Biography

My passion for computer science grew during my high school years as a result of my interest in creative storytelling through media such as games. I took an introduction to Java class at a summer camp as a joke, but it ended up being one of my all-time favorite subjects. I grew to be passionate about the logical process behind programming, and I ultimately graduated from UCSC with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

Creating something that is logical, beneficial, and unique interested me, and I see programming as a way of explaining the logical nature tasks and items, including their behaviors and interaction with the rest of the world. Variables hold values, and while those values may just represent a piece of data or bits for the computer, but we can name them and suddenly they become an indispensable part of the program. I see humanity in this experience, as it proves to me every day that something as insignificant as a bit could be a part of a great creation that inspires others to share and create themselves. 

I started working as a tutor in college during my second year, supporting students in classes on distributed systems, advanced programming, and Python and other programming languages. I soon discovered that I could best help my fellow students by asking leading questions and filling in information only when needed. In this way, I was able to guide them to the answers, and it was extremely rewarding to watch my peers answer my questions more confidently as time went on. I believe that active understanding and critical thinking skills are necessary for success in math and computer science, yet the education system does not always give students the tools they need. These experiences inspired me to dedicate a part of my life to help others think, understand, and grow in this way. 

Asking questions remains the focus of my tutoring philosophy. Questions are the most fundamental way to get in touch with a student’s logical mind. They help students master the thought process of someone else’s discovery so that they can apply the material to a range of problems and situations, and they hone critical thinking and problem solving skills that help students succeed not only in their classes, but in their careers and lives as well.

In my free time, I like to create digital art, play instruments, and participate in tabletop roleplaying sessions, such as D&D campaigns and Call of Cthulhu sessions.