About me

👋 Hello there, I am Sam. I'm a 19 year old student, software developer and pilot from the UK 🇬🇧.

📖 I'm currently studying computer science at the University of Portsmouth and enjoy developing apps, websites, and software in my spare time. My proudest achievements are pinned on my projects page on my website. I particularly enjoy developing with Svelte, Python, Swift, and Postgresql, but I'm always looking to learn new technologies and languages.

🎓 My university modules have significantly developed my skills in teamwork and pair programming. Combined with my experience in hospitality, I excel in collaborative environments where I can work effectively with peers to deliver high-quality software. Last year, my team and I successfully designed and presented a network diagram for a fictional festival. This year, in my software engineering module we will be collaborating in a group of six to design, implement, and present a comprehensive software product. I am eager to apply what I will learn in this module, alongside my Web Programming module, to further develop my skills in these areas.

🚀 During my time in University, I competed in the UKIEPC 2023, placing 122nd out of 257 teams, where I developed solutions in Python for algorithmic challenges. I intend to compete again in 2024. I’m also a National Finalist in WorldSkills UK for web development and am currently training for the finals in November in Manchester.

🐧 As a dedicated Linux user for over three years, I have hands-on experience with various distributions, including Debian, Fedora, and Arch Linux. I prefer Debian for its blend of stability, package availability, and ease of use. My desktop runs a dual boot of Debian and Windows 10—for the office suite and other applications that can't run through Wine—while my laptop runs macOS, allowing me to easily develop platform-antagonistic software. This is very important to me, as I believe that software should be available to everyone, regardless of their choice of operating system.

🛫 Beyond computers, I enjoy flying and am currently working towards my Private Pilot License (PPL). I've spent time researching the Airline Communicating Addressing Reporting System (ACARS) network and how it operates behind the Datalink Display Unit (DDU) and intend to publish a video of my findings, blending my passion for technology and aviation.