How 20-year old student Evelyn Tsintza is using her STEM background to tackle her law studies at Oxford University.
Thank you for talking to us, Evelyn!
First of all, how did a STEM teenager with such strong competencies in coding, robotics and programming end up studying law? Aren’t those topics completely unrelated to each other?
Thank you for having me, I am happy to be able to share my views on law, STEM and MakerLab with you!
Actually, I would say that the skill sets required in law, programming and science are similar. It is about using a logical approach to decision making and how you come to conclusions, about spotting the relevant facts and being very methodical in the way you work. In my case, I seem to have a certain knack for essay writing, mathematics and practical problem-solving, skills which apply to law as well as science.
I am interested in both topics - law and programming - and I still code and keep up with the latest tech developments, even though it doesn’t directly apply to my law studies.
Can you share how your background in computational thinking has influenced your approach to legal studies?
My background in robotics and, particularly, in coding, has helped me cultivate my attention to detail. This is a really important skill for a law student. You need to learn to navigate complex
pieces of legislation and pay attention to every single word used. Similarly, when coding, missing a comma might cause you a lot of trouble.
I am a visual person, so one of the things I have taken with me from my studies at MakerLab is that I always create and use flow charts to help me solve legal scenarios, just like I do in coding. It helps me to quickly get an overview and figure out how to solve a problem. Computational thinking is a transferable skill which can be used on just about any topic. It has taught me to break down complex problems into smaller, simpler bites which are easier to solve.
I actually had this conversation with another law student who comes from a background in math, and she said the same thing - that a strong logical or scientific background helps with how one approaches legal cases.
How do you integrate computational thinking into complex legal studies?
Anyone can study law no matter their educational background, because it covers just about any industry and area of life. But it definitely is a huge advantage that I have learned computational thinking and have a practical approach to the subject. In law, there is so much fluff, so much material which is irrelevant to the topic, and unnecessary details which can easily make you lose sight of the big picture. I am able to quickly get to the point of the matter and figure out what really is important. In a way, I skip all the stuffing and go straight for the turkey! Because that is what computational thinking is all about: finding the facts, getting to the point and being concise.
"But it definitely is a huge advantage that I have learned computational thinking and have a practical approach to the subject"
We have to talk a little bit about AI, since it is such a big topic right now. Do you see any potential for AI to be applied in law practices? If so, how?
It is hard at this point in time to predict how AI will be integrated in law, since it is still relatively new and the process of implementing it in different industries is still ongoing. However, I believe it can be useful mainly for lower level tasks, eg. proofreading, comparing documents, summarizing etc., tasks which are currently mainly handled by paralegals and admin staff. But given the intimate nature in client-lawyer relationships, where confidentiality plays a big part, I do not think that robots or AI will be taking over the roles of lawyers anytime soon.
Let’s talk about your time at MakerLab. You started studying at the lab in Agrinio when you were 12 years old, and were one of the OG kids - how was that?
Well, Agrinio didn’t know much about robots back then! We were sort of the pioneer kids in the robotics field, because it was a new topic to most people in the area in those days.
I joined because I wanted to learn programming, and quickly found myself working on really cool projects such as building robots and learning how to code. I have really fond memories of being part of that initial hectic start-up phase.
What was it like being a STEM girl? There were not that many of you as it was mainly boys, right?
Being a girl who was interested in things like programming and math has often stopped people in their tracks, especially in highschool where the other students were surprised to find out I could code and was interested in computer science.
At MakerLab I never felt it was a novelty that I was a girl. Our teachers treated everyone the same, and I was allowed to do the exact same things and participate at the same level as everyone else - I was just a part of the team, which was great. But I really would love to see more girls in STEM in the future.
After a while you started participating in robotics competitions, on both national and international levels. Tell us more about that, please.
My first two competitions were on home field, in Athens, in 2018 and 2019. Where it really got exciting was when we started drilling for the international competitions in Belgium and Thailand. We had this sense of pride to live up to: we wanted to represent ourselves, our teachers and our country well on the international stage. We were particularly excited about the International Robot Olympiad (IRO) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, because we were the first Greek national team to ever participate.
It was so intense! We prepared for months, and were ready to drop dead once the competitions were over. At the same time, those are probably my most precious memories from my time at MakerLab. I built strong friendships with my teammates, and it taught me so much about perseverance and not giving up when things get hard or difficult.
What are your long-term career goals, and how do you plan on using your law degree?
I graduate next year, and by then I am planning to get my license to practice law in the UK.
I do not have my mind set on a specific area yet, but I can see myself working at a law firm with a broad focus on corporate law. Lots of law firms ask for tech or computer skills at interviews, so I believe my background in those fields will be an advantage for me when the time comes.
Do you think it would be an advantage if the wider education system could evolve to incorporate computational thinking and tech skills in schools? Why?
Those are very important skills to teach children, and I think they are crucial for the future. They are transferable to just about any studies or jobs as they teach you how to think logical and solve problems in a methodical way.
In my case, my MakerLab studies also helped me get into Oxford University and played a significant role in my application and acceptance. My mentor from MakerLab actually wrote a recommendation, which formed part of my application documents.
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom to share with children who are interested in STEM?
Be curious! Experiment as much as possible, try out new things, and do not settle on a specific path until you know where your true interest lies. Find a good mentor, someone who lets you explore and encourages you to solve scenarios on your own but who steps in with guidance and advice if you hit a hard spot. That’s what I had at MakerLab, and it helped me find my passion in the field.