My Interest In Computer Science And Technology – The Cutting-Edge Field Of Innovations

For years I have been fascinated by how simple mathematical models can provide a way to replicate the real world into computers. Since then I realized that mathematics is fundamental to computer science and I wanted to study computer science at a higher level. My dedication to maths brought me to take an extra course to cover calculus and probability in detail. I have always liked to engage with challenging problems and, in school, I cultivated an interest in maths, physics and computing. Studying computer science has taken since I was 15, a great part of my spare time, as I was never satisfied with the syllabus taught at school. Reading “The Code Book” by S. Singh grew my excitement in cryptography and cybersecurity, deep concerns of today's society. To assist my cybersecurity studies I began to use Linux distros and learnt Python to develop my first script, a tool that allows to quickly spoof MAC address to improve privacy inside a local network. Using Linux has given me insight into how computers work while creating my own tools as made me keen on implementing algorithms. Besides I have also studied C++, SQL, and Java, which made me enthusiastic about Object Oriented Programming. Lately, I studied Haskell to learn a new approach to programming in which I designed an algorithm to replicate the Diffie-Hellman key exchange. The habit of self-study enables me to improve the ability to manage my time efficiently and I am confident that it will prove invaluable during my studies at university.

My interest in computer science and technology extends in other fields such as neuroscience and philosophy. Induced by the reading of “Gödel, Escher, Bach”, I read an essay by the philosopher J. R. Lucas, “Minds, Machines and Gödel”, that enthralled me for relating the Gödel’s incompleteness theorems with the impossibility of a mechanical model of the mind.

I resolved to take a gap year to gain some work experience and to strengthen my mathematical foundations and programming skills by studying linear algebra and algorithms. I am also following an online course by MIT on machine learning and artificial intelligence. From these topics, my attention turned to the theoretical aspects of computer science, such as the Halting Problem and the P vs. NP problem. My last achievement was to design and develop a program for the school’s meteorological department. It registered, converted and displayed in diverse graphs the data provided by Sigfox devices. This allowed me to deal with customers' demands and enhance my communication skills. I am currently working for Maggioli Spa to manage and migrate sensitive data information databases. This experience is stressing the value of writing reliable, maintainable and flexible code and improved my team working ability.

As I consider a healthy body the basis for a strong mind I have been practicing sports — jujitsu and weightlifting — during these years, teaching myself perseverance and discipline. Playing chess has helped me bolster my critical thinking–learning tactics, exploring possibilities, and exploiting weaknesses – and has proven surprisingly useful during my cybersecurity studies. In my spare time, I also enjoy playing CTFs to stimulate my creative thinking.

I am looking forward to gaining a Computer Science degree that will enable me to work in cutting-edge fields and innovate. In particular, I am enthralled by AI and cybersecurity and by how they might influence each other in the near future, and I plan to continue my studies.