“I’m Batman.” Not literally but I’ve experienced the majesty of Gotham City as I’ve fought to stop the Clown Prince of Crime. Bundles of DC comic books, my reading glasses, a pair of controllers all charged up, and my computer all lie on my desk, ready to transport me into a fantastical world at a moment’s notice. Posters of my heroes, from the fictional world of DC comics to the real-life soccer idols of FC Barcelona, line my walls, and while some may describe my room as geeky, I see it as my entry point into a world where supermen thrive.

After watching The Dark Knight as a stunned seventh grader, I wanted to figure out how I could become the Silent Guardian. Yet when I played Arkham Asylum, the Batman video game, I found myself mesmerized more by the architecture of Gotham, the design of her streets, and the atmosphere of the chase than the hero himself. I have spent many weekends learning about game engines and AI algorithms to find what makes this fictional world and its interactive visual medium so life-like. I aim to one day be the hero who creates a world of his own, one which combines all the characteristics of my favorite stories and characters.

I’ve recognized my passion lies in the world of interactive software. My myriad interests, in truth, have all directed me towards software; interactive software combines nearly all of my interests. An appreciation for superheroes, science fiction, the arts, and narrative enrich the experience and allow the games to come to life and transcend the medium to explore larger questions people struggle to answer. I continue to be amazed by the creativity and imagination shown by software engineers and the limitless possibilities of coding.

I am drawn to Computer Science because of the impact it can have on so many people. It has the potential to help us develop visual aids that can serve as therapeutic remedies for children who suffer with conditions like autism or dyslexia. It has the power to unlock their inner creativity whilst they experience an environment which they have control over, an environment which welcomes them for who they are. Because of this very reason, I have never been tempted to pursue anything else than a Computer Science degree; it is the one place where I get to be a superhero and hope to inspire young boys and girls to get their imagination and eye for creativity roam freely.

I was lucky enough to be offered a position as an undergraduate teaching assistant for Intro to Computer Science and I took it without a hesitation. In addition to explaining programming concepts through a board and a marker, I was able to help beginner programmers write their first programs. Going into my first recitation as a TA, I thought I had everything worked out. I prepared interesting examples and relatable jokes, as well as a brief summary of the material, to further the students’ understanding. However, the students scored poorly on their assigned labs. I realized then that my purpose as a teaching assistant was not to help when they got stuck, but rather, teach them how to think through solving a problem.

Throughout my office hours and recitations, I try not to look at the students’ code. I get them to visualize the problem first, then I ask them questions, which allows the students to come to a conclusion on their own. The problem-solving process is more important than the code that solves the problem. With enough reinforcement, students are able to think about a problem and develop a correct solution independently of a TA. Out of over 500 students talking the class last term, nearly half received an A- or higher. I am happy to have helped students achieve that level of mastery and hopefully got them excited to build their own worlds.

Almost as exciting as imagining the worlds I could build, is thinking about where I could build them. I have a number of aspirations: I want to work as an employee for a software company and devote myself to its latest innovations. I want to become a professor and research cutting edge A.I. algorithms to put into the playable characters. I want to become an entrepreneur and make my creations accessible to the broader public. I want to get experience to help me get one step closer to my goal of making a positive difference through code.