A curated overview of my technical and interpersonal skills. From hands-on software development in multiple languages to effective team leadership and adaptive learning, my skill set is both diverse and specialized, crafted over years of projects, collaborations, and continuous learning.
Programming
I am very experienced in Python, having developed a variety of small applications, utility scripts, and algorithmic solutions, including work on efficiency and safety metrics in the automotive industry. I've developed interactive games with JavaScript and various Java and C++ programs for both personal and academic purposes.
I have substantial experience with Python, with which I built the backend of my Travel Planner Project, a few simulators and simple games, and a variety of smaller utility scripts to extract and process data for larger projects, as well as to make my life easier! At Nikola Corp., I developed algorithms using Polars and NumPy to calculate hydrogen consumption in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and assess driver safety metrics. This involved processing large datasets efficiently and optimizing performance for real-world applications. I've built a few interactive games and simulators with JavaScript, and have built {a dozen personal and school-related Java and C++ programs}.
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Data Analysis
I recently completed a 6-month internship in which I found and presented insights on a wide array of data on a daily basis. I'm also conducting an ongoing light pollution research project, processing and analyzing images to identify both local and long-term urban and temporal phenomena using regression and clustering. My findings have influenced local lighting policies.
One of my projects has involved the long-term collection and analysis of light pollution data from all around my region. I regularly process images and night-sky measurements and convert them into raw data, which I organize, analyze, and visualize with regression, clustering, and interpolation techniques to identify trends and anomalies. Through my research, I've successfully characterized the impacts of a variety of lighting policies and made predictions to help inform local decision-making.
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Communication
My most recent internship involved frequent interaction with individuals in multiple departments across the company, and expecially within my own team. In my previous position at OFW, I acted as a liaison between Data and other departments, translating technical issues into actionable solutions. Additionally, I regularly present on dark-sky advocacy to a variety of audiences, highlighting my presentation skills.
In my previous position with OFW, I acted as the primary connection between the Data team and both Management and our Database Partner, expressing the needs and friction points the Data Team experienced, and worked to find solutions that improved our efficiency. It's because of my ability to translate technical concepts and issues into actionable suggestions, as well as my attention to detail, that I served this function for the company.
As part of my dark-sky advocacy, I regularly speak in front of a variety of audiences, from groups who have no familiarity (such as in collaboration with a friend and artist at a recent Phoenix Convention Center event), to ASU clubs with some understanding of the issue, to city councils who make the decisions with the most direct impact. My outreach efforts are one way that I keep my presentation skills sharp.
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Web Development
I have some experience with CSS, HTML, and React, having developed the front-end for my Conversational Travel Planner App and modified/expanded the features of this site. Always keen to expand my front-end skills.
While web development isn't my primary focus, I've been motivated by personal projects to come to know my way around CSS, HTML, and JS frameworks such as React. I created an MVP interface for my Conversational Travel Planner App (see my Projects), I modified and added a few additional features to a template to create this site, and am always eager to learn more about front-end development.
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Machine Learning
I have experience with building a variety of models and datasets both in school and independently. In an ongoing project, I'm applying my knowledge of various models and ML techniques to predict and interpolate sky quality spatiotemporally based on several dozen urban, weather, and time-based features.
In addition to my ongoing ML-driven study into the character of light pollution in my region, I'm actively developing models to aid in sentence classification and toxic sentiment mitigation as a continuation of my senior-year Capstone project. I have also researched techniques of fine-tuning open source large language models to replicate SOTA benchmarks in math and reasoning. I have earned A+ grades in Foundations of Machine Learning and Multimedia Information Systems, and I'm eager to expand my knowledge and skills further.
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Leadership & Teamwork
Over the course of my recent internship, I interacted frequently with several groups and individuals within the Software department and worked extensively with a Data Team of five. I have also led several group projects at ASU, often driving technical direction while ensuring strong participation. I collaborated with business students on an AI Travel Assistant App, bridging technical and business perspectives in the development of a unique and functional prototype.
I've worked on many group projects at ASU, which has helped me to develop both my teamwork and leadership skills. I have frequently been the most technically experienced member of my group, so while I've often led discussions on the technical direction of our projects and have made key development decisions, I always do my best to make sure that everyone is on the same page and to help those with less experience to be actively involved.
I built my AI Travel Assistant App in partnership with a couple of friends in the W.P. Carey Business program at ASU. While I was the most technically experienced member of our team, and led the development of the app, I found the business knowledge my partners had to be invaluable, and we forged a very productive relationship. Each of us benefitted from the knowledge and experience of the others. While my partners focused on funding, copyright, and expenses, I determined the feasibility of our key features, lead meetings on the technical aspects of the app's development, and gained additional skills in translating technical concepts into more practical terms on which business decisions could be made. We gained a strong understanding of the relationship between software development and business.
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Adaptability & Learning
I continuously adapt to new technologies and challenges, most recently delving into the world of Large Language Models. I am passionately motivated by opportunities to learn and evolve.
To build each of my projects and create what I want to create, I've learned new libraries, conventions, and in some cases new languages and frameworks. Changing technologies and new challenges are not only a non-issue for me, they're part of what makes development so exciting. Recent progress in the area of Large Language Models has changed and will continue to change a lot about this field, but it has already inspired me to create interesting and powerful tools (see Projects) and I look forward to what the future will bring. The idea of an impressive final product has always been more than enough motivation for me to learn new things.
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