{"id":162899,"date":"2025-04-07T08:06:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T14:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=162899"},"modified":"2025-04-07T08:06:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T14:06:17","slug":"navigating-machine-learning-and-a-masters-degree-tay-tallerday-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=162899","title":{"rendered":"Navigating machine learning and a master&#8217;s degree | Tay Tallerday &#8217;24"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-163041\" data-id=\"163041\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-1067x800.jpg 1067w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-326x245.jpg 326w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-70x53.jpg 70w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Poster-Session-at-ACS-1400x1050.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tay presenting on her research at the American Chemical Society National Conference<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1780\" height=\"1182\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-163031\" data-id=\"163031\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group.jpg 1780w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AML-group-1400x930.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1780px) 100vw, 1780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tay and her fellow Advanced Manufacturing Lab teammates<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1720\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-163033\" data-id=\"163033\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore-1050x1400.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore-576x768.jpg 576w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Singapore-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tay and Christian, her partner, visiting Singapore<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1720\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-163040\" data-id=\"163040\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb-1050x1400.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb-576x768.jpg 576w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Next-to-first-atomic-bomb-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tay next to the first atomic bomb<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"968\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-163037\" data-id=\"163037\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-1066x800.jpg 1066w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-326x245.jpg 326w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-70x53.jpg 70w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Me-next-to-a-rocket-booster-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tay and a rocket booster<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tay Tallerday didn&#8217;t know she&#8217;d be pursuing a graduate degree until the deadline to sign up was almost over, but not long after that she was presenting research at the 2024 American Chemical Society National Conference in Denver and preparing manuscripts for publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Dr. Jena McCollum had an open research position in her Advanced Manufacturing Lab, so I applied and got on a contract with her doing research on fluoropolymers, which are a special kind of polymer that have very desirable mechanical properties and a wide range of applications,&#8221; Tay said. &#8220;For instance, they can withstand large temperature ranges, useful for aerospace applications, and they don&#8217;t degrade under many harsh chemicals. A well-known fluoropolymer would be Teflon, used to coat nonstick pans.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"959\" height=\"1272\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Image-9.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-163189\" style=\"width:382px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Image-9.jpeg 959w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Image-9-603x800.jpeg 603w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Image-9-579x768.jpeg 579w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Image-9-113x150.jpeg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 959px) 100vw, 959px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tay with her beloved pup Cocoa Puffs, who passed recently<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tay is a College of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) alumna, with a master&#8217;s in mechanical engineering. Funded by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Tay&#8217;s research focused on leveraging machine learning techniques to assess similarities in polymer performance under different synthesis conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPolymer synthesis, also known as polymerization, is the process of creating polymers. Variations in temperature during this process, changes to chemical composition and many other factors can dramatically change the properties and performance that polymer exhibits,\u201d Tay explained. \u201cSince these materials are so complex and the relationships between their structures, properties and performance are not straightforward, we are unable to visualize and understand all the various shifts in performance using only our eyes, and this is where machine learning can help us. By applying machine learning techniques like dimension reduction and clustering algorithms we can simplify the problem and begin to determine and visualize the most important trends and relationships within our datasets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tay wasn&#8217;t very familiar with machine learning before pursuing her master&#8217;s, and the first semester was particularly challenging as she transitioned from her undergrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was very intense at first,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was a lot of learning, running code and troubleshooting, which can be very difficult to juggle. Coding machine learning-based programs is one thing, understanding the math behind the algorithms and analyzing results is another. The first semester was a lot of coding, troubleshooting and understanding surface-level material, the second semester was trying to understand each machine learning algorithm fundamentally and making sure that it\u2019s running properly and the last semester was putting all of that together along with the fundamental knowledge of polymer structures and dynamics and making it coherent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-1050x1400.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-163032\" style=\"width:327px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-1050x1400.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-576x768.jpg 576w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Christian-and-I-in-Bali.jpg 1290w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tay and her partner, Christian, in Bali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;My master&#8217;s went through different phases, and the first phase was the hardest because you&#8217;re thrown into the work and trying to learn and retain so much while applying what you&#8217;re learning without a clear roadmap,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;I am very glad to have had that experience because it made me grow a lot, but at the time it was really tough.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tay advised current engineering students to make connections with classmates and be there for each other as a way to navigate the tough curriculum of engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s really important that you have friends because engineering classes are hard, especially when you&#8217;re doing it by yourself,&#8221; Tay said. &#8220;Engineering is all about collaboration and teamwork, so if you can develop those skills early on, that&#8217;ll help you get through your tough classes.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of Tay&#8217;s goals was to learn many different topics and areas of engineering, which she was able do at UCCS and in EAS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat I was aiming to do from the get-go was to be a jack-of-all-trades,\u201d said Tay. \u201cI\u2019m constantly wanting to learn new things, and was able to learn about aerospace engineering, materials engineering and even machine learning \u2013 a little bit of all these specialty fields even though I was mechanical engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mindset is present in Tay&#8217;s personal life as well, as she has a background in music, and even performed the National Anthem at her own commencement ceremony, enjoys dancing, figure skating, skiing, video games, drawing, crochet and other arts and crafts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-1050x1400.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-163042\" style=\"width:361px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-1050x1400.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-576x768.jpg 576w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents-1350x1800.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Undergrad-graduation-with-parents.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tay and her parents at her undergraduate commencement ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With two degrees and several years of schooling behind her, Tay is looking towards the next steps in her journey and is committed to continuous learning, and is interested in possibly continuing to pursue research and development in her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am still a mechanical engineer at heart,\u201d Tay shared. \u201cI like the data analysis and technical writing aspect of things, and I\u2019m interested in doing research and development. My engineering degree was in a concentration of thermal fluid sciences, so I\u2019m really interested in heat transfer and fluid dynamics. Ultimately, I would love to do something that combines all these interests and constantly challenges me to become a better more well-rounded engineer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tay and her partner, Christian, also a UCCS engineering grad, now reside in Littleton, Colorado, and Tay is ready to take on whatever challenges await her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;My catchphrase is &#8216;Take the path of most resistance,'&#8221; she laughed. &#8220;If you want to grow, then you should take the path of most resistance.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Tay is an engineering alumna, with a master&#8217;s in mechanical engineering. Funded by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Tay&#8217;s research focused on leveraging machine learning techniques to assess similarities in polymer performance under different synthesis conditions. <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=162899\" title=\"Navigating machine learning and a master&#8217;s degree | Tay Tallerday &#8217;24\">(More)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":163091,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1,427,428,48],"tags":[370,107,369,114,144,332,329],"class_list":["post-162899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-alumni-stories","category-research-highlights","category-science-and-tech","tag-alumni","tag-alumni-relations","tag-alumni-success","tag-college-of-engineering-and-applied-science","tag-department-of-mechanical-and-aerospace-engineering","tag-more-news","tag-research"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Tay-Tallerday-Featured-Image.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1mBpJ-Gnp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=162899"}],"version-history":[{"count":70,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":163212,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162899\/revisions\/163212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/163091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=162899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=162899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=162899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}