I am currently pursuing a Software Engineering degree, motivated by my fervent passion for programming robots and witnessing them come to life. The prospect of delving deeper into coding languages and software development methodologies fills me with excitement and anticipation. I am eager to immerse myself in this field, as it aligns perfectly with my interests and aspirations. With this education, I aim to leverage my skills to innovate and develop solutions that address real-world challenges. My enthusiasm for technology and its potential to drive positive change fuels my determination to excel in this program and make a meaningful impact in the tech sector. In addition to my pursuit of a Software Engineering degree, I am particularly intrigued by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday life. I envision leveraging AI technologies to enhance efficiency, productivity, and convenience for individuals across various domains. Whether it's through developing smart home systems, personalized virtual assistants, or autonomous vehicles, I am excited about the potential of AI to revolutionize how we interact with technology on a daily basis. My goal is to harness the power of AI to create innovative solutions that improve people's lives and contribute to the advancement of society as a whole. The project I uploaded is a full stack program that I made with a teammate for a Final Project at Iowa State University.

In today's interconnected world, the transformative power of software extends far beyond mere technological advancements. It serves as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and societal progress. The Heal Our World using Software Scholarship, a tribute to Shakil Dost, epitomizes this ethos by empowering students in computer science to explore innovative solutions that address pressing societal challenges. As a student at Iowa State University majoring in Software Engineering, my journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of leveraging technology for the betterment of society. My passion lies in embedded systems and programming autonomous robot movements, coupled with a keen interest in harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance human lives. One of my notable projects, the AI Auto Reply mobile app developed for Impulse AI, exemplifies my commitment to utilizing software for societal good. This innovative app harnesses the power of AI, to generate personalized responses to text messages. By enabling users to tailor responses based on tone, mood, and other parameters, AI Auto Reply enhances communication efficiency while promoting inclusivity and accessibility. Furthermore, my involvement in developing the Realtime Marine Tracker underscores the transformative impact of software in promoting environmental sustainability. This project, created as a final project for a web development class at Iowa State University, utilizes a Raspberry Pi and Arduino setup to collect and visualize real-time marine data. By providing users with access to crucial environmental data, this project not only fosters awareness but also empowers communities to make informed decisions for the preservation of marine ecosystems. Additionally, my experience as the lead programmer for my team's robot in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) competition exemplifies the role of software in driving innovation and resilience. Through complex algorithms and sophisticated programming techniques, our robot seamlessly navigated obstacles, detected game elements, and executed precise maneuvers. This not only showcased the potential of software in robotics but also highlighted its ability to foster creativity and problem-solving skills among young minds. Looking ahead, I am eager to continue exploring innovative software solutions that address societal challenges, promote inclusivity, and contribute to the overall growth and resilience of communities. Whether through internships, co-ops, or future projects, I am committed to leveraging my skills in frontend and backend development, AI, and embedded systems to make a meaningful impact. In conclusion, I believe that my passion for technology, coupled with my hands-on experience and dedication to societal well-being, make me a strong candidate for the Heal Our World using Software Scholarship. With this scholarship, I aim to further my education, deepen my impact, and contribute to a brighter future empowered by innovative software solutions.

I am drawn to the world of computer science and programming by a deep-rooted passion ignited by an unlikely source—Minecraft. The game's ability to be modified using Java fascinated me, sparking a journey of exploration into the realms of programming and logic since sixth grade. Learning Java opened doors to understanding computer systems and logical thinking, fostering a profound love for programming. I expanded my skills to include Python, C#, and even ventured into building custom PCs, a testament to my curiosity and determination to grasp the intricacies of technology. High school introduced me to the exhilarating world of robotics through the FIRST Tech Challenge, where I contributed to the design, construction, and programming of our team's robot. This experience was transformative, solidifying my passion for programming and robotics. It propelled me towards Iowa State University, where I am pursuing a software engineering degree to delve deeper into these fields. Post-graduation, my dream is to contribute to groundbreaking advancements in technology at esteemed companies like SpaceX, Tesla, or Boston Dynamics. With gained expertise and resources, I aim to establish my own company focused on leveraging cutting-edge programming and robotics to enhance human productivity and well-being. By creating machines that complement human efforts, I envision a world where individuals can find fulfillment in their work while enjoying more time with loved ones and pursuing leisure activities. I believe I am a deserving candidate for the Chris Jackson Computer Science Education Scholarship because of my unwavering dedication to realizing my aspirations. Having graduated high school and now fully focused on my academic pursuits at Iowa State University, I am working diligently to advance my knowledge and skills in computer science. By seeking financial assistance through this scholarship, I aim to alleviate the financial burden of college expenses and propel myself towards achieving my goals in the field of computer science. In summary, my passion for technology, coupled with my determination to make a meaningful impact, drives me towards a future where innovation improves lives. With this scholarship, I am not only investing in my education but also in the potential to shape a brighter future for society through technological advancement.

