Identical twin computer science grad students share more than DNA, they share a resume
Reena and Reemaa Sajad Hyder are graduate students at the Roux Institute where they have published research together and run races in the summer months.
PORTLAND, Maine — Identical twins Reena and Reemaa Sajad Hyder have spent their lives chasing the same dreams: races, research and university.
And whether it is running a 10K or attending classes, they usually finish together.
Reena and Reemaa are in their last semesters of the master’s degree program in computer science at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute on the Portland campus. Raised in India, the sisters have stayed constant on their parallel academic and professional journeys and published research together as graduate students.
They even run together, side-by-side.
“We used to be sprinters in university, and then COVID came and we stopped competitive running,” says Reena, the younger sister by minutes. They signed up and trained for a 10K race. “She came first and I came second. Her foot went over the finish line a little before. It was a difference of a few milliseconds.”
The sisters spent a year studying in the U.S. during high school. After finishing their undergraduate degrees in computer science in South India, they worked for a year as software engineers at Soliton, an Indian semiconductor and chip validation company. Then they decided to return to the U.S. for graduate school.
“It felt like the right environment to challenge ourselves and grow both academically and personally,” says Reemaa. “Northeastern stood out for its strong master’s in computer science program. The coursework aligned perfectly with our interests and long-term goals, making Northeastern feel like the right fit for both of us.”
Working with assistant teaching professor of computer science Tala Talaei Khoei, they worked on research testing three different models to detect ransomware in Windows programs. The research was published in January in the journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
During Portland’s warm months, the sisters have enjoyed running together and in races. They have become involved in the community, representing the Roux Institute at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce annual dinner this month, where they met Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, and reunited with students they met at Bangor Savings Bank, where they worked on co-op.
Editor’s Picks
When it came time to apply for co-ops, they say they didn’t plan on working in the same place. But — following an established trend — their interests and priorities aligned.
“We did think that it would be nice if we could keep up our streak,” says Reemaa, “but it was not the criteria that we had in mind. It just happened to click.”
Reemaa was hired to work with the bank’s information security team. After getting to know how the bank keeps information secure, she developed a response playbook that consolidates and streamlines the steps to address a flagged incident.
Reena worked on the bank’s software development team, creating a series of tests that staff could use to make sure the bank’s homegrown customer relationship management tool is working properly. Then she implemented the tests.
“I was happy with the impact of my work,” Reena says. “I got to work with the team of engineers who built it as well as continue to work on it.”
Working in different departments didn’t prevent Reena and Reemaa from seeing each other during the day, which they were grateful for.
“It really helps us have company in every step we take,” says Reena. “We didn’t feel isolated or alone when we moved to a new place because we have a built-in best friend who’s facing the same difficulties or having the same issues. Having another person while you’re trying to figure things out in a new place definitely helps.”
Their journeys may have been parallel, but they don’t plan it that way. As proof of that, Reemaa will graduate in December but Reena will graduate in May.
“It’s just a coincidence every time,” Reena says.
As for what’s next, Reemaa says anything can happen.
“I would say the world is my oyster,” she says. “I did enjoy doing research, if I’m being honest, although the goal right now is working full time.”
She also doesn’t rule out the possibility of a Ph.D. program.
To that, Reena says, “Why not?”
