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jonkiddy's comments

jonkiddy | 1 year ago | on: Ask HN: Who has an interesting job?

Two things come to mind… my work and my involvement with FIRST robotics.

I’m the Director of IT Operations for a contract research organization (CRO). While that might not sound inherently interesting it’s deeply fulfilling. My role involves building and maintaining software that help facilitate critical research for NIH and NCI, often supporting breakthroughs in healthcare and science. I love the intersection of technology, problem-solving, and enabling teams to deliver life-changing results by helping change the standard of care for people affected by cancer.

Outside of work, I’m heavily involved with FIRST robotics, which is a worldwide competitive robotics program for high school age students. It’s an amazing initiative where students design, build, and program robots to compete in team-based challenges. And it’s very fun. I mentor students, guiding them through the technical challenges we come up against and help them discover their own potential. Watching young minds light up is very rewarding. Being a small part of that community is one of the most rewarding things I do.

jonkiddy | 2 years ago | on: Ask HN: Do you also marvel at the complexity of everyday objects?

I had a very similar line of reasoning one afternoon when making a salad for lunch. The fork, the plates, the kitchen, the ingredients, the electronics needed. All the details, history, effort, CAD, software, billing, logistics, sales, monetary transactions... which all led up to the moment where I could enjoy a salad.

jonkiddy | 2 years ago | on: Ask HN: Software engineers that came back to school

After 10+ years working as a web developer with a non-CS degree, I heard about Georgia Tech's OMSCS program [0] and signed up almost immediately. The timing was right for me and my family and my employer offered tuition reimbursement. I kept my day job and spent nights and weekends working on assignments and studying. It was challenging and learned quite a bit.

[0] https://omscs.gatech.edu/

jonkiddy | 3 years ago | on: Ask HN: How do I get into robotics?

If you truly want to learn, I suggest joining a local FRC Robotics team as a new/junior mentor. If you simply ask the students to show you what they have been working on, you may be inspired to join in and help. You'll learn together... mechanical, electrical, programming, etc.

A short overview of what FIRST robotics is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd29kzjclV0

A web based tool to search for local teams: https://www.firstinspires.org/team-event-search#type=teams&s...

I've been volunteering as a FIRST mentor for the last nine years and have learned more about robotics from the students than I did in my master's program or on my own.

jonkiddy | 3 years ago | on: Ask HN: What HN post made you money?

I have benefited monetarily indirectly by lurking on HN for years and reading others’ thoughtful comments on a variety of subjects. Then apply some of those thoughts to my career as a developer, then later a EM. HN has been a gold mine of ideas by reading what others on HN post while interacting with each other.

jonkiddy | 7 years ago | on: Ask HN: What Moonshots Have Had Real, Tangible Progress?

I'm the technical lead for the IOTN [1] which is a part of the Cancer Moonshot program [2]. Our mission is to improve immunotherapy outcomes and to ultimately prevent cancer before it occurs. Our team is moving forward on a few projects internally that I'm not at liberty to share but will be released later this year. There is a lot of hope that immunotherapy will have a profound affect on patient outcomes.

[1] https://www.iotnmoonshot.org [2] https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-can...

jonkiddy | 7 years ago | on: Snowboarding for Geeks

If you fine one, I'm very interested. Please share.

This article has great content! But at best I'm amateur skier not a snowboarder.

jonkiddy | 7 years ago | on: Ask HN: How have you attempted to validate a startup idea?

Define the problem. Write some code to solve the problem. Ask people who have that particular problem to give you money. Ask them if they know others who have the same problem. Finally ask them if they have other problems you can solve. Then repeat.

The validation happens the moment you ask someone for money. You'll know either way quite quickly.

jonkiddy | 7 years ago | on: Macbook eGPU Redux: Sticking a GTX 1080 in an AKiTiO Thunder2

Do you have a blog post or could recommend one that covers your setup? Particularly any software that needs to be installed to get ML setup properly. I’m putting together an eGPU together in the near future and have read quite a bit, however any pitfalls that could be avoided would be helpful to know up front.
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