Hi! My name is Alana Dee, and I’m originally from Allentown, PA. In fall 2018, I’ll be a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m an electrical engineering major, with an intended concentration in signal processing. I’m involved with my local chapters of IEEE and Society of Women Engineers at Pitt. Outside of engineering, my interests include urban development, technical theatre, and hiking.

Plus3 China perfectly combines my interest in the topic, smartphone development, as well as my interest in the location. I’m beyond excited to visit China and see the rich cultural history associated with the country. I chose China because of my family connection; my father is Chinese-Filipino, and my sister was adopted from the Hunan province. Besides the beautiful cultural sites such as the Forbidden City, I’m most excited to see how Shanghai and Beijing compare to American cities, as my experience with eastern metropoles is limited.

From an academic standpoint, I’m interested to meet professionals working in the smartphone industry, which is an area of work that I’m highly considering. China is an ideal place to learn about smartphone development, due to its recently growing economic activity as well as its dynamic with tech companies in the States. I’m excited to learn about all the factors which affect the industry in person, from people experiencing the design and business processes, rather than from a textbook; and I can’t wait to depart from Pittsburgh!