Student Spotlight: Senem Işık
Meet Senem Işık, an incoming PhD student in MS&E.
HOMETOWN
Istanbul, Türkiye
WHERE I LIVED BEFORE STANFORD
Pune, India
ALMA MATER
Stanford University
MAJORS
Mathematics and Computer Science
RESEARCH THEMES MY WORK REPRESENTS
AI & Data Science
Computational Social Science
The Future of Organizing
Academic and work experience
During my undergraduate studies, I explored both quantitative industry roles and theoretical research, which showed me how intellectually stimulating research can be. One project that stayed with me was studying how local social network structures shape the global behavior of stochastic processes, from epidemics to information flow. At MS&E, I am excited to explore how theory can guide learning and decision-making systems shaped by economic and societal forces.
Impact I hope to have in my field and the world
I hope to design algorithms with solid theoretical guarantees that can inspire real-world implementations. Just as importantly, I'd like to get more people excited about the field, whether through my research or teaching.
Interests and hobbies
I enjoy playing and watching tennis and volleyball. I also love visiting art museums and collecting postcards from them. Traveling has been a big part of my life—I've visited over 20 countries and lived in four, starting first grade in Moscow, Russia, and finishing high school in Pune, India. Along the way, I've developed a habit of buying earrings when I travel, even if I don't wear them often. And like many Turkish people, I'm almost always drinking tea or coffee.
Published September 22, 2025.