelabs, but instead was able to pick up the skills I needed by jumping straight into my project. At the same time, he’s a treasure trove of knowledge and is always only a ping away. The level of autonomy and creative flexibility I’ve been given has been highly empowering. I constantly feel like my voice and vision are heard at design meetings and one-on-ones.

On Friday afternoons, right before TGIF, my team always has “video time.” Basically, this involves streaming funny cat videos and movie trailers on the big TV screen in the office. Granted, the unofficial Google motto is “Dogs are cool, cats are evil,” but something about being a YouTuber seems to make one partial to felines...

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’m really passionate about CS initiatives. At school, I’m currently working with a team to start a UChicago chapter of FEMMES (Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering and Science), which is a Duke-founded program that encourages elementary school girls to engage in STEM. At UChicago, we’re launching FEMMES with the specific mission to target the CS gender gap. We’re currently gearing up for a student-led day-of-coding event for next spring, where we’ll introduce girls from local low-income schools to CS through hands-on activities and mentorship.

Additionally, I’m involved with an entrepreneurship and innovation group called EnvisionDo. Earlier this year, we brought in Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian to speak to the student body about Internet entrepreneurship. Aside from that, you can find me spiriting for our Maroons on the UC Cheer Team!

Best intern event you’ve attended?
The Intern Pub Quiz was great. It took place during the intern summit, when a ton of tech interns from all over EMEA came to Zurich to meet and mingle. We competed in a bunch of kooky categories - what’s that close-up, name that sound, etc. - for three hours! Everyone was yelling and laughing and jumping around by the end. And best of all, my team won! The prize? A swanky Google swag bag ... and eternal glory, of course.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
I love how laid-back the culture is. At the end of the day, we’re all here for the same reasons: to deliver a great product and make some real change. Like I said, there’s definitely a startup-y feel to Google, yet the systems are incredibly structured and precise, and they teach you a lot about working in a massive codebase. Furthermore, Googlers are really friendly and open to questions. I learn something new every day!

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Participating in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) has been a huge source of enrichment. Ever since coming to Google, I’ve been fairly involved with GWE (Google Women Engineers). Last month, I was even given the opportunity to moderate a panel at the first-ever Zurich women’s summit! It was incredibly empowering to be in a room full of such ambitious, accomplished women. GWE at Zurich have a go-getter “If you can dream it, you can do it” attitude in terms of pitching and planning events, so currently, I’m working on implementing a female mentoring program for Nooglers. It’s crazy to see how much responsibility you’re allowed to take on as an intern. I love that we have the opportunity to make a real, tangible impact.

Best meal at Google so far?
The feta “salad” that started randomly appearing one day was pretty darn incredible. It was basically enormous blocks of feta cheese mixed in with the occasional olive.

Dream Google office to visit?
Krakow. I hear the bathrooms have hot tubs!

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means embracing the spirit of innovation. It means always questioning existing methods and ways of doing things in order to arrive at a brand-new, creative solution. It means keeping an open mind to new ideas and opinions, even when they differ from your own.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Just be yourself. Google celebrates differences, so take whatever makes you special and run with it. Don’t feel like you have to fit into a standardized template for tech. That being said, one concrete piece of advice is to prepare yourself mentally for the interviews. Coding on a whiteboard or over the phone requires a slightly different mentality, so give yourself the best chances possible by doing a few mock interviews in a realistic setting before the real deal.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Christian De Angelis

Sarah H — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 19:44:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
I once started a Facebook post that ended up with 100,000 comments! It went on for several months until the group moderators eventually deleted it.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
In 2011 I was part of the Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in Mountain View. We were taught the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, Javascript and App Engine. The experience was amazing and I made tons of lasting friends. Since then, I made a goal for myself that I would do my hardest to try and land an internship position before I finished my undergrad program.

What has been your path to your current internship at Google?
I applied for a Software Engineering Intern position twice before, and was rejected both times. I personally think it was due to my shaky technical knowledge at the time. I was trying to understand the basics of multiple programming languages without ever focusing on a specific language to attain a deeper understanding of it. It's good to get really in-depth knowledge of at least one language. I also had a couple of personal projects under my belt when I applied the third time, which better demonstrated my strengths to interviewers and recruiters.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
Throughout the summer, I have been working with the Google+ Platform team on Google Play Services. I had the opportunity to work on improving Application Programming Interfaces (API) for developers so that they could write more integrated and immersive apps. I also had the opportunity to work on Material design, a new look that’s up and coming in Android L.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
The best part about working on my team is the scope of my efforts. Working on Google Play Services means my efforts and work will end up on almost all Android phones around the world. Just knowing that my work over the summer will eventually be on over a billion devices worldwide is truly awesome, and it makes me feel like I’m really making a difference while interning at Google.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The heated toilet seats – seriously!

Best meal at Google so far?
There’s a great sandwich shop on the main campus that gives you a checklist, and you check off which items you want on your sandwich. From things like lettuce and bacon to sriracha sauce and olive oil, the talented chefs create tons of great, tasty sandwiches right in front of you!

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I was really excited that I got the chance to work on Material design. I watched it at Google I/O and thought it looked absolutely amazing. Personally, I’m not a designer. But I always give the user experience top priority when I’m working on my own personal projects. While working on Material, I was able to communicate with the design team and gain valuable insight into Google’s design strategy.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
Every summer, all of the Google interns in the Bay Area get together one night for a boat cruise out in the San Francisco Bay. It’s a great night to meet tons of other interns from similar schools and far away countries, working in teams you may not have even known existed. And of course – free food!

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To me, being Googley means being social and being yourself. There are so many smart people you can meet at Google by just being outgoing and social, and you can easily make a ton of long-lasting friends (especially with other interns!) by just being yourself. Being Googley makes you feel like you’re part of a bigger community outside of the intern class, making a difference in people’s lives and having a great deal of fun while doing so.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
While school and education is very important, grades aren’t everything. Having a large set of personal projects you’ve worked on makes you stand out from the rest, and it helps recruiters, potential hosts, and even yourself find out what your interests and strengths are. These sorts of projects stand out more on your resume and can give you a competitive edge for a coveted internship position. Personally, I have a couple of apps available on Google Play, and these gave me opportunities for discussion during the internship host matching process.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Meet the 2014 Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholars

Sarah H — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 15:02:00 +0000

With 2015 scholarship applications opening soon, our Google Scholarships team would like to introduce this year’s Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholars and share some of the positive impact they are making in their communities.

It all started when Dr. Anita Borg attended a technology conference and noticed the small number of women present. After talking with these women, Dr. Borg formed an online community called Systers to help technical women connect with one another. Later, she started the Institute for Women and Technology (now The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology) and co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. For the next X years, Dr. Borg became one of the biggest advocates to dismantle the barriers that keep women and minorities from entering the computing and technology fields.

When Google made the diversity of our workforce public this summer, we did it because we believe that the people creating our products and services should be a reflection of the people around the world who use them. That’s also why 10 years ago, we established the Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship, awarding scholarships to women who share Dr. Borg’s passion for technology.

Today we’re congratulating the 78 recipients (PDF) of our 2014 Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. They join a host of past scholars, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in academia and industry. For example, Floraine Berthouzoz, a 2010 Scholar, co-founded a nonprofit organization called CS KickStart that encourages incoming undergraduate women entering UC Berkeley to pursue computer science through programming labs, exciting presentations, and field trips. Together with restructuring the intro to computer science class at Berkeley, CS KickStart has increased the percentage of women in the Letters & Sciences CS program from 11 percent in 2010 to 21 percent in 2013.

As our scholars continue to pursue their technical careers, they join a community of women who will continue Anita Borg’s important work to promote and support women in computer science. As part of their scholarship (and in addition to receiving a monetary award), all of our Anita Borg scholars participated in one of the annual Google Scholars’ Retreat at Google in Mountain View, Calif. or Zurich. There, they attended tech talks, networked with other scholars and Googlers, participated in developmental activities and sessions, and brainstormed ways to further promote STEM in their communities. Stay tuned to the Google Student Blog over the course of the academic year to catch up on what these incredible women accomplish over the year.

