Topic Proposal

I have always been attracted to STEM- Science, Technology, Engineering,

Mathematics- fields and recently realized that I am particularly attracted to Computer
Science. Through my independent study this year, I would like to focus on furthering my
knowledge and understanding of Software Development.
From a young age, I have found STEM interesting; thereby causing a heavy accent in
those subject areas in my academic transcript. I chose the Computer Science field specifically
last year. Due to my fascination with technology, its vast implications, and its way of
unconventionally touching lives, I chose to take Pre-Advanced Placement Computer Science
my sophomore year. I sincerely enjoyed programming and felt that the experience was
marvelous when I created a new program, so I continued along this path and chose to take
Advanced Placement Computer Science my junior year. I believe this class pulled me further
into the field as I had the opportunity to work with more challenging and elaborate classes
and methods. Through both those classes, I became proficient in the Java programming
language and developed a foundational understanding of programming principles. Currently I
am enrolled in the Mobile Applications Programming course at the Career and Technical
Education Center; in this class I am actively familiarizing myself with Xcode, the Swift
programming language, and principles of application development. I have done well or am
doing well in the above classes along with my other math and science classes. Additionally, I
consistently look forward to programming classes as I enjoy building something new out of
logical statements and understanding why certain solutions work or are more efficient.
Furthermore, I have already earned some college credit to allow me pursue more involved
coursework in Computer Science in college. Additionally, I have been proactive in gaining
exposure in the field through an internship in HCL America Inc. to enable me to apply Java
principles and work under an Android developer to develop applications. I hope to focus on
Software Development this year as I am keen to deepen my understanding of how software
impacts businesses and the principles that guide the development. In the future, I aspire to
partake in technological innovation in order to make tasks easier and contribute to touching
lives, whether in the medical field through remote health monitoring or in airlines through
tracking improvements. This unwavering aspiration pushes me to research and learn as much
as possible about the field, and I strongly believe that Software Development is the correct
field for me to invest my future into.
I consider my personality as apt for that of a software developer. According to the
Myers-Briggs test, I am an INTJ- Introvert, Intuition, Thinking, Judging. The results explain
my perfectionist tendencies. Since a miniscule bug can cause an immense error, it is crucial
for software developers to be meticulous when considering the placement and logic of code.
Recommended career areas for those who are INTJs are typically in the sciences or
engineering; therefore, Software Development can be the correct career for me. Additionally,
INTJs are driven to hypothesize solutions to complex problems; thus, Computer Science may
be my method of satisfying my need for creative problem-solving. My True Color is green;
therefore, I am analytical and have strong reasoning skills. This will enable me to apply my
problem-solving skills in order to program solutions and analyze code to identify any errors.
While I am content that my personality aligns with that of a computer scientist, I believe what
will most enable me to be successful within the Software Development field is my passion
towards Computer Science. In my opinion, coding is exhilarating as it mirrors an adventure.
When I am programming, problem statements morph into a quest and the code transforms
into the necessary steps to meet my mission. From my perspective, programming is an
adventurous pursuit to identify a safe path to traverse the final bracket. While at times it feels
frustrating when I cannot create the final picture, the process of placing my code under
scrutiny and combining statements as I would with puzzle pieces is rewarding and enjoyable.