hello, world!
I'm Michael, a software engineer at Google and a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in computer science and mathematics. My interests lie in computer science education, number theory, and space exploration.
about me
Growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city largely revolving around technology, robotics, and education, I have been engulfed in a world where the impossible is constantly challenged. My excitement with technology, however, really took off when I built my first website at the age of eleven. The ability to put together some HTML and instantly see my webpage was truly magical. By high school, I was developing websites for local businesses and school organizations. I began taking computer science courses to fill my electives, but never considered that it would ultimately direct me to where I am today.
Alongside my dabbling in software development was my passion for astronomy. While I enjoyed coding, at the time, I did not see it as a life-long career. Instead, I dreamt of furthering mankind's reach into space at NASA. Going into university, I began my studies in aerospace engineering, but continued my computer science coursework in pursuit of a minor. Soon, however, the unique gratification of my computer science courses persuaded me to add it as a second major.
Having previously enjoyed tutoring in math and science, I decided to apply for a teaching assistant position in the computer science department. As the semesters went on, helping, teaching, and mentoring students would prove to be my greatest passion. Holding office hours and supervising labs became the part of the day to which I looked most forward. While I enjoyed aerospace engineering, I knew now that computer science was the field that I wanted to embrace. And so, after three years of my studies in aerospace engineering, I made the tough decision to shift my focus to computer science and mathematics.
Today, I continue to be fascinated by all areas of computer science, particuarly software architecture, data structures, and algorithm visualization, and welcome all chances to incorporate my childhood dream of space exploration. Although having graduated, I plan on possibly continuing my studies at MIT, Stanford, or Cambridge, following a few years in industry. And in my downtime, you'll most likely find me perfecting my cooking and piano skills.