This past year I have spent a lot of time indulging in my hobbies, leading my passion for them to grow and greatly increasing my technical knowledge in the realms of chemical engineering and computer science.

 

This process started when Spotify took down one of my go-to albums and the realization that I had no control over the availability of my music really scared me. I decided to start maintaining my own music library. As a result I learned of FFMPEG, a powerful command line utility to process and convert audio and video files without degradation. I also was able to learn the intricacies of how modern computers manage files, including “neat and interesting” topics such as audio codecs, containers, compression, metadata tags, and so many other details that go unseen or underappreciated by the majority of music listeners.

 

To utilize FFMPEG, I needed to become more comfortable with the command line interface. Growing up using only graphical interfaces, there is a noticeable adjustment in remembering and typing everything I want to do. But each command I mastered felt like an achievement, which strengthened my resolve to continue learning. This quickly led to an exploration of batch scripting, transforming my approach to repetitive tasks and allowing me to automate processes to both save time and reduce errors. Overall, these benefits underscored the value of patience and the satisfaction that comes from honing a complex skill.

 

Later during the academic Spring Semester, a classmate and I began a coding project to help us better understand our high-level chemical engineering classes. Since the work would be collaborative, we decided to host our code on GitHub. While he used a graphical application to manage his local repository, I instead used my newfound comfort with command line to learn regular Git. I feel that alternating between the graphical representations offered by Visual Studio Code (my IDE of choice) and the raw Git output made it easier to navigate the intricacies of tracking changes and managing different versions. As I better understood the system, it really drove home the importance of meticulous documentation and record-keeping when working with others.

 

Our code was written in Python, with a heavy reliance on the NumPy library to handle these computationally expensive problems. NumPy specializes in manipulating large datasets and performing mathematical operations quickly, and this allowed me to delve deeper into finite element analysis, recursive calculation refinements, and simulations without overloading my computer. The applications of our tools to real-world problems are arguable, but overcoming each sticking point enhanced my problem-solving abilities and fortified my resolve to tackle challenges head-on. As this project was nearing its conclusion, I was introduced to CHEMCAD, a process simulation software that actually has practical, real-world applications. Coming directly from coding, a very free-form and open-ended problem-solving environment, using a software package with clear boundaries helped me exercise my more linear problem-solving abilities. Both avenues greatly enhanced my overall understanding of chemical engineering principles and my ingenuity.

 

 I have been messing around with locally hosted AI models for the past two years or so. The technology is cutting edge but is openly available for personal use beyond what similar corporate products can offer. In February, I saw that UC would be hosting an event called the Digital Technology Solutions AI Symposium. So, naturally, I took a long shot.

I applied to present at the event, through both a lecture and workshop.

To my excitement, the college accepted my proposal, and I got the green light to host both! This opportunity was super transformative and allowed me to delve into the history of neural network architectures, the modern transformer, self-attention mechanisms, and so much more. With no real qualifications outside of hobbyist experience, I designed my presentation to be super accessible and appeal to non-technical attendees. It was a resounding success (i.e. I want to assuage any doubts you may have had about the outcome), and I feel I grew a lot as a result. Engaging directly with the audience through hands-on demonstrations was both challenging and rewarding. It sharpened my communication skills and deepened my understanding of the material, as teaching often does. The interaction and feedback from participants reinforced the value of community and collaboration when learning.

 

Throughout this transformative year, the invaluable support of my peers and online resources have driven my growth. Both classmates and digital communities have offered encouragement, guidance, and a wealth of insights that helped me navigate complex concepts and further refine my projects. Looking ahead, I plan to leverage these resources and my support network to continue my journey of self-improvement. By setting goals, seeking continuous feedback, and evaluating my learning process along the way, I aim to continue this cycle of learning and continue to develop my technical skills into the future!