Kimberly Christine Ruth
UW Honors Graduates
Kimberly Christine Ruth

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics
Designation: College Honors
Honors Grads 2019/2020
Proudest Moment: I remember participating in the Putnam competition and encountering a particularly nice problem. The solution was not initially clear to me, but the problem lent itself to persistent exploration and gradual discovery, and I loved the warm feeling I had as the last pieces of the proof fell into place in my head. I was proud that I immersed myself in the problem and enjoyed the journey as well as the destination.
Thesis: Understanding and Designing for Security and Privacy in Multi-User AR Interactions
I’m completing a double degree in computer engineering and mathematics with College Honors. My Husky experience has included participating in undergraduate research since first-year year, tackling challenging math problems, volunteering to help students on their path to academic success, and stretching myself in coursework both inside and outside of my major. I care that what I build is trustworthy, that I’m cognizant of how we know what we know, and that I’m contributing to the kind of community I want to be a part of. I enjoy learning to ask good questions under ambiguous circumstances, breaking down complex problems and questions, and probing the reasons why things are true. My academic and research focus is computer security and privacy: I work to discover how to build systems better by understanding how they can be broken. Using this security mindset, I’ve had the opportunity to address emerging security and privacy challenges in augmented reality, formulating design recommendations and building tools for technologists to use in practice. I’m honored to have received several forms of recognition during my undergraduate journey, including a UW College of Engineering Dean’s Medal, Computing Research Association Undergraduate Researcher Award, Washington Research Foundation Fellowship, Goldwater Scholarship, Husky 100 Award, and Mary Gates Research and Honors Scholarships. I’m very grateful for the many mentors and supporters who have helped me along the way.