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My name is Michael Francomb, I am a senior student at the University of Saint Thomas

• I will graduate in spring 2023 with a BS in Computer Science
• I plan to persue a career in Software Engineering
• I love learning new technologies. I am always reading about the nect new thing.

Over the course of my study at St. Thomas, I have used a variety of programming languages and technologies, including:

                               

My time at university has been an interesting one. Leaving my job of almost ten years to return to school and learn something completely new was way outside of my comfort zone, and the fact that I made this major decision in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic added to the surrealness of this endeavor. Over my time studying computer science I was exposed to many new ideas and concepts, and asked to put my newfound skills to use in projects including the following courses of study:

• Web Development:

  • In Web Development we gained skills in developing web applications. This turned out to be useful in my further study and personal projects, including my senior capstone project for Risen Christ School. In this course we participated in a group project to create a dynamic web server using Node.js that explored some element of sustainability. Sustainability is an important topic that the University of St. Thomas emphasizes in all fields, recognizing that a sustainable future can not be achieved without the cooperation of every discipline. Together with my group partners Cole and Kevin, we decided to research World Greenhouse Gas Emissions using a dataset provided by Climate Watch. Our application broke down the greenhouse gas emissions of each country by sector and year. Using the AnyChart JavaScript library we visualized the dense dataset in order to analyse the results. In the course of its development, my group and I investigated the data and charts of emissions and the reductions due to attention on this issue. I began to appreciate the great efforts the world will need to take to reach a reasonable climate goal.

• Computer Graphics:

  • In Computer Graphics we explored a topic in the field of computer sciend that can often be taken for granted. Turns out, the process required for a computer to light a specific pixel on your screen in a specific color is an astounding feat of technical innovation! This course contained some challenging work, and was a stark reminder that the most clever computer scientists are master manipulators of numbers. My vector math and linear algebra skill were required to succeed in this area. Project that we completed in this course include: Illumination and Shading, a project that uses WEBGL to demonstrate the techniques used by computers to simulate light and reflections, and 3D Projections, a prject that demonstrates the techniques used to translate a three dimensional object onto a two dimensional computer screen.

• Coursework in other departments:

  • In addition to my work in the field of computer science, I also completed several courses of study in art history. In these courses I developed my ability to write clearly and consicely towards a variety of audiences outside of my usual field. As is the case with studies in the humanities, these courses required deep though and thought provoking discussions regarding our values as students and the reflection of the pricnicples of the University of St. Thomas. These discussions and introspections on the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accssessability have challenged my assumptions and changed my perspective. My study in this field includes forwarding the mission of St. Thomas, "to advance the common good." Toward this, I contributed towards acessioning and providing data in several growing databases. In ARTH250 - Museum Studies, I contributed towards the database of Greco-Roman Coins developed by students and faculty. In ARTH202 - History of Street art, I worked to prvide pieces of art relating to the Black Lives Matter movement for the Monumnets 2 Movements growing database of art.