Aidan Young, a 2025 graduate of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, as well as a minor in Marine Science & Conservation, recently shared insights into his Duke journey and postgraduate path. He was also a Repass-Rodgers Scholar. 

Young is currently a software engineer at Doorlist. 

What skills did you gain or experiences did you have at Duke that have been most beneficial in your graduate life? 

Laptop and drone controller set up on driftwood near a coastal marsh, with grassy shoreline and calm water under a partly cloudy sky.

First and foremost would be learning how to code properly, but I think the more special skill that Duke really reinforces is how to be a team player. That comes as the sum of a ton of experiences – being a member of a lab, taking the Krzyzewskiville tenting test, being a good friend and having good friends around you, grinding a practice test with your classmates in a difficult class, and even just living in a dorm. I think it’s a great general life lesson, but one that absolutely extends to my professional life.

Why did you apply to the Repass-Rodgers scholars program? What would you say to someone considering applying? 

I majored in computer science, but was interested in environmental science, so this program combined the two. My final project was an autonomous boat to count alligators in lakes.

There are so many Repass-Rodgers projects that have interesting underlying technical details, but they become even more interesting when you are able to tie it to environmental topics. I enjoy seeing how technology can help with environmental issues. 

What about the Repass-RoDgers Scholars program are you most appreciative of now? 

Doing your own project can teach you a lot about taking ownership of projects and thinking outside the box. It makes you find something you're passionate about, and it's up to you to see it through. I think that's a pretty underrated skill, to be able to take ownership of things and solve interdisciplinary problems. That’s a very real-world skill, being able to work on a complex project for a year or more.