Guest Submission - How Did I Go From Basic To Programming?

A sensor converts something from the physical world to an electrical signal. But how can I

make it into a useful circuit? Computers are invaluable for my sensor circuits in allowing me to collect data, process information, make decisions, and generate the desired output. But how can I construct my own code at Arduino programming?

The first time I ever interacted with a computer was in sixth-grade. When I was in

Bangladesh, my mom shared our TV with our neighbor. Every day during the evening, our

neighbor would come to our house to watch the news and sip a cup of tea with my mom. There was no computer, laptop, or tablet at home. When I arrived in the United States, I saw technology everywhere. My sixth-grade computer class was a struggle. I hardly knew how to turn on the computer and type. The class had a site where the teacher can see how fast a student can type. My name was last on the roster since my typing ability was far below than my classmates. They were able to complete two lessons in five-minutes while I was taking eleven to thirteen minutes. When my parents bought a computer for me and my brother, it was life-changing. I tried learning as much as I could about all the features the computer had. At the end of my sixth-grade year, I was the second on my teacher’s roster. My interest to learn about computers continued going from there.

Last summer, I decided to attend a summer program through the University of Michigan:

Electrify Tech camp - Sense It. “Who here wants to study engineering? Computer engineers,

biomedical engineers, and electrical engineers are in high demand” said Professor Phillips,

Associate Chair of Undergraduate ECE Affairs. This summer camp introduced me to a computer language that I never knew existed before. I always wondered how engineers built Bluetooth pulse oximeters or genome editing devices. I always questioned how it is possible to turn an inoperable device into a fully functioning algorithm. The summer camp gave me the knowledge to start on independent projects.

My mom always suffered from severe leg pain. There are times I felt guilty for not being

able to help my mom as often on housework such as cutting the vegetables, vacuuming the

bedrooms, and watering the plants. The knowledge from the summer camp allowed me to make small devices for my mom that reduced the amount of time she spent on housework. My bedroom was a working lab. This is where I spent hours and hours designing, making, and programming projects for my mom. There were many times when I felt my projects would fail, but the thought of helping my mom pushed me to not stop. Doing independent projects gave me the chance to develop skills and improve the lives of people around me with my knowledge.