May it be watching the live stream of the SpaceX self-landing rocket, seeing Google’s AlphaGO beating masters of their craft or witnessing the first ever picture of a black hole all over social media, events like these evoke feelings of awe and wonder, all the while increasing my excitement for the inevitable feat that will dwarf them in comparison. Ever since I taught myself to use a computer in the early 2000’s, my learning journey has had no end in sight. Learning to program while I was in high school was probably one of the most transformative decisions in my life. It taught me not only how problems could be solved using computers but also fundamentally changed my approach towards problem solving itself. I soon found myself being referred to as ‘logical’ or ‘analytical’ both at home and school and now that I think about it, it might just be what distinguishes programmers from everyone else.

During my undergraduate studies at NUST I found myself gravitating towards software related courses, developing a particular interest in Deep Learning. Data Structures, Database Management, OOP and Operating Systems were some of the other areas that also piqued my interest. Not completely satisfied with the content of some courses at my university and wishing to stay up to date, I also completed multiple courses offered by Coursera, MIT OCW and Stanford Online.

As I entered the professional world, my habit of self study and passion for the field itself meant that I did not find myself at a loss when entering unchartered territory and I seamlessly integrated with various teams and produced quick results. Working on projects for large clients with a team of talented individuals much more experienced than I, both academically and professionally, made me realize that there is still a lot to learn, and that prospect excites me.