Welcome!
About Me
My name is Francis Angara and I'm a Junior studying Information Sciences at UIUC. I'm graduating from the School of Information Sciences in May of 2025 with a degree in Information Sciences and a minor in Business. My future career plans include gaining experience in Product Management through a variety of positions and industries in order to gain a broader understanding of this field. My plans are driven by my passion for solving problems, leading a team and the joy from mentoring and challenging others.
Outside of academics, I'm an active UIUC 4Paws Executive Board member. My responsibilities include organizing club member initiatives, socialization events, raising awareness to the broader community about the significance of service dogs for those with disabilities as well as training a golden doodle named Velma for service. In addition, I'm the Director of Alumni Relations and member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Lastly, I'm a Kolusis Observer for the Interfraternity Council where I manage risks by ensuring fraternities abide by the Kolusis Bylaws.
Throughout this blog, you'll find pages about my education and achievements. My resume is also available for you to view or download at your convenience. Thanks for visiting!
"A tale is only good as it's final turn of events. A plot twist. And mistakes are important part of a plot, too."
- Jiraiya.
Classes I've Taken
This course educated me on the intersection of statistics, computation, and real-world relevance in Data Science Discovery. This immersive, project-driven experience equipped me with the practical skills needed to conduct hands-on analysis of authentic datasets and discern their real-world impact.
This immersive course focused on the comprehensive study of user research and evaluation techniques. This dynamic learning experience empowered me to adeptly apply a diverse array of user research methods. Special emphasis was placed on discerning user requirements and needs across diverse populations, with a particular focus on under-served groups such as children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities.
This course allowed me to immerse myself in the rapidly evolving landscape of data science, leveraging the exponential increase in computing power to explore new dimensions in statistical modeling and artificial intelligence. This advanced course, aptly named Advanced Machine Learning and Predictive Modeling, delved into the intricate realms of predictive and descriptive learning, acting as a bridge between theoretical principles and empirical applications across diverse disciplines.
Classes I'm Currently Taking
This course will delve into user research and evaluation. The curriculum encompasses the application of diverse user research methods, the adept gathering and comprehension of user requirements across a broad spectrum of populations, with a particular focus on those traditionally under-served (e.g., children, older adults, people with disabilities). Skills will be acquired in conducting user evaluations for prototypes and interactive systems, coupled with the ability to articulate research insights effectively and provide actionable design suggestions.
This course explores the foundational mathematical concepts and provides an introductory overview of sets, relations, graphs, grammars, probability, and propositional and predicate logic. It emphasizes the practical applications of these mathematical principles in information modeling, representation, and expression.
This course will allow me to explore the historical evolution of information society by delving into its deep-rooted foundations and contemporary features. It offers a comprehensive examination of emergent information institutions and practices from early modern Europe to the late 20th century.
Why Information Sciences?
It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to attend a career day event that my interests piqued in an Information Sciences career. I was fascinated by the team collaboration, level of thought, attention to detail and I realized that seemingly simple problems like information placement and site navigation are rather complex. I quickly recognized that I could turn my love for problem solving, technology and people into a career. I’m most interested in a Product Manager role because it’s very challenging and exposes you to many areas from technology research, user experience design, data mining as well as strategy. They set the vision and are advocates for the customer. After this career day event, I wanted to further my curiosity. I sought out internships and obtained one through Upkey. This experience provided me with further insights into this career and solidified my passion for Information Sciences.
