Ankur Dave

picture of Ankur Ankur Dave <>

Overview

I have been interested in technology for nearly all my life. Starting on computers at age 3 with Windows 95, I've pursued my passion throughout my life, learning HTML at age 8, writing my first program at age 10, working as a full-time intern at the Berkman Center at Harvard University in summer 2009, and more.

I have plenty of experience working in team roles, including working with many other employees at DreamBox to develop a product within deadlines, leading a team of six computer science students to write a 3D game for Microsoft's regional Hunt the Wumpus competition in 2007, and working as the lead programmer at Saints Robotics, Interlake's robotics club.

I am a senior in the Gifted High School Program at Interlake High School. I was awarded an IB diploma in May 2009. As part of the IB diploma, I wrote my Extended Essay (a research project culminating in a 4000-word paper) on global optimization problems, and this essay was chosen from over 80 others to showcase as an example of excellent work to the faculty of Interlake.

Experience

Technology

HerdictWeb alert system screenshot HerdictWeb alert system, August 2009
Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University Cambridge, MA
Summer Intern July–August 2009

Added email alert functionality to the Berkman Center's crowdsourced censorship detection web application, HerdictWeb, using Java Servlets on Apache Tomcat.

DreamBox recommendation DreamBox recommendation, August 2007
DreamBox Learning Corporation Bellevue, WA
Software Development Engineer Intern July–August 2007

Created reusable client-side components (virtual abacuses, number-display tools, text-to-speech module) for DreamBox's online education product using Adobe Flex.

Ankur working at Saints Robotics Saints Robotics, January 2007
Saints Robotics Bellevue, WA
Development Lead 2006–2009

Developed robot control software for FIRST robotics competitions using C and C++. Maintained the team website, 2006–2008.

Hunt the Wumpus 3D screenshot Hunt the Wumpus 3D, spring 2007
Interlake AP Computer Science 2007 Bellevue, WA
Lead Developer Spring 2007

Led a team of six to create a 3D game in J# for Microsoft's regional Hunt the Wumpus competition.

Other

King County Superior Court and Information Services Seattle, WA
Intern September 2009—January 2010

Interface design and testing of electronic case management system deployment by King County Superior Court Information Services. Miscellaneous tasks for Superior Court Judge Harry McCarthy.

Education

page from Extended Essay IB Extended Essay on global optimization problems, January 2009
RPI Medal Award, a scholarship for $15,000 per year Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal Award for outstanding academic achievement in mathematics and science, June 12, 2009
Interlake High School September 2006—June 2010
Odle Middle School September 2003—June 2006

Technology

Early age

Personal

picture of Ankur
Favorite book:
Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, for its thorough yet clear discussion of evolutionary biology.
Favorite movie:
The Matrix—its detailed setting always gives me something to think about, and I thoroughly enjoy watching Neo dodge bullets.
Favorite band:
Pink Floyd—I still notice new elements in every one of their songs despite having heard them countless times.
Favorite non-computer-related activity:
Biking takes me into many different worlds, each enjoyable in their own way. Pedaling slowly along a trail, accompanied only by birds, trees, water, and sky puts me directly in touch with nature. Taking lunch along with me on hours-long bike rides with my friends is a great way to spend a day. But most of all, biking is a sport where I compete with myself, pushing the limits of speed and endurance with my shoes clipped into the pedals and my bike an extension of my body, as I literally become one with it.

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