Computer Vision News - July 2019

35 DAILY CVPR Tuesday it for a real product. At that point in time, there was a colleague at the same university who moved to BMW. He asked me, “ Jelena, we are looking for people. You are perfect. You have safety. You have computer science. Do you want to apply? ” I sent him my CV. It was really very spontaneous. I didn’t look for anything else. It looked quite challenging because BMW wanted to implement autonomous driving, but I can help! From what you say, it seems like you followed your career because it was obvious. I’m sure this is not the reality. I’m sure there were times when it was not so obvious. What were those times? I understand your point, but it’s actually my character. In whatever I do in my life, I have some kind of vision of what I want to do. For example, I knew from the beginning of my studies that I wanted to go and study abroad. In Macedonia, the salary is very low. They cannot sponsor, let’s say, going somewhere. I knew I had some time. I searched the internet on how I could get scholarships and how I can get some experience in between. I had everything planned. I didn’t know if everything would work out, but I knew I had to get good grades. I knew I had to get good internships, some extracurricular stuff. It’s not that easy! I know it sounds really obvious and very easy, but it wasn’t. I really work hard at whatever I want to achieve. There is a plan. Even now, if I think about what I want to do, I know what I have to learn as a basis, and what I have to achieve before I can get there. What is the most precious lesson that you received from your teachers? [ laughs ] I don’t know if it sounds very cliché, but from my math teachers: discipline and hard work. That’s also what my father told me every day. He also taught me that there are no easy ways in life. I can tell a story that basically no one knows except in my family and my boyfriend. So let’s reveal it! I finished elementary school, which is Jelena Frtunikj