We will be launching applications for all 2015 university scholarships soon, so look out on the Google Students +Page for the announcement! For more information on all our scholarships, visit the Google Scholarships site.

2014 Anita Borg Scholars’ at the North America Scholars’ Retreat

Posted by Sarah Safir, Student Development Programs

Getting to know a Ph.D

Sarah H — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 20:51:00 +0000

Google offers a variety of opportunities for PhD students who wish to gain industry experience. Through our Getting to Know a PhD series, we’ll provide a glimpse into some of these opportunities as well as the impactful projects PhD students at Google work on.

Today we’re featuring Arnar Birgisson, a former Google European Doctoral Fellowship Recipient who interned on the Security research team.

So Arnar, tell us about yourself and your PhD topic ...
I originally come from Iceland, where I received my BSc in Mathematics with a lot of CS on the side. During that time I became very interested in the formal study of programming languages. I worked as a programmer for a couple of years and then went back to school to do a Masters in CS with a strong research focus on programming languages. During that time, I got introduced to security by Úlfar Erlingsson (at that time an Associate Professor at Reykjavík University). Security is a great area since it is so driven by reality and at the same time can benefit from formal approaches.

For my PhD, I moved to Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. My advisor, Andrei Sabelfeld, runs a group there that had the perfect mix for me: applying programming language theory, such as language design, static analysis, type systems, and dynamic execution monitoring to enforce security policies. In particular we work with information-flow control policies and enforcement. Such policies assert that programs do not leak sensitive information to public outputs. One of the things we did was to apply this to dynamic languages, JavaScript in particular. Such languages are very flexible, so analyzing them precisely can get tricky, especially when the rich semantics of the browser environment are included in the mix. Enforcement of such policies allows one to write programs that safely mix code and data from several sources, e.g. ensuring privacy-sensitive information from one source doesn’t leak to another.

Why did you apply for an internship at Google?
It was a good choice for many different reasons. Being an intern gives you the opportunity to combine research and engineering in a very useful way. An internship is also great because you work with more people and broaden your horizon, which is something I think is tremendously valuable for a PhD student. It helps relieve the huge uncertainty of “What now?” when you finish, but also opens up a lot of opportunities.

What was your internship focused on?
My internship with Úlfar’s group was focused on research. Together with my mentor Mark Lentczner and other members of the group, we developed a framework for flexible authorization tokens, a sort of better cookies, hence their name: Macaroons. These tokens fit well to the common operation of sharing things online. On the web, you rarely share data - you share the authorization to view it. Our tokens allow exactly this, in a manner that requires less pre-existing relationships between the services involved than current frameworks do.

Did you publish at Google/during your internship?
Yes, my internship work resulted in a publication in the 2014 Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium. This work was a collaboration of many people, but I have high hopes that it will be one of the more impactful publications from my time as a PhD student. It’s exciting that we start hearing from people who see its potential. Google and my supervisors are very supportive of letting me publish when opportunities arise. A difference to academia is that at Google publications happen after the systems are built and deployed. That alone provides significantly stronger evidence than prototypes.

How closely connected was the work you did during your internship to your PhD topic?
My internship project was somewhat of a diversion from my main topic, but I still included it as a chapter in my thesis. It doesn’t deal with information flow, and is more about protocol design than programming language analysis. This was fine since the PhD program at Chalmers covers five years (after the MSc) and thus leaves enough leeway to explore related topics. This was one of the reasons I chose to go to Chalmers in the first place: I wanted to have time for internships.

What is working on the Google Infrastructure Security team like?
That’s a very open question. In short: it’s great! The team is a perfect mix of people with different backgrounds, whether they are academics, software engineering rockstars or senior people that know the ins and outs of everything at Google. It takes some time to learn what the expertise of everyone is, but once you know, there is always someone to ask or bounce ideas off, no matter what the challenge is.

Did you enjoy coding during your internship?
Yes, I did. Real coding was one of the things I missed when working in academia. We prove concepts and prototype, but building or integrating with a proper system involves much more engineering. The internship was a great way of seeing a bit more of this. I also learned from the way things are done in a big company which is all about software engineering.

Tell us a little bit more about being a Google Doctoral Fellowship recipient in Computer Security.
Besides the funding, the fellowship is a valuable vehicle to collaborate with Google. During the fellowship you are assigned a Google mentor who is close to your field of research, understands it and gives you feedback. You also get support from the University Relations team which helps you to find the right internship if you qualify.

What key skills have you gained during your internship?
I think self-management, how to set goals and working out how to deliver them. At Google, you need to set your own goals, in particular for the engineering parts of your project. I did not fully realize this when I started my internship. That ended up costing some time, but it was a valuable lesson.

What impact has this internship experience had on your PhD?
My internship with Google was my second internship during my PhD. Both of them provided me with an opportunity to change gears and the environment I worked in. I think the experience was good because working on a PhD can be daunting, in particular when you need to come up with new ideas. Seeing and participating in a wider range of research is a great way to boost your productivity.

Has this internship experience impacted the way you think about your future career?
Definitely. After my PhD I had to answer the same question everyone has to: What do I want to do now? The internship provided a huge insight into how someone trained as a researcher works in a company. Without that experience my view would have been very different. As a PhD student you ask dozens of people about their experiences as post graduates and everyone will have a different perspective. At the same time, most people you interact with are in academia - whether they are other PhD students, postdocs or faculty - and it is hard to gauge just how different (or similar) the “other side” is. An internship is the perfect way to find out.

You just recently started your job as a Software Engineer New Grad on the Infrastructure Security team - What are you working on now?
My current job is more on the engineering side and I’m very happy that it’s still fairly “researchy”. My team develops technical solutions for anything that has to do with how we authenticate both Googlers and our users. Some of this work is very forward-thinking, so it’s exciting to be a part of it. Now I’m part of an effort to bring support for Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) to our products. U2F is a new (in-progress) open standard (see fidoalliance.org) for devices that provide a cryptographic signature, used in addition to a password to identify a user. Technically, it’s similar to a chip-and-pin system, which web-pages can interact with directly without the need for custom drivers or card-readers. It provides strong authentication that is resistant against many classes of attacks, while the core design is also focused on user privacy.

Looking back on your experiences now: Why should a PhD student apply for an internship at Google? Any advice to offer?
To broaden your horizons. Even if you have the best advisor in the world or if you are working with the leading research group in your field, there is so much to gain from trying different environments. An internship costs you very little compared to what you have to gain from it. Applying costs even less (you can always say no if you don’t find the right project).

As for advice: Just do it! And when you do get there, set yourself clear goals and take the initiative to reach them.

For more information on our research areas, award programs, people and publications, please visit Research at Google. To learn more about other internships, outreach programs and scholarships, check out our Student Careers Site. In addition, we invite you to follow Google Students on Google+ to keep up with our 'Getting to Know a PhD' and 'Intern Insights' series.

Posted by Beate List, Research Programs, EMEA

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Yatin Vadhia

Sarah H — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 20:16:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
When I was 10 years old, I was involved in a minor car accident on the way back from a tour of a beer factory on Christmas Day in India. Luckily, no one was injured.

What inspired you to apply for this internship and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I have always followed Google in the press quite closely and I've always felt that I would love working here. It was just a matter of finding the right opportunity! I saw the internship application window open and spent a great deal of time making sure that my CV was up to scratch. After I sent off my application, I nervously waited to hear back, but obviously it all paid off!

More fundamentally, I believe Google is at the forefront of technology and tackles difficult and unanswered questions. Instead of asking "why," Google often asks "why not?"

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I am working within Product Quality Operations, which fights spam and abuse across Google products. The team I work on ensures that there is consistent policy enforcement on each product. As many of our products can be used in different ways, it is important that all cases are dealt with fairly and that users are treated equally.

Another area I work on deals with User Escalations for Account Suspensions. When accounts are deemed suspicious and/or abusive, it is important that analysts use the correct information available to them to come to the right decision as to which action is taken against them.

