Meet a Sandboxer: Anna Lee Anda
July 6th, 2010 by Katrin Winiarski
Anna Lee Anda is from New Zealand residing in Australia while completing her MSc in Information Systems. Anna Lee on Twitter.
Tell us the story of your latest project.
Currently my thesis is exploring ways technology can encourage people to exercise more, the focus with my research is using mobile applications, a running program specifically for young people with mental illness, I will also be looking at motivating young people without mental illness. I’m also involved with The Hive as I’m interested in entrepreneurship and fostering in the community. I help with the online communications to the members. We are a not-for-profit and we volunteer our time to organise it, as do the speakers who come and pass on the pearls of wisdom to the members.
What are you doing and how did you get there?
I moved to Melbourne to do my Masters after having a difficult time graduating at the peak of the global financial crisis and used the move to get involved with as many things as this beautiful city has to offer.
Tell us about the biggest successes and failures in your life. What worked, what didn’t, and what did you learn?
When I completed my undergraduate studies, during my summer vacation I took the initiative to organise a fundraising cocktail party for the Christchurch Community Hospital a local hospital desperately in need of funds of which my friends and I got everything sponsored and all money was able to go directly to the hospital. I think it was great to get business support, have fun and in turn give it all back to the community. I haven’t had major failures, touch wood. I believe you can turn any failure into an opportunity, lesson or simply put turn it into an experience.
What do you want to achieve in the next week, the next year, the next 10 years?
Next week – I’d like to get more reading done related to my research Next year – It’s time for me to do more travel and also find a job which is aligned with my studies. I love the idea of working for a start up, the culture really suits the way I think and how I do things.
What was your most inspring moment during the last two weeks?
I went to the Hive talk from the founder of a social entrepreneurship which he is trying to make self sustainable, all profits going to both local and foreign aid. I think it’s great when people go for it, risking it all for a quite unselfish goal.
How could other Sandboxers and the outside world support you and why would that be exciting for them.
It would be good to talk to other people who have the same interests in HCI or it would be those who know about work opportunities in the future.
Anna Lee’s favorites:
- book – The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
- movie – Amelie
- place on earth – Spain
- travel destination during last year – Cairns, Australia
- food – my mother’s cooking – failing that, char kway teow (fried noodle dish originating from my mother’s home town)
- drink – non-alcholic – ginger tea, alcoholic – 42 Below Manuka Honey with Ginger beer
- quote – And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. – from The Alchemist