I think that wearable devices will revolutionize human beings and their lifestyles. Ever since the first computers were invented and commercialized, technology has been increasingly more powerful and becoming much smaller. For example, the cell phones that we have today are many, many times more powerful than the first computer, which took up a whole room! Yes, I know that smartphones aren’t necessarily wearable devices, but they do provide the backbone and do the heavy lifting to support your wearable devices. I think that we will see new wearables be released to the market within the next ten years and, there will be seamless connection between them. Human beings love having technology close by and readily available. This is made evident by the fact that many people, especially teens and college age students have smart watches and depend heavily on their smartphones. Desktop computers are great, there are many things that I would rather do on a desktop or laptop than on a phone, but there is something alluring about being on the go and still having immense processing power in the palm of your hand, or even on your wrist. I don’t think that workstations will go extinct but rather that they will begin to work seamlessly with wearable devices. I’ve always wanted my phone to be able to connect with my desktop. I’d really like to be able to start watching a video on my phone and partway through arrive at my desk and continue watching it from my computer, especially without any hassle or pause in the experience at all. This is the type of seamlessness that I would really love to have, and that I suspect we will have eventually. I also think that wearable devices themselves will be seamlessly connected between each other like this. Imagine having your smartwatch track your pulse and send the information to your smart glasses so that you can see the data. Or how about using the GPS on your phone to tell your watch and your smart glasses where you are? These two scenarios both describe something that I truly believe will be the next big thing in technology: smart glasses. We have some early forms of smart glasses already, but I think that they will become much better over the next several years. Meta is already working on making full augmented reality glasses and is working on making them sleek and natural looking. I am quite excited to see how this technology grows over the next decade and how it begins to change people’s lives. My dream is to start my own business creating technology, like smart glasses, that will revolutionize how humans experience life and that will help them pursue their passions. I also think that wearable devices will start to use your body heat to generate the power that they need to run on. This will allow these wearables to essentially stay operational for as long as the person is wearing them, provided that the devices don’t break or become outdated, which is extremely unlikely. However, no matter how quickly each iteration becomes outdated, using body heat to power devices is almost certainly the best way for a wearable to be powered. As wearable technology progresses, each iteration will become less of a leap, keeping the devices from becoming outdated as quickly. Wearable devices will also cause great change to people's lifestyles. Because wearable devices can track the user’s physical activity, they will help people to get into and to stay in shape. Even cheap smartwatches already have the capability to track the user’s heart rate and steps and they can even remind the person to get up and move when they have been still for long periods at a time. As this technology progresses, we will start to see smart watches that can detect health problems and can alert the user ahead of time. I hope that as smart watches become more popular, we will see a decrease in obesity and an increase in fitness levels across America and the rest of the world. Wearable devices will also help people to become more productive. It would be great to have an on-the-go voice assistant that you could communicate with to set reminders, control GPS, and whatever else you would like. However, I do find one big disadvantage with wearables, and even smart devices as a whole. Many smart devices have little-to-no security measures and because they transmit wirelessly over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it would be quite easy for a hacker to intercept the data being transmitted between your device and your phone. It is also possible that a wearable could be exploited to give the hacker access to your phone or to launch a virus on it. Currently, most wearables don’t have any particularly valuable information, but it is only a matter of time before they do. In fact, many name brand watches already have these features. NFC pay is a prime example. If a hacker could intercept the data between your phone and your watch it is extremely likely that he could see your credit or debit card information. I think that these security issues must be addressed before wearables advance too much further. One way that this could be fixed is by using end-to-end encryption to protect the connection between your watch and your phone. It would also be great to have a facial recognition or fingerprint scanner on your watch in order to keep other people from stealing it and using it. Smart glasses could scan your cornea or even your retina every time you put them on. I think that security measures like these would be tremendously helpful to protect your data and your online privacy. In conclusion, I think that wearable devices will be extremely helpful to society. They most likely will be able to detect certain health problems, and they can contribute to creating a healthier, safer society. Technological advancements will further the capabilities of wearable devices and will help them to connect to all sorts of other smart devices. There are some security concerns that must be addressed as wearable technology continues to be developed but I think that if these issues are addressed properly then they can be fixed. I am excited to see what wearable technology holds in store for us in the future.

I first became interested in programming and computer science because of Minecraft. It sounds strange but the ability to modify the game with a common programming language, Java, really intrigued me, sparking a passion for programming that has lasted with me since sixth grade. I was inspired to learn how to program in Java which led to me learning so much more about how computers work and how to think logically. It turns out that I really love to program, and I became quite good at it. I learned how to program in Java, Python, C#, and I even learned how to build PC’s, which lead me to build my own desktop, my cousin’s, and even one for my church. During high school, I participated in a nationwide robotics competition known as FIRST Tech Challenge, or FTC. In this competition, students work together to fundraise, design, build, and program their very own robot. This was a great experience for me because it gave me the opportunity to program a robot! I’ve always been excited by crazy robotics inventions and getting the chance to program my own was amazing. All this worked together to make me passionate about programming and robotics fields. One thing led to another and now I am going to Iowa State University for a software engineering degree. After I receive my software engineering degree, I want to go work for an advanced technology company like SpaceX, Tesla, or Boston Dynamics. After gaining some experience, and saving up some money, I want to start my own company creating technology that will improve people’s lives. I will use cutting edge technology in both programming and robotics to create machines that work alongside humans. The goal is that humans will enjoy their work more and be more productive without the repetitious, menial tasks and the stress that most jobs bring. With less stress, people could spend more time with their families and take time to have fun. In short, I want to make the world a better place for everyone who lives in it. I think that I should receive this scholarship because I am passionate about what I believe in and what I want to do with my life. I am working hard to pursue my interests and to pay for college. I currently work part time at Clickstop Inc. winding, sewing and packing ratchet straps and other tie-downs for the trucking and transportation industries. I want to get through college debt free and this scholarship would be greatly beneficial to help me pay for college. In conclusion, I want to change the world with technology to help people enjoy their lives.

I admire Isaac Newton. He was way beyond the people of his day in intelligence and brilliance. He devoted his life to finding how the world works through physics and many other studies. I remember really enjoying physics in high school and, since I was homeschooled, I remember trying to explain the concepts to my mom. I would have to use all sorts of analogies and other techniques to really help her understand it. I love all the concepts in physics and I am really grateful that Isaac Newton laid down the foundation for it and even for so many other scientific fields. Everything uses physics and I think that studying about physics helps people appreciate how the world works more. Without Isaac Newtown's foundational science we wouldn't be nearly as advanced in technology as people are today.