This summer we have an engineering intern from Tufts University (go Jumbos) joining the team. He’ll be working on internal projects including Rotorobot and a couple of new ideas. Here’s Phil in his own words.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure. I’m from Haverhill, MA originally so I’d call Boston home. I’m currently attending Tufts University and pursuing a BA in both Computer Science and Cognitive Science. At Tufts, I’m also working with the linguistics department on a couple of research projects surrounding the structure of the mental lexicon.
Where can we find you outside of work and school?
I’ve been playing Rugby at Tufts for the past few years so probably on the pitch, or maybe relaxing in my hammock with a book and an IPA.
What’s been the hardest part about learning PHP and Symfony2?
The hardest parts about learning Symfony2 have been recognizing how the many components of the framework fit together, and allowing the framework to take care of some of the heavy lifting. It was a leap to go from hacking away with straight PHP to designing an application, keeping both structure and modularity in mind.
Which computer science course has helped the most in transitioning to “real world” programming?
The computer science curriculum at Tufts has definitely helped me make the transition into real world programming. In particular, the course: Comp20 – Introduction to Web Development has given me exposure to the many tools that are used in the creation of web applications.
What technology/language/framework/etc. are you excited to learn more about?
This summer I’m excited to learn more about back end programming, the SQL language in particular as well as learning Bash more in depth so I can improve my use of the shell.
So far, what’s your favorite lunch spot been?
My favorite lunch spot so far has definitely been Orinoco in Harvard Square. I will buy some of their hot sauce by the summers end.
And finally, movie quote you live by?
For the uninitiated, Orinoco has an authentic Venezuelan hot sauce which has been known to destroy even veteran hot sauce connoisseurs. Here’s Phil deciding to take the plunge:
