I arrived in Ann Arbor in September of 2015, intending to double major in Biochemistry and English at the University of Michigan, and eventually become a doctor. I chose this pair of majors because Anatomy & Physiology and English Literature captured my imagination and interest more than any other classes. I loved the sheer complexity of all the interconnected systems that make our bodies work. I loved the marriage of beauty and logic behind crafting moving artwork and powerful arguments in written language.

Halfway through my first semester, I came to realize that I didn’t really enjoy chemistry or the idea of becoming a doctor. For a short time, I was adrift, wondering, “what do I really want from my education?” The second semester of my freshman year, I took Michigan’s introductory computer programming course, partly on a whim, and partly on the recommendation of my new friends and hall mates. Six weeks later, I had an answer to my question.

That class set off a fascination and a passion that continues and grows to this day. To me, programming and software development lie perfectly at the intersection of logic and art, meshing perfectly with all of my disparate interests. I love the process of trying to capture and express the vast complexity of the real world in an elegant way in code.

My time in college gave me the opportunity to work on projects as diverse as augmented reality applications in the medical field, to design and manufacturing tools for the marine manufacturing industry. These experiences gave me a passion for providing value to clients by bringing their vision to life. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Atomic team, where I can bring together all of these facets of software development, and continue to learn from my brilliant colleagues.