Sometimes, users will contact Google to explain what happened in order to get their account unsuspended. We make sure that these are dealt with urgently and explain why action was taken.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
They are super cool. My manager is always ready to give me advice and feedback and the rest of my team are really enthusiastic! We all really enjoy what we do and I think that helps a great deal. I’ve always believed that you have to enjoy what you do in order to be happy at work.

Team lunches are regular and the diversity of my team (in terms of home country) is very impressive, too.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The massage chairs and sleep pods are fantastic. There is also a well-being centre, which has a dentist and a general practitioner! The Nerf Guns are the icing on the cake.

I would say the little things matter too. It took me about 3 weeks to realise that I took my shoes off (don’t worry, I kept my socks on) while at my desk because it was comfortable. I’m not the only one who does that, too!

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Being able to work on products and services that affect over a billion people. There are moments when a query is run over mind-boggling amounts of information, but thanks to the amazing infrastructure we have here at Google, it can take just a matter of minutes.

Best meal at Google so far?
Cajun chicken fillets with waffles for dessert. I may have gone back for seconds ...

Best overheard conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator
A discussion involving the merits of pre-peeled bananas, for people that are too lazy to peel bananas themselves.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
It’s not really an event, but I am a fan of Game of Thrones and I organised a trip with some interns and Googlers to go across the border to Northern Ireland and see where the majority of the show was filmed. We all had a great time and even met (cardboard) Tyrion and Arya!

Also, I recently took part in the Google Dublin Ice Bucket challenge.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being yourself.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Always say yes. Attend meetings and get involved with as much as you can. As an intern you have more leeway--you can ask questions that you probably couldn't get away with if you were full-time. People understand that you are still learning.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Gaelen LeMelle-Brown

Sarah H — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 15:44:00 +0000

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I heard about the cool things Google does to help small/medium businesses maintain a marketing edge during an information session on my college’s campus and I wanted to see how I could get involved.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
As a BOLD intern on the SMB Sales team, I help small/medium business owners’ in their online marketing efforts. During my internship, I have contacted around 200 clients by phone or e-mail to discuss their marketing goals and develop a stronger grasp on how to help them. These goals are usually related to promoting brand awareness or finding a way to convert clicks on an ad to an actual valuable transaction.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
The SMB Sales team is full of hilarious characters who keep the workplace fun and upbeat. While we know there is work to be done, we definitely keep it as Googley as possible. My manager, in particular, is definitely one of the most animated. She rallies the interns by performing song parodies about Google Adwords at our weekly team meetings.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
Every other week, interns from every office have a chance to video conference with top Google executives. They talk about their career paths, experiences with Google, and the future of the organization. I’ve never heard of any other internship program with this kind of opportunity and I think it’s definitely beneficial to interns’ professional development.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I worked with one client who told me that before I called him, he was considering closing his business due to low foot traffic. I was able to create a marketing strategy to increase the amount of people interested in his services and I am happy to report it looks like his business is doing better than ever! It definitely was rewarding to see our hard work pay off.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means taking a unique approach to solving problems each and every time you are presented with a new one. It’s refusing to accept limitations and always asking, “Why not?”

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
While professional experience is definitely important, make sure to let your personality shine through in your resumé and in your interview. Google is full of extraordinary people who do fun and amazing things. Recruiters want to hear about the amazing things that you are interested in as well!

Best meal at Google so far?
The Battle Creek Cafe did “Thanksgiving in July” a couple weeks ago. We had turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a bunch of other Thanksgiving foods. It’s my favorite holiday so you could say I was a little excited.

Dream Google office to visit?
I really want to visit Sao Paolo or Dublin. Those offices also have a strong SMB presence and I would love to hear about what they do differently in terms of Adwords.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
The interns all got together to play whirlyball the other weekend. It’s a favorite pastime in the Midwest that basically mixes basketball and lacrosse while driving a go-kart. We all looked ridiculous and it was a ton of fun.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs

8 Kinds of food you’ll find at Google

Sarah H — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 19:01:00 +0000

1. Things aren’t always what they seem … Just like Pittsburgh surprises as a booming tech city, the food in the office surprises as well. Mashed potato cupcakes and fried egg lemon bars were served on April Fool’s Day at Google Pittsburgh--just one of many April Fool’s pranks played across all of the Google offices.

Jess Daluz, Google Pittsburgh

2. Touchdown. Every Googler has hometown pride. To celebrate the Seattle Seahawks’ big Super Bowl win, breakfast the next day at Google Seattle consisted of Gatorade, Skittles (Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch’s signature snack), and cold pizza. Though it strayed from the balanced breakfast interns have become accustomed to at Google, it was a fun twist meant to honor the hometown champs!

Rachael Johns, Google Seattle

3. Play Ball. When interns can’t get to the ball game on opening day, Google brings the ballpark to them. Well, the food at least. To celebrate the Colorado Rockies' opening day, Google Boulder served up all stadium food, including cotton candy and pretzels. It may have left the Boulder interns a little sluggish in the afternoon, but that’s nothing a Red Bull from the mini-kitchen can’t fix. Go Rockies!

Caitlin Merrell, Google Boulder

4. Bacon and Beer. Every Googler loves a healthy competition. And while this bacon and beer competition wasn’t exactly heart-healthy, it sure was delicious. On the day of the USA vs. Canada Olympic Men’s Hockey game in February, Google Cambridge served up Canadian bacon and beer versus American bacon and beer

Mike Bufano, Google NYC

5. Welcome to Google Kitchen Stadium! For one day, the Googleplex in Mountain View transformed into the Kitchen Stadium with students from Stanford University participating in an Iron Chef competition. The secret ingredient? Collaboration, of course!

Kat Leung, Google Mountain View

6. Giant Strawberries. In true Google form, interns can always find a nutritious snack nearby. These super sized strawberries are just one example of the many ways we help keep Googlers and interns happy and healthy. What can we say? We’re always striving for bigger and better at Google, even when it comes to fruit!

Kat Leung, Google Mountain View

7. Guest Chefs of NYC. New York is known for a lot of things, and excellent food is definitely one of them. With so many well-known chefs visiting the office, New York interns experience all kinds of delicious, decadent food. Just one more perk that attracts Googlers to the Big Apple!

Mike Bufano, Google NYC

8. Secret Lunch Spots. You never know what you might find when exploring the Mountain View Googleplex at lunch time. News of this “pop-up” style hallway cafe only gets around by word of mouth. Small eateries from San Francisco are invited to Google to serve up some of the best food in the Bay Area, and on any given day you can choose from a selection of foods from all over the world! But shhhh, it’s a secret …

Andrew Pierson, Google Mountain View

Posted by Andrew Pierson and Maggie Hohlfeld, Intern and University Programs

The results are in for the 2014 Google Online Marketing Challenge

Sarah H — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 14:19:00 +0000

Back in February, Google gave hundreds of student teams across the world an AdWords online advertising budget of US$250 and three weeks to help a local business improve their marketing campaign in the seventh annual Google Online Marketing Challenge. Over 14,000 students from more than 80 countries and territories participated in this year’s Challenge and the results are in!

I. AdWords Business Awards

The AdWords Business Awards recognize the GOMC teams that made an outstanding difference to their business partners via superb online marketing campaigns.

Global Winner

The Global Winning team comes from the Warsaw School of Economics in Poland, under Professor Tymoteusz Doligalski. The team of Mateusz Rydlewski, Przemek Dmochowski, Agnieszka Żdanuk, Marek Janisiewicz, and Paweł Zawadzki worked with Legia Warszawa, one of the oldest and most titled Polish soccer clubs.

Regional Winners

The Asia & Pacific Winner comes from The University of the Philippines, under Professor James Ryan Jonas in the Philippines. The team of Julian Anton Adia Yao, Allen Thomas B. Calica, Hillary Corinne L. Joven, Jadiene Shani Y. Teng, and Christelle C. Lao worked with KPub BBQ, located in Bonifacio Global City, a Korean barbeque restaurant and pub, specializing in a meat all you can eat buffet.

The Americas Winner comes from Fanshawe College in Canada, under Professor Liz Gray. The team of Luis Guerrero, Benjamin Cartmell, Jihoon Han, Vit Sochor, and Nikola Ledwonova worked with Novack's Uniform Solutions, a company that distributes high-performance, specialized professional uniform apparel.

