Master of Science in Computer Science

In Spring 2024, I embarked on a new chapter: pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) at Georgia Tech. This might seem like a natural step for a software engineer, but my path has been anything but conventional. My undergraduate degree is in Biomedical Engineering, a field that, at first glance, seems worlds away from kernels and compilers.

My motivation to return to academia was sparked in 2018 with the release of AlphaFold. As a professional developer since 2014, I had built everything from small web apps to large-scale distributed systems. Yet, AlphaFold’s success crystallized two things for me: first, machine learning was poised to revolutionize science in ways I hadn’t imagined, and second, my day-to-day work wasn’t giving me the depth I craved to be a part of that revolution. I realized that to truly understand and contribute to the field, I needed the kind of rigorous, foundational knowledge that only an academic program could provide.

My Coursework

My plan is to tailor my studies around two specializations: Machine Learning and High-Performance Computing. Here’s a look at my journey through the curriculum. I’ll link out to more detailed posts on each course and project as I complete them.

🌱 Spring 2024:

• CS 6200: Graduate Introduction to Operating Systems (GIOS)
  • Project 1: Simple File System
  • There was no project 2 the semester I took it.
  • Project 3: Proxy and Cache
  • Project 4: Distributed File System

🌻 Summer 2024:

After a demanding first semester, I took a three-month sabbatical to travel through Europe, returning refreshed and ready for the next challenge.

🍂 Fall 2024:

• CS 7641: Machine Learning (ML)
• CS 6290: High Performance Computer Architecture (HPCA)

🌱 Spring 2025:

• CS 7643: Deep Learning (DL)
• CS 6210: Advanced Operating Systems (AOS)

🌻 Summer 2025 (currently taking):

• ISYE 6525: High-Dimensional Data Analysis (HDDA)

🍂 Fall 2025 (enrolled):

• CS 7642: Reinforcement Learning (RL)
• CS 8803 O21: GPU Hardware and Software (GPU)

🌱 Spring 2026 (planned):

• ISYE 6420: Bayesian Statistics (Bayes)
• CS 6515: Intro to Graduate Algorithms (GA)