Barkha Mathur
CPR E 494
Cumulative Reflection
Date: 03/09/2018
Cumulative Reflection
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Iowa State: Transforming students into professionals
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I joined Iowa State as a transfer student, extending my horizon from basic course work to specialization, since I finished my basic classes, I had an opportunity to take classes at Iowa State that match my interest and allow me to specialize in respective field.
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I started my first semester with Java and Android development. I had taken JAVA classes at high school so I thought the class will be mundane, However, after few weeks, I realized even though the basic concepts were similar the class had helped me going in more in depth programming and I learned new things. After first successful semester, I could appreciate the concept of continuous learning and I started going to ACM-IPC practice and participated in other competitions too. These competitions have helped me grow as a programmer helping me