My current adventure is Capital One Shopping in New York City. Capital One Shopping’s core product is a browser extenstion that tags along with you as you shop online, automatically applying the latest and best coupons to your order and letting you know if we’ve found a lower price elsewhere. We also offer Paribus, a service that monitors online purchases from your mailbox (email) for price drops, and automatically files claims for you within the window of the retailer’s price protection policy. I currently work on the team that develops our Node.js-based email and placements platform.

After graduating from UVA, I moved to Indianapolis, Indiana to join Rolls-Royce in the Engineering Graduate Development Program (GDP). The GDP is a rotational engineering leadership program that combines the three stages of the engineering lifecycle: Define (requirements), Make (product), and Verify (solution) to build well-rounded engineers that understand the holistic view of the engineering process. Over my two years in the program, I worked with five different teams.

My first rotation was an Embedded Software Engineer in LibertyWorks, Rolls-Royce’s next-generation Defense R&D division. There, I wrote embedded modules for a TI microcontroller-based generator control unit running TI-RTOS to communicate with non-volatile memory. I also supported software development for the control logic of an integrated power and thermal management system, created tools for rapid development, and built code for a proprietary controller.

My second rotation was as an Application Software Engineer in Engine Performance, where I supported future engine applications. I developed tools for aerospace engineers to aid in their model creation, such as a Level 2 S-Function for Simulink to allow engine models to be run though the industry simulation tool in real-time. I also created a multiprocessing utility in Python that distributes the simulations of large experiments (1000+ points) across a 16-core system. My final project was to design a demonstration database to better track performance work in the team, which I did using Django and MySQL.

Next, I took a very non-traditional path for engineers in the program and switched to a project management role. Using systems design tools and robust engineering methods, I was able to capture requirements from stakeholders across the business to solve an internal problem. I worked with a local Internet of Things (IoT) cybersecurity startup out of Purdue University to design a custom tech demonstrator of our system. I managed a $100k+ budget and pitched the project at the Rolls-Royce Big Ideas Forum, an internal pitch competition for new product ideas, where I won the Judge’s Choice Award.

My next role was in a group with two other Engineering GDP engineers in our Design/Make rotation, where we were tasked with designing and building a solution to a company problem (internal or external). Again, I took the non-traditional route and worked on a demonstrator for expanding Rolls-Royce’s cloud computing presence. Similar to the IoT project, my group managed a budget, stakeholder requirements, and a relationship with a local MSaaS company to create a demonstrator to pitch to executive leadership. We also devoloped analytic algorithms designed to run on Google Cloud Platform to track deterioration of M250 helicopter engines.

My final role at Rolls-Royce was in the Controls team, working on cybersecurity firmware enhancements for an engine controller demonstrator. I worked on implementing Trusted Platform Module (TPM) functionality for cybersecurity of a TI microcontroller-based control system. I also got to work at the hardware level by designing a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) memory interface in a cybersecurity tech demo. This role ended when I left Rolls-Royce in April, 2019.

During the summer after my third-year at UVA, I interned in Indianapolis, Indiana with Rolls-Royce in their aerospace division. I worked in the Engineering Improvement Center, a part of their Engineering Capability department.

My main project was focused on web development (ASP.NET with C#) to enhance an application used for future cost analysis in projects. I attended meetings multiple times per week with my “customer” where we discussed features/changes that they would like to see in the application. I then implemented those features and tested them before I sent them to a pre-production server for testing by the customer. When they were happy, I deployed to the production server for over 750+ users around the globe.

My secondary project involved working with a Design Automation Engineer to help automate engine component design in Siemens NX.

Forge (formerly HackCville, which is what it was called when I was a student) is a community of self-motivated, entrepreneurial students looking to take control of their education. The center of HackCville is it’s clubhouses located at #9 Elliewood Avenue in Charlottesville, VA - a space for members and students to collaborate, work, and learn.

As a second-year at UVA, I got involved at HackCville in the Hustle Class, which is a semester-long program teaching the basics of entrepreneurship. I learned about startups and how to think like like a founder. I immediately wanted to get more involved, and became an assistant on the Alumni Relations and Operations teams my third-year. On those teams, I helped reach out to alumni and build the HackCville network, and helped with making plans to redesign the website. My fourth-year, I became a staff member; staff members are the student leaders of HackCville that help it run.

