Notes

At the age of 13, I started teaching myself the basics of JavaScript and C++. I quickly got to a stage where I was able to start learning through doing. As a consequence, I was always looking for new problems to solve to hone my acquired skills. My newly found passion for computer science soon became an unending fascination. This fascination led me to explore many domains in the field of computer science, and find great satisfaction in implementing the most efficient and coherent solutions possible when faced with a problem. Therefore, I can only conclude that efficient problem solving is where my passion truly lies.

During my second year at Liverpool Hope University, I completed a highly theoretical and intensive computer networking course focused on the TCP/IP stack and all related algorithms and protocols. While conducting in-depth analyses of these algorithms, I discovered my passion for computer networking and the complex problem solving found therein. I often apply these skills in my journey to become an AWS certified advanced networking specialist. Throughout my brief career in computer science I have felt a pressure from my peers and mentors to specialize in an area of computer science early. I have not taken this advice in view of the fact that a computer scientist should have a well rounded understanding of all processes involved and computer science as a whole.

I frequently look for new opportunities and change in my life. I am not afraid to take risks, challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone to pursue these opportunities either. This is evident through the fact that I have lived in three distinct countries in the past three years. It's within my nature to challenge myself, exceed expectations and insist on the highest standards. A great example of this is during the back-end development of an application used by amazon’s emea capital planning team internally to automate capital acquisition requests where I reduced the total run-time of a data flow by 3000%. Coming from an academic family, raised by two economics professors, I understood at a young age the importance of critical thinking, challenging everything and being open minded. Oftentimes, I find myself playing devil's advocate to ensure all possibilities are thoroughly explored before committing myself to implementing a solution.

Curiosity is a driving force of motivation for me. I find joy in trying to fully comprehend new topics I learn about and understand how they relate the broader context. Another source of my ambition is the idea of being able to remedy any practical problem I am faced with using a technical solution. This is reflected in my dedication to learning through various personal projects. Where I made sure each new project always confronted me with new content to explore.

Fellow students describe me as someone who is analytical and proactive, but also welcoming and empathetic. I believe that collaboration is the key to high quality outcomes, and I therefore try to actively involve my peers in discussions and make them feel comfortable to share their perspectives. I’ve come to realize that collaboration is both the most rewarding and most challenging obstacle to success. This was especially pronounced through my switch from being a solo developer to working on a team. I’ve worked as a solo developer for many years both professionally and unprofessionally and grew accustomed to the velocity and quick decision making this allows for. Only when I joined my team at Amazon did I realize that my communication and collaboration skills are just as, if not more, valuable than my technical skills. Similarly, I find that to achieve a productive work environment it is important to keep everybody in the team motivated. In group activities I naturally assume the responsibility of maintaining both a strong work ethic and a light-hearted atmosphere.