The Europe Winner comes from the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt in Germany, under Professor Mario Fischer. The team of Lennart Geerdes, Konrad Hagelstein, Stephanie Beck, Hendrik Schöpe, and Florian Uhlirsch worked with Aquahandel.de, an online shop specializing in Ornamental fish for aquariums and garden ponds.

The Middle East & Africa Winner comes from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria, under Professor Arulogun Oladiran Tayo. The team of Adedoyin Jelil Opeyemi, Akadiri Olawale Olugboyega, Adesina Jamiu Olawale, Olayanju Abiodun Ibraheem, Salami Ismail Tunde, and Adeosun Oluwole Titus worked with Automedics limited, an automobile maintenance workshop offering free advisory car care tips.

II. Google+ Social Media Marketing Awards

For the third year, we’re happy to present the winners of the Social Media Award, awarded to the GOMC team that runs the best Google+ page for their company or organization.

Global Winner

This year's Global Winner comes from Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania under Professor Elena Vitkauskaite. The team of Aivaras Juška, Povilas Mastauskas, Monika Ambrazevičiūtė, Rūta Žemaitytė, and Justina Mizeraitė worked with Miegantys Drambliai, a company offering rock climbing classes and services.

Regional Winners

The Americas Winner comes from Fanshawe College in Canada, under Professor Liz Gray. The team of Luis Guerrero, Benjamin Cartmell, Jihoon Han, Vit Sochor, and Nikola Ledwonova worked with Novack's Uniform Solutions, a company that distributes high-performance, specialized professional uniform apparel.

The Europe Winner comes from Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania, under Professor Elena Vitkauskaite. The team of Ieva Ulytė, Lina Kižytė, Julius Valantiejus, Povilas Gimžauskas, and Šarūne Zinkevičiutė worked with Woxx Barbers- Vilnius, a traditional barbershop providing mens haircuts, and beard and mustache styling services.

The Asia & Pacific Winner comes from Indian Institute of Management Indore in India, under Professor Srinivas Gunta. The team of M Nitin Teja Reddy, Yukti Arora, Krishna GS Chirraavuru, Anne Mary Sebastian, and Santhanam Balaji worked with afkar.me by Intigral, a 4 month incubation program to help start-ups create a digital product in MENA region.

The Americas Winner comes from Pennsylvania State University in the United States, under Professor Jim Jansen. The team of Elizabeth Sheaffer, Stephen Sheaffer, Erica Brinker, and Eric Pitts worked with Centre County PAWS, offering dog and cat shelter and adoption services.

Unfortunately, this year none of the Social Media Marketing campaigns submitted by teams from Middle East & Africa made to the final, therefore the Academic Panel has selected an additional Regional Winner from one of the other three regions.

III. AdWords Social Impact Awards

The Social Impact Awards recognize the GOMC teams that made an outstanding difference to their non-profit partners via superb online marketing campaigns.

1st Place is awarded to Hanna K Macdonald, Amanda Tadgell, and Kaitlyn Krause, who were taught by Professor Liz Gray at Fanshawe College in Canada. The team partnered with Museum London, the leading establishment for the collection and presentation of visual art and material culture.

2nd Place goes to Shu Su, Neha Kejriwal, Benjamin Smith, and Sarah Burge, who were taught by Professor Steven Koch at The University of Houston in The United States. The team partnered with the Houston Grand Opera, which provides live opera performances that are relevant and financially accessible to the public.

3rd Place is awarded to Randall Miller, Saket Maheswari, Charles Shelton, and Varuniya Pushparajan, who were taught by Professor Steven Koch at The University of Houston in The United States. The team partnered with the Space Center Houston, a place where people can experience space; its history, present and future.

2014 Team Results have been posted to GOMC Past Challenges.

Congratulations to all 2014 Winners and a big thank you to all teams that participated in this year's Challenge.

To learn more about the Google Online Marketing Challenge and to pre-register for next year’s Challenge, please watch the GOMC video and visit our website: www.google.com/onlinechallenge

Posted by Claire Lloyd & McKelle Holyoak, Global Business

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Maria Langat

Sarah H — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 15:10:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
I once petted a cheetah and fed a giraffe.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
Google products have changed the way the world works and I wanted to be a part of that. Eleven years ago, I googled “USA University” from a 10 cent-per-minute cyber-cafe in Nairobi, Kenya. That led me to applying to Yale, coming to the US and completely changing my life.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m working in Google Apps as a Product Manager Intern. My job this summer is to figure out how developers can build great apps that integrate with Google. As a former Software Engineer, it’s exciting to be on the other side of the table and have the freedom to craft a product vision.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager Ronald has really great product insights and truly cares about how to make user experiences better. I’ve found the same to be true about the rest of my team as well. Everyone’s also really open and excited about helping the interns!

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
My favorite part is learning about Googlers and their amazing lives. I’ve chatted with one Engineering Director who started, developed and sold her start-up while raising an infant. Another PM and his team ran with a 20% project and came up with Google Cardboard in six weeks. I’m surrounded by truly remarkable people.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I’m excited to have biked to work almost every day using Google’s free intern bike program. I haven’t done that since I was a kid. I’m also looking forward to sharing my summer presentation with my team.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means being smart, humble and a big dreamer.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Talk to as many Googlers as you can find!

Best meal at Google so far?
I’ve had delicious Indian food at Baadal, Google’s sit-down restaurant, with some other PM interns and Ken Norton, a former PM and partner at Google Ventures. The chai (milk tea) was amazing!

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’m interested in social innovation, and I’ve co-invented a new type of splint for burn survivors in Nepal.

Best overheard conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator
If you don’t get here by 9am, forget about it. The Dang [toasted coconut chips] are gone!

What is something that you’ve learned thus far about working on a team and/or in a professional environment?
Meetings are more fun when you get from the fourth floor to the third in a giant tube slide!

Posted by Shawn Dye, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Michael Valdez

Sarah H — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:42:00 +0000

Michael at BOLD Immersion 2012

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m working with Product Quality Operations (PQO). That’s a long way of saying that we help protect Google products from spam and hacking.

Personally, I’ve been working on a document for PQO analysts that answers common questions on what to do when handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Google takes its users’ data very seriously, and as such, many analysts are limited in what data they can draw regarding suspicious accounts. It’s been my job to interview analysts and find out the issues and questions that they have, and then consult with the Privacy Working Group to make sure they are given comprehensive answers.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
The best part about working with my manager is that she’s always ready to give me advice and feedback about how I can do better and grow as an employee and as a person. Whenever I go into my one-on-one meetings with her, I’ll typically ask for feedback and try to find ways to make my workflow more efficient and effective for the team. She’s provided words of wisdom on many different subjects at Google, from how to make a slide deck look great to handling tough questions during a presentation.

So far this summer, my team has been a great resource for mentorship in different areas of Google. They’ve advised me on interesting things to do at the company (such as professional development and enhancement courses), and I always enjoy eating lunch with them.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
I love the diversity of career options. I’ve been in contact with many employees here over the past two summers, and what I’ve learned more than anything else is that people at Google aren’t afraid to try something different. Whether it’s taking on a side project you don’t know much about or making a career change and shifting to another team, another department or another part of the globe, Googlers overwhelmingly seem to jump in feet first and are eager to learn and grow in new areas.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
My favorite project to work on so far this summer is actually quite different from my main project. Basically, I saw that a budget dashboard was in disrepair and asked my manager if I could work on it. With her support, I proceeded to work steadily on the dashboard and I hope to have it fully functional before I leave this summer.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Googleyness is the optimism and innovative spirit to take any problem in the world and break it down in such a way that it becomes solvable. The people here are both brilliant and driven, and that’s why Google is able to tackle such giant challenges as a company. Someone who is Googley is great with collaborating with others in pursuit of solutions to complex issues.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Just be yourself. There are tons of books you can read on interviews and advice on forums about essay writing, resume building and marketing yourself, but at the end of the day, nothing beats being honest with a recruiter about who you are and where you want to go.

