As a kid I didn't have much ambition. I was introverted, played video games constantly, and didn't venture out of my comfort zone. It was only by chance that I discovered the world of computer science. Since I was so used to the computer screen, it was the easiest place for me to soothe my creative itch. Not on canvas or clay. Soon, I became obsessed with programming.


And sure, I concede I still play video games from time to time (nothing wrong with that), but it was--and still is--a difficult journey.


Computer science is an intense, complicated field, which can discourage early learners (I'm still discouraged sometimes). I never had someone to cater the learning process and make it easy to see the fun of programming and its usefulness. That's why I'm here as a mentor. I give students a deep, conceptual understanding of topics. For example, I'll teach not just the formulas they'll use, but how those formulas were found in the first place and what relationships they represent. That way it satisfies their curiosity and makes them more equipped as students. I rarely had teachers do that for me in school.


So what am I doing now other than playing video games? Well it's my third and last year at UT Dallas studying Computer Science. Recently, I interned at SpaceX writing flight software for their starship rocket. (Turns out rocket science is actually pretty difficult haha). Before that I interned at Cisco writing software features for their network firewall products.


During my time at university, I led our autonomous driving research lab called Nova, where a bunch of students work under a professor's lab to design, develop, and test a self-driving car! Luckily we successfully demonstrated level 4 autonomous driving after only one year.


Before that, really where it all started, was in high school. I led my competitive robotics team for three years and I had so much fun. It sparked my interest in control systems and vehicle software.


I also enjoy seeing a potential for impact in my work in computer science. That's why, after I graduate, I'm looking to join strong teams solving the toughest problems today: self-driving, space travel, and nuclear energy. We'll see where I end up. Thanks so much for reading! I hope I can be of service.