In Fall, 2016, I was the Skills Development Manager and my goal was to help students gain the skills they need to succeed in the entrepreneurial world. My team, involving 3 coordinators, hosted 2-3 workshops, talks, and office hours a week, reaching an audience of over 600 students. Talks are short 1 hour seminars by professionals in industries ranging from business to technology and design. Workshops are 2-3 hours long and are much more hands on, like the Introduction to Python workshop I hosted last year where I taught 18 non-CS students how to hit the ground running with Python. Lastly, office hours were a new concept this year that gave students the opportunity to come and sit down in a casual setting with one of the HackCville managers and chat about a topic or get help with their personal projects.

In Spring, 2017, I acted as the program-lead for the new HackCville program Hack Track. Hack Track focuses on getting projects started and helping students learn the skills necessary to make their work come alive. I host open hours each week where myself and my two TAs sit down with groups and help them work through their process. We also help organize workshops where Hack Trackers can go and learn from an expert on various topic, such as web development, app development, and photography.

• Forge Website
• HackCville Intro Video
• Hack Track Video

After my second year at UVA, I did research in the Department of Computer Science at UVA under Professor David Evans. I worked alongside four other students to create educational material dedicated to teaching computer security fundamentals to the general public and developers. The topics we studied for general users includes passwords, two-factor authentication, bitcoin, and more. For developers, we look into SQL injections, password hashing, cross-site scripting (XSS) and other hacking techniques. All of our videos, info-graphics, and descriptive pages are located on our website.

As a part-time job when not in class, I worked in the Student Activities Center (SAC) at UVA. The SAC is a central hub for over 600 Contracted Independent Organizations (CIOs) to meet and plan events, offering printing services and equipment rentals. The center helps CIOs flourish by giving them the opportunity to reach out to many students at the university. Furthermore, it offers them materials that they normally would not have access to or funds for.

I began working in the SAC as a second-year to get more involved in the University and make some money on the side. After a year of working as an Assistant, I knew I wanted a bigger role with more responsibility, so I applied to be the Equipment Manager for my third-year, and again for my last year at UVA. As the Equipment Manager, my goal was to maintain the equipment that these CIOs use and make sure it’s working properly. In addition, I educated my coworkers and CIOs on the equipment available and acted as a resource to them. The SAC has dozens of pieces of equipment, ranging from cords and adapters to sound systems and projects, totaling over $15,000. Therefore, it’s important that I kept it in usable shape and ensured I know of its location at all times.

• Student Activities Website

After my first year at UVA, I was given the opportunity to travel to Gyeonggi-Do, Korea to intern with Samsung Electronics. Part of the UVA Global Internships Program, I went with six other UVA students to work for the Korean electronic giant. We were separated into two teams, and my team worked in the Software R&D Center, specifically with their Core IP team. Lasting four weeks, we were given projects to expand our knowledge in the field. My partner (Willie) and I studied the new ARM processor architecture, familiarizing ourselves with how it works and its modifications from its old 32-bit model. In addition, we researched ARM’s TrustZone technology, and gave weekly presentations to the senior engineers with our findings.

During my time in the office, I took the opportunity to speak to my mentors about their work, their experience with Samsung, and their families. They taught us their business etiquette, business culture, and how large corporations work. On a few occasions, my boss/mentor and other team members took Willie and I out for dinner and drinks for a more casual conversation.

In addition to the amazing work experience, I also experienced the greatness that is Korean culture. Each weekend, the seven of us would travel to the nearby city of Seoul to explore. We checked out ancient Korean castles, fortresses, and many other historical landmarks. We sampled all their different food and entertainment whenever possible. In fact, Samsung sent us on a field trip where we were given the opportunity to cook Korean food, try on cultural clothes, and visit many more historical sites. It truly was a phenomenal experience, one that I cannot ever forget. Korea is a beautiful country and their culture is truly amazing.

• UVA Article on Internship