Dream Google office to visit?
Sydney. Because of the beaches. And the opera houses!

Best meal at Google so far?
Cafe Moma’s legendary Applewood Smoked Bacon on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Seriously, I don’t even work in that building and I still make it a point to visit Cafe Moma twice a week.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
This one actually took place last year. Google interns were invited to the premier of The Internship at Kabuki Theatre and afterwards Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn showed up. It was epic!

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

8 Unexpected things about being a Google Intern

Sarah H — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 15:02:00 +0000

1. Interns work on real projects.

Interns work on high level, cutting edge projects--no photocopying for hours or retrieving coffee here! Our interns work on everything from Chrome OS, Google Docs, Google [x], and YouTube. A lot of interns who come back to work in full time roles at Google are surprised to see that the code they created as interns still exists and is being put to use.

2. So much food.

It’s true--interns, along with all other Googlers, receive free meals and snacks every day. That’s right, free breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Our café staff even has to double the amount of food during the summer months to accommodate our growing population of interns. There are around 1.2 million meals served per year worldwide!

3. The conference bikes.

We celebrate collaboration more than anything at Google--even when it comes to pedaling a bike! Interns get a chance to work with their teammates by participating in groups, team outings, and conference bike meetings! Every person on the conference bike has to contribute to making the bike move, so there is no way to sit quietly through this meeting.

4. Awesome guest speakers.

This summer Google NY had the cast of Marvel’s latest movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, swing by for a Q&A! Not to mention our past visitors, such as Arianna Huffington, Noam Chomsky, Stephen Colbert, and the Parks and Recreation cast. There’s always someone fascinating visiting Google!

5. Dooglers.

Google offices are dog-friendly so you’ll see quite a few canines running around the office. The London office even has a Wall of Fame for a few of the “Dooglers” who visit the office regularly.

6. Dodging Scooters in the office is a daily occurrence.

Our New York office spans an entire city block, which means getting from one meeting to the next can be a little tricky. Hence the scooters! Interns learn quickly how to balance their laptops while scootering around the office.

7. Access to amazing co-workers.

From the head of Search, Amit Singhal, to the head of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, to Peter Norvig, co-author of “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach,” Google is full of exceptionally smart people from all over the world and from a number of different universities and backgrounds. One of the most valuable aspects of the Google internship is access to these amazing Googlers.

8. You’re too embarrassed to tell your fellow Googlers how many times you’ve gotten lost in the office.

The Google headquarters in Mountain View, California spans over 3.5 million square feet of office space! There are well over 25 different cafeterias, more than 100 micro-kitchens, and seven fitness centers.

Just in case interns get lost, there are a number of landmarks that make the campus unique. You never thought you would give someone directions by saying “turn right at Stan the T-Rex!”

Posted by Isabel Baylor and Maggie Hohlfeld, Intern and University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Ryan Drapeau

Sarah H — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:23:00 +0000

From Google Glass to Project Loon, Adwords to Docs, our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects. Interns also work across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the summer!

Meet Ryan Drapeau, a rising junior at the University of Washington, majoring in Computer Science. Ryan is a Software Engineering Intern this summer at the Google Headquarters in Mountain View. Outside of his school work, Ryan is an avid photographer and loves experimenting with the different technical aspects of photography (his current obsession is welding glass photography). Originally from Los Angeles, he also enjoys hiking and exploring amazing sites, with his camera in-tow, of course!

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
In high school, I ate sushi for 8 consecutive days (sometimes more than once per day). Concerned for my health, my parents confiscated my wallet to keep me from buying more, unfortunately putting an end to the streak.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
Google’s mission is to not only improve technology for those who already have it, but to also bring access to those who don’t. When designing a product, it can be easy to limit our scope to our own experiences, but at Google, it is essential to design around the user. Projects like Android One and Loon are bringing access to the world’s information and knowledge to the ~5 billion people around the world without Internet. Innovation does not come from mere 10% improvements - solutions that offer a 10x improvement push the industry and the world forward. This attitude and moonshot thinking is what attracted me to Google.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I work on the Accessibility Engineering team in Google Research in Mountain View, CA. As a team, we build innovative products and solutions to help make the world’s information universally accessible to everyone. We ensure Google’s technologies are accessible in order to empower people with disabilities to be socially engaged, productive, and independent.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
The best part about working with my manager, Phil, is the amount of responsibility and ownership he gives me. I’m treated like any other member of the team and given the opportunity to voice my opinion during meetings. As an intern, it is amazing to have my input be considered and implemented in our project.

Some of the team heading to a meeting

My team is great! Everyone is friendly, welcoming, and extremely helpful. They have made the experience better than I could have imagined. Everyone on the team also knows how to handle a prank, which is good considering the interns ganged up and covered our coworker’s desk with water bottles we had saved up from the entire summer.

170 bottles in every space available (including the drawers)

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The people. I’m constantly surrounded by people that are smarter than me and I think that is important. It creates an atmosphere filled with learning and opportunities for improvement. There is an incredible amount of knowledge here and plenty more waiting to be discovered. To be able to be a part of that as an intern is a wonderful experience.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley, to me, means to not be afraid. Don’t be afraid to ask questions for help. Don’t be afraid to tackle problems too big for one person. Don’t be afraid to be curious. Having an audacious attitude is Googley.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
The biggest piece of advice I could give is to have passion and drive. Studying and memorizing data structures can only get you so far. To really succeed, find your niche within computer science and technology. Find out what inspires you in the field and industry at large and follow it. The more passionate you are about your work, the more you will accomplish.

But it doesn’t hurt to memorize these either.

Best meal at Google so far?
Any meal involving sushi (KitchenSync and Atom regularly serve it).

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
When I can, I love to get outdoors and use my camera. Photography is a visual poetry in my mind; it’s a hobby where I can spend many hours trying to get a single shot. Some of my most memorable nights last year were spent editing photos until sunrise with a close friend. Whether I am shooting long exposures of Snoqualmie Falls, or trying to show my friend how to balance during a levitation pose, I enjoy every frame of it.

"Levitation"

Best overheard conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator
I had a conversation with some Googlers about the possibility of the universe being a part of a Matrix-like simulation. Most people would laugh it off, but we had a serious debate about whether or not it would be theoretically possible.

Dream Google office to visit?
Google Zürich because working in a ski lift for a day sounds pretty great.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
The Intern Boat Cruise - I cannot think of a better way of meeting other interns than on a boat dressed in your finest 80’s clothes.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Shawn Dye, Intern Programs Team

11 Cities with Google Interns this summer

Sarah H — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 19:34:00 +0000

Google has interns in cities all over the world this summer. Take a look at this list of 11 cities with Google interns to give you a taste of how each of these locations contributes to Google’s multifaceted and unique culture.

11. Sydney, AU

Our Sydney office, the greenest building in Sydney, sits on the waterfront in Pyrmont with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, and Darling Harbour. Inside, you’ll find a "living wall" made of plants, a tire swing, a library with a nap pod, and some amazing coffee machines. When interns really need a break, they check out a kayak or one of our electric cars (Mitsubishi I-MiEVs).

10. Dublin, IE

This Google office embraces Dublin’s unique Irish culture with graffiti murals and classic scenes from Irish folklore covering the walls. Interns often like to get a game of Blackball at the billiards table when they need a break. And, of course, Google Dublin couldn’t go without a conference room named “James Joyce.”

9. Los Angeles, CA, USA

Googlers play a large part in the growing technology industry in LA. When interns aren’t working together improving YouTube’s or Google’s search experiences, they might watch a movie at the office’s outdoor movie theatre or spend time at the beach a mere two blocks away from the office.

8. Waterloo, Canada

Located in the historic Lang Tannery Building, Google Waterloo is best known for being the birthplace of Gmail for Mobile and, of course, the site for Canada’s only officially recognized in-office slide. Waterloo is one of Google’s largest offices for fall and winter tech interns.

7. Seattle/Kirkland, WA, USA

With offices on either side of Lake Washington, this Google location encompasses both the urban and the suburban in the Pacific Northwest. With much of Google’s infrastructure developed under our belt here, interns have the opportunity to work on essential products like Google+ Hangouts and Chrome.

6. Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Google Pittsburgh, the former Nabisco Factory, holds over 400 Googlers—not to mention a giant hammock nicknamed “the trapeze net.” The office is located in Bakery Square, just minutes from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Interns in the Pittsburgh office get the opportunity to work on site reliability and products like Mobile and Google Shopping.

5. Paris, FR

Located in a renovated hôtel, our Google Paris office has distinctly Parisian touches. Interns snack on wine and cheese for TGIF meetings, take meetings in a Citroën Deux Chevaux-turned-phone booth, and eat at a cafeteria nicknamed Les Deux Algos (short for algorithms). C’est la vie chez Google! (That’s life at Google!)

4. Singapore

Like the country itself, the Google Singapore office is home to both locals and foreigners. We give a distinct twist to the ways we have fun-lah, from Chinese New Year parties to Hari Raya Puasa, Indian holidays and weekly celebrations themed after countries where we do business. Interns enjoy the newly decked-out micro-kitchens, modeled after traditional street food stalls. Our Singapore office brings together a diverse community of Googlers – fitting, in a country with four official languages (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil).

3. Zurich, CH

Self-proclaimed as “the real Mountain View.” Not because they are the company’s engineering headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), but because of the views out of the top-floor Sky Lounge’s windows. The Alps may look impressive in Google Earth, but in person, they’re nothing less than spectacular. The Zurich office also hosts Google’s annual EMEA Intern summit, where Google interns from across Europe get an opportunity to meet each other and learn more about what their colleagues are working on at other offices.

2. New York, NY

If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. We take that to heart at Google New York—constantly reinventing ourselves to strive for the best. With thousands of Googlers working in an office that takes up an entire New York city block, the energy here is undeniable. Interns in New York enjoy five incredible cafes, scooters, and a ladder for when they can’t wait for the elevator.

1. Mountain View, CA

Where it all began. Though the company has grown from Larry and Sergey working out of a garage to the Mountain View campus known as the Googleplex, the mission is still the same: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible. Interns enjoy numerous perks, but to name a few: beach volleyball, bowling alleys, 25 cafeterias, and weekly TGIF gatherings where Googlers are encouraged to ask senior management anything and everything. Changing the world one user at a time truly begins here.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld and Sean Sweeney, University and Tech Intern Programs Teams

We Are GWE Intern Summit

Sarah H — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:40:00 +0000

Intern season is in full swing and Google is excited to be hosting the largest ever class of female technical interns across 18 offices in North America. Google hosted its second annual We Are GWE (Google Women Engineers) intern summit at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA. Over 270 female technical interns from across Google’s product areas joined together for two days of developmental and networking activities and celebration.

During this event, Google provided interns with the opportunity to build their skills, network with fellow interns, engage with full-time GWE in various stages of their careers, and be inspired by this growing community of women in tech. The first day of the summit kicked off with interns taking part in professional development classes and technical interview trainings. The interns asked lots of great questions and gained insight on what engineers look for during the interview process.

Day two was spent hearing from and engaging with GWE from across a wide range of roles and teams including Chrome OS, Google [x], Knowledge Engine, and Youtube. When interns weren’t learning about some of Google’s most exciting products, they participated in technical and career discussions while getting the opportunity to network with both full-time and intern GWE. A lot of fruitful conversation was had around the challenges facing female engineers and encouraging our interns to grow into strong role-models in their communities and on their campuses.

To close out the We Are GWE summit, the Tech Intern Programs team hosted a luau themed party in front of Charlie’s at the Googleplex. Interns and Googlers got the chance to let down their hair and dance the evening away with great music, food and drinks.

As much as Google celebrates the accomplishments of our female technical interns, it encourages them to be audacious leaders. That’s why we’re excited to invite our global female interns to the upcoming Grace Hopper Celebration in October! We hope that our interns become even more inspired and motivated as they engage with world renowned female technicians and scholars.

Photos courtesy of Amy Harrity Photo

Posted by Shawn Dye, Tech Intern Programs

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Elmar Peters

Sarah H — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:01:00 +0000

From Google Glass to Project Loon, Adwords to Docs, our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights.

For today's post, meet Elmar Peters, a Hardware Engineering intern from the Netherlands. Elmar will graduate in summer 2015 with a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Twente. While Elmar is excited by his internship working with both Google Glass and the self-driving car teams within Google [x], he also uses his time in California to see as many new sights as possible. An avid traveler, Elmar has enjoyed a trip to Yosemite and a hike along Redwood Creek in Humboldt.

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I’ve been following Google for quite a while--the informal working environment and innovative products really interested me. I became really interested in Google and decided to apply for an internship when I heard about Google Glass and the self-driving car.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I'm an Electrical Engineering intern on the Google Glass team. I’m prototyping several aspects of the Glass hardware design. Besides my work at Glass, I'm also working on a 20% project for the self-driving car team. Sometimes, when you’d like to help work on a project or team, or have an idea of something you’d like to try, Google will allow you to spend 20% of your time working on that along with your normal role.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
I like the amount of responsibility my manager and my team gives me. At Google I'm working on real projects that are crucial for Google Glass. The fact that they give me all of this responsibility as an intern is really special.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
I really like the cool projects at Google and the way Google innovates. If you have a new idea, people will encourage you to work on it.

That being said though, what's the best gFit class?
It might not be a gFit class, but I really like swimming in one of the "endless pools" on campus.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To me, being Googley means being super friendly and doing other people a favor when you can. People at Google are always ready to help you out when you are stuck on something. The friendly atmosphere at Google is one of the best things about working here.

Dream Google office to visit?
I would really like to visit the google offices in Tokyo sometime. The pictures I’ve seen look really stylish!

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I like to travel--I’ve visited 22 countries so far. I’m originally from the Netherlands so my internship in Mountain View is like a work and holiday. While I’m interning here in California I go on weekend trips really often. After my internship, I will also stay in the US for a while to travel and to go to Burning Man!

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
I always worked on a lot of side projects during my study. This really helped me gain some practical experience that turned out to be really useful in the work I’m doing now. So I would advise every student to work on a side project that they are passionate about during their studies!

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Sidnie Davis, Intern Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Sonali Mehta

Sarah H — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 21:26:00 +0000

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m on the Content & Partner Operations Team at YouTube in San Bruno, CA. I’m working with my manager to develop some of our partner communities and connect creators with each other. I’m also working on some programs and initiatives for our biggest superusers.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager and team members are all really inspiring and enthusiastic! They were so welcoming to me when I first started my internship, and I’ve loved learning from them and getting to know them all.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
I’m doing exactly what I always wanted to do when I started my own YouTube channel five years ago. I feel like I’m helping creators like myself move our platform forward. In addition, Google does an outstanding job of valuing their interns; I’m encouraged to participate in meetings and share my projects all the time. I even had the opportunity to attend the YouTube Global Content Summit in San Francisco during the first week of my internship, as well as VidCon down in Southern California a few weeks later!

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I became YouTube Certified at the beginning of the summer. I’ve also completed projects that will benefit YouTube partners of all kinds, but particularly those belonging to US Emerging Markets.

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’ve been singing and playing the piano my whole life! I started uploading to YouTube years ago, and though I’m just a casual creator, I really love making videos.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To me, being Googley means being professional, creative, confident, and respectful.

Dream Google office to visit?
YouTube Space Tokyo!

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
This is a cheesy answer, but be authentic! Google has so many departments and organizations, so express what your genuine passions are in your application, and you’ll thank yourself later.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

AdMob Student App Challenge – Winning Teams Announced

Sarah H — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 19:42:00 +0000

We’re excited to announce the winners of the AdMob Student App Challenge, a mobile app development contest open exclusively to students. Students from all over the world were challenged to build a great app and monetize it it using the AdMob platform, with a chance to win awesome prizes.

We had hundreds of app submissions from more than 90 countries and hosted more than 50 events worldwide. Our 5 winning apps have made a huge splash in the Google Play Store, and have already amassed over 300,000 downloads and nearly 6,000 reviews combined.

