Hi, I am Elena Menagia, 29 years old and I grew up in Cephalonia, an island in Greece. I studied Electrical & Computer Engineering (integrated BSc and MSc) at the University of Patras, with a specialisation in Telecommunication and Information Theory and I also studied, for many years, classical violin. I have a keen interest in software development and AI and I love the stories that data manipulations can tell. During my diploma thesis I implemented a brain signal preprocessing- neural network flowchart for the prediction of epileptic seizures in patients with epilepsy, managing to present robust results regarding my classification problem. After my graduation I moved to Groningen, where I have been living with my partner and our vicious, yet adorable, cat for a bit more than a year. We are currently relocating to the Randstad, excited for this new chapter and curious to see if the south’s landscape can antagonise the stunning north!
What do you do in your free time?
I like to create and appreciate any kind of art, I enjoy outdoor activities and nature, building things, but first and foremost spending time with my loved ones. I also prioritise volunteering and giving back to the community in every way I can, because after all, all we have is each other.
What is your best quality?
Observative. And kindness (I try to) 😊.
What is your biggest study or work life blunder/failure?
Unfortunately, staying in my homeland. Greece’s educational system especially fails to support working students like me, which leaves you with no room to grow and challenge yourself.
What is your favourite TV series or game?
My favourite TV series is probably “When they see us”, and when it comes to games definitely “Ori-The Will of Wisps”, a Moon studios’ masterpiece. I also enjoy playing board games with friends, such as “Mayhem-DnD”.
Why did you choose this job at Ndus3?
I value big time, the sense of community, the support, and the eye for the detail that I sensed from Ndus3 team from the very first moment. Additionally, I had the best possible feedback regarding Ndus3 work ethics from people that were already members of the team. Also, being a person who is always eager to learn new things, I am excited for Ndus3’s broad network and the ability for me to be involved in different engineering projects and technologies.
What do you want to achieve in your work in the coming year?
I want to expand my software development knowledge, get familiar with the industry’s project structure and deployment processes, gain hands-on experience on AI, and focus on clean code and program efficiency.
What working field would you like to explore or even end up in?
While my initial objective was focused on software development and AI in the field of life sciences, I acknowledge that the driving force behind this pursuit is my passion for comprehending how software implementations work and exploring how technology can be harmonised with the needs and well-being of individuals. With this perspective in mind, I can envision myself exploring diverse engineering domains, using the expansion of my skills as a guiding compass for my professional endeavors.
For what can we wake you up in the middle of the night?
I try to embrace life’s weird little incidents, so let’s try it out?
What are your guilty pleasures?
Well, I enjoy a bit too much falling asleep while watching movies with friends. There is something special about that movie-induced slumber, but it can be so annoying for my companions. No regrets though :P.