After extensive review, the judging panel selected 4 Regional Winners and 1 overall Global Winner. Artavazd Mehrabyab, a judge for the challenge and Co-founder/COO of PicsArt, says he was honored to be a part of the challenge, which he considered “a great demonstration of the large global potential for app development among [a] younger generation.”

Regional Winners receive brand new Nexus tablets, and our Global Winner will receive a free trip to San Francisco and visit Google in Mountain View!

Drumroll please…

GLOBAL WINNER - Stacks Flashcards
Team Name: Centum

About the team. It is Phani Gaddipati, a student from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who takes home the first-place prize. Having grown up in Colorado, Phani currently studies Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

About the app. Stacks Flashcards is an electronic flashcards app that allows users to memorize material by creating decks of cards, testing their knowledge, and viewing stats on their performance. After his first Organic Chemistry class in college, Phani quickly realized that passing the class would require a lot of memorization. As he searched for an app that would allow him to create flashcards electronically, Phani found a distinct lack of quality apps of this kind, and wanted to build something great on Android. He decided to create one of his own, working hard to make sure that it was easy to navigate with a clean and intuitive user interface. Phani considers user feedback to be crucial to the success of his app, and is constantly working to improve the app’s functionality. Congratulations Phani for being an all-star developer, and creating an app that solves a simple problem in a meaningful way!

REGIONAL WINNERS:

REGIONAL WINNER 1: India 2014 Elections
Region: Asia Pacific
Team Name: DV DROID

About the team. DV Droid is made up of 5 teammates, Darshan H, Venkatesh K B, Shivaprasad K S, Chiranthan K and Santhosh R, from Tumkur, India. The group met as high school students then separated for college, but each decided to pursue degrees in Engineering at their respective universities.

About the app. India 2014 Elections is an informative app that gives a complete historical overview of the Indian Elections results from as far back as 1947, as well as information regarding the most recent 2014 elections cycle. When the team got wind of the AdMob Student challenge, the General Elections in India were fast approaching. They decided to capitalize on the opportunity to create an app that raised awareness among Indian citizens as to the importance of elections and the value of each and every vote. They set out to provide the public with an app that provided useful information in a beautiful way, and judging by its positive reception and success in the app store, they more than succeeded in their mission!

REGIONAL WINNER 2: Headphone Connect
Region: North America
Team Name: Skytrait Mobile

About the team. Skytrait Mobile is the brain-child of Gabriel Brandão, the team’s one and only member. Of Portuguese descent, Gabriel was born in Taiwan and is currently a junior at Towson University just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to his work, Gabriel would like to acknowledge his friend and classmate Juli Phillips, whom he regularly relied upon for user feedback and testing.

About the app. User simplicity was the foundation upon which Headphone Connect was developed. An “on action” based app, Headphone Connect allows users to assign certain apps to launch automatically as soon as their headphones are plugged in. Gabriel had seen apps that claimed to accomplish this purpose, but most were confusing and hard to set up. Sensing a gap in the market, Gabriel worked hard to create an app with a clean interface, simple setup and useful function. So far, the app has received nearly 2,000 5-star reviews on the Play Store and has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times.

REGIONAL WINNER 3: Match Cube
Region: Latin America
Team Name: Kookei Studio

About the team. Kookei Studio is made up of two teammates, Leonardo Trench and Gabriele Priuli, both from the State of São Paulo in Brazil. They are currently in their 3rd year of university and are studying Information Systems.

About the app. Match Cube is a gaming app involving strategy and speed, where users match falling cubes according to color within a certain time limit. As he was researching various features in a game creation tool, Leonardo came across a falling cube and decided he wanted to develop a game using that general concept. When it came to app development, Leonardo and Gabriele had to build their knowledge base essentially from scratch, an impressive feat considering the consistently high ratings that their app has received in the Play Store thus far. The team maintains that the key to their early success was the ability to be creative and persistent, particularly in the face of challenges.

REGIONAL WINNER 4: High Explosive
Region: Europe, Middle East, Africa
Team Name: Archon Interactive

About the team. Casper Christiansen and Lucas Eliasen make up the illustrious team Archon Interactive, and are the brains behind the addictive gaming app High Explosive. Both Casper and Lucas come from Zealand, an island region of Denmark, and attend GameIT College in Grenaa. They’re currently studying a mix of HTX (Higher Technical Examination) and game development.

About the app. High Explosive is a puzzle/action game where users use the protagonist bomb to help them explode their way to the exits. To come up with their concept, Casper and Lucas spent many hours brainstorming amongst themselves, trying to think of a game that would be both engaging and different enough from other apps in the marketplace. Once they had the basic concept, they reached out to others to confirm the validity and value of the idea. When they began building the app, both Casper and Lucas were still fairly inexperienced as developers. However, they viewed the opportunity to learn new skills as a fun challenge, and resolved to start small and build upon their original idea in a consistent and measured way.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks again to every single student who participated!

Posted by Sutton Brown, AdMob Marketing Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Dyanna Salcedo

Sarah H — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:29:00 +0000

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager, Dong, and the team gave me an idea for this product and a lot of discretion. I like that I have full ownership of what I think is a very important project for Google. The team is great--everyone is friendly and genuinely excited to have me.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
I like the community. I meet new people who are always up for coffee or lunch, weekend outings, etc. It’s like business school except I get paid!

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Since I’m coming from the finance industry, I’ve tried extra hard to ramp up on SMB needs. I probably read at least 15-20 articles or reports per day, but at least it’s all starting to click.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To be Googley is to be someone that others want to work with and be around. Everyone I’ve met so far is like that—friendly, welcoming, and helpful.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Learn as much as you can about the role for which you apply. That means reaching out to Googlers, reading industry news and blogs, and joining student organizations that help you stay immersed.

Best meal at Google so far?
The burritos at Quad’s Portal!

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
Well, I’m in business school so… just Google CBS Follies.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Inconsiderateness.

Best overheard conversation in a MK/cafe/elevator?
Googler engineers speaking Klingon to one another!

Dream Google office to visit?
Tokyo. Mostly because I love Tokyo.

Best gFit class?
I’ve only been to one so far, but I’m looking forward to checking out an Outdoor Fitness Sesh one day soon.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
An unofficial and unplanned MBA takeover of a San Francisco bar one Saturday afternoon. I ran into Googlers but also other friends I didn’t even realize were in the area.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Fiona Yeung

Sarah H — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:12:00 +0000

Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about you!
I’ve climbed 1,776 steps up the CN Tower in Toronto, the world’s tallest metal staircase with my family for charity. I’ve also completed Tough Mudder, a 12 mile obstacle challenge last fall with my dragon boat team!

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I wanted to learn from some of the most talented and innovative people in the industry. I also wanted to gain experience working at a larger company. With Google’s size, even though I would be focusing on one product area, I knew I would still get the chance to learn about all the other innovative projects that Google is working on such as the Self-driving Car, Google Glass, and Project Loon. Lastly, the internship program itself is extremely well-developed with tons of classes, workshops, and tech talks catered to help us develop our leadership and teamwork skills.

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
I’m a user experience design intern for Google+, specifically on the core mobile app team. One of the projects that I’m working on this summer is to redesign Google suggested posts such as “Communities you might like” or “Trending” posts so that they’re consistent across all platforms. I get to think about what the animations and interactions will be like so that users can use these suggested posts better, while having a smooth and delightful experience.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
My manager Brynn is incredibly inspiring because she is proactive and a great leader. I love working with her because of her enthusiasm, passion, and great energy. I’m lucky to have a mentor like Brynn to guide me through the internship. I also admire her involvement in the design community where she created an event series for women in design called XX+UX. I hope to help her spread these series to even more cities and host one when I’m back home in Toronto!

The best part about working with my team is how collaborative and supportive everyone is. Being able to walk around and check out what everyone is working on, as well as our weekly Mocktails where we all gather together to share ideas and show what we’ve been working on is something I really enjoy.

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
My favorite part about working at Google is knowing that the work I’m doing will be impacting millions of users around the world. The culture at Google is also a huge plus. The environment is collaborative, open, and makes you feel welcomed. The people are humble and you really get a sense of community among each other.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I’m proud of the iterations that I’ve created thus far because I get to push myself to think beyond the visual designs to really dig deeper into how users interact when using Google+. Working directly with engineers and project managers is something I’m new to so it’s been a really cool experience so far.

I also worked with the Google Doodle team as part of my 20% side project. As a designer, creating a Google Doodle has been on my designer bucket list for a long time so being able to work with the doodlers was a dream come true. The doodle I created was for the Tanabata festival for Japan.

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being “Googley” to me is about trying your best, doing the right thing, and being an all-around friendly and good person. Being genuine, humble, and having a positive attitude are all traits of a Googley person. It’s about striving for excellence, being proactive, having a good time all at the same time.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Team up with friends or people you know and create things that you’re passionate about. A lot of skills are learned outside of school so go ahead and work on side projects. It’s also helpful to have an entrepreneurial mindset; to be self-starters and leaders that are passionate to work on challenging projects to help the world.

Dream Google office to visit?
All of the Google offices are so well-designed for Googlers but one that I’d love to visit is the office in in Zurich, Switzerland. I heard they have an aquarium relaxation room, and that they have ski gondolas as small conference rooms.

Best gFit class?
I try to attend about 3-4 different gFit classes a week such as yoga, cardio kickboxing, and body pump. One of my favorite ones is the Aerial Silks class because it’s something I’ve always wanted to try. It’s incredible that these kinds of classes are offered here at Google.

Best intern event you’ve attended?
The intern carnival was really fun with the inflatable obstacle course race and mechanical bull, but I have to say the Sky High Trampoline Dodgeball day was the best so far. Bouncing on the trampoline, while dodging dodgeballs is a pretty fun way to meet new interns.

Fiona’s Googler host for the summer is Brynn Evans. Brynn is a Design Lead on the Google+ Team. In fact, Brynn joined Google on June 27, 2011 - one day before we launched Google+! Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Brynn went to Stanford for her undergraduate degrees and UC San Diego for her graduate degree. Brynn looks forward to weekly time in the Pilates studio and is a member of the Google+ UX acapella group, the Whizzy Whigs.

Why did you want to work at Google?
I had worked previously at a startup, an agency, and as a freelance designer. I wanted to experience working at a large company, expecting that I’d learn new & different things.

What are you working on at Google?
I’m a UX Lead on the Google+ team. I started as an individual contributor, became Stream UX Lead, and then became a UX Lead for a larger team that’s responsible for the G+ core mobile apps, including onboarding, growth, and engagement.

Why did you want to host an Intern?
I never had an intern before, but I have been an intern and knew how immensely valuable it is to have good internships. I thought my team could provide a good environment for an intern. Additionally, I love teaching, mentoring, and advising — especially new grads. When I was recently out of school, I wish I had had a mentor to help guide me; instead now, I’m hoping I can be that mentor for others.

What’s the best part about your team?
The people! The designers on my team are incredibly talented, humble, and collaborative. They’ve taught me a tremendous amount and make coming into work everyday a pure joy. It’s true what they say: it’s the people that matter.

What’s the best part about working with your intern?
Her passion, excitement, and motivation! Fiona came into Google fired up and excited to get started on a project. Since then, she’s worked on an exploratory project, created a Google Doodle (which is extremely uncommon), and has also started her main intern project. Fiona’s got the talent to be good designer; but it’s her passion and motivation that will make her great!

What’s your favorite perk to utilize at Google?
Google offers Pilates Reformer classes that I take twice a week. It’s become such an important part of my routine that I never let meetings or conflicts get in the way of my two hours a week of “me time.”

What’s the thing you’ve accomplished during your career at Google that you’re most proud of?
Last October, I kicked off an event series called XX+UX — a monthly meetup for Women in UX. I quickly discovered that there is an eager & talented community of women UXers who love to connect and share stories. Until recently, there just hasn’t been an event series dedicated exclusively to bringing them together, so I’m proud to have played a role in that.

So far we’ve had events in the Bay Area, Austin, and Paris. This summer, we’ll be having inaugural XX+UX events in NYC, London, and Sydney!

What’s your favorite Google moment so far?
As a member of the Whizzy Whigs, the Google+ UX acapella group, we sang Bohemian Rhapsody at TGIF last year! It was incredibly fun being up on stage in front of the whole company!

What is one fun fact about you?
I can sing “If you’re happy and you know it” in Japanese.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Sidnie Davis, Intern Programs Team

Google Intern Insights 2014 – Meet Shelbey Roberts

Sarah H — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:35:00 +0000

What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
One time, I watched a nightly news special on TV and it profiled Google and how it is consistently ranked among one of the best places to work in the entire world. I thought it was so interesting how Google developed such a successful company-wide operations strategy while still truly caring about their employees as human beings and being socially conscious of the world. One day I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to say I interned for a place like that?” From there, I applied and the rest is history!

Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’m an anchor and a producer for the University of Michigan’s student-run television station called WOLV-TV. I write news content, operate cameras and audio switchboards and I get to be on air for our campus-wide audience! It’s hard work and long hours, but so much fun!

What team are you working on at Google? Can you provide us with a high-level description of your summer project?
As a BOLD intern, I work with the GooglersGive team which coordinates many of the volunteering and giving initiatives that allow Googlers to help out local communities and other places around the world. My core project includes developing, advertising, distributing and analyzing a global GooglersGive internal survey, of which we use the feedback to improve Googlers’ overall experience with our volunteering and giving programs as well as increase participation.

What’s the best part about working with your manager? What about your team?
The best part about working with my manager and the rest of my team is that our entire job is to come together to develop and implement strategies that will help improve the communities around us and around the globe. From organizing company-wide community service opportunities, to encouraging employees to donate to charity, to launching environmental, hunger, and education campaigns, we are able to provide Googlers with opportunities to give back in a tangible way. We make an impact and it’s a great feeling!

What is something that you’ve learned thus far about working on a team and/or in a professional environment?
When you’re working with a team, a positive attitude goes a longgg way! Team members tend to appreciate seeing a smiling face or hearing an encouraging word especially in the midst of stressful projects and tight deadlines. That kind of happy spirit is contagious! Plus nobody likes working with a negative Nancy!

We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other benefits. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The coolest thing I find is that Google trusts its interns to work on projects that full-time employees would work on. In my case, my team implements changes to their global volunteering and giving programs partly as a result of the data results that I provide them with. Even as an intern, my team not only values my opinions, but they also encourage me to voice my thoughts on how we as a team can improve the work that we do. It’s nice to know that I am able to contribute.

What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I have officially overcome my discomfort with numbers! Before this summer, I was never the most confident person when it came to statistics and other forms of math. Quite frankly, if it had to do with numbers, I wanted nothing to do with it. But this summer, my entire project is data driven which requires me to frequently use math and problem solving. With the help of my team, I have been able to do things like learn Excel, analyze data, and transform a weakness into a developing skill. I am very proud of myself for keeping an open mind throughout this entire project!

What does “being Googley” mean to you?
To me, if you’re Googley, you’re not only intelligent and capable of doing your job, but you also convey a personality of friendliness and willingness to get to know others.

Best meal at Google so far?
The chicken, waffle, egg and bacon breakfast sandwich from the Cluck It Up food truck is absolutely incredible! It’s a glorious mix of sweet, salty and unhealthy topped off with bacon!

If you could give one piece of advice to potential student applicants, what would it be?
First step: You won’t know until you try, so just apply! Second step: Really use the application to showcase who you are as a person. Many students who apply have the performance skills needed for the job, but try to find your personal Googley fact and include it. Maybe you broke a world record, or you’re a national champion of something, or you started your own business or maybe you just have a very interesting personal background story. Whatever your BOLD fact is, think about highlighting it to show what sets you apart from everyone else.

Want to learn more about internships at Google? Check out our Student Careers Site. Additionally, follow Google Students on Google+ and use the hashtag #googleinterns to keep up with Intern Insights this summer.

Posted by Maggie Hohlfeld, University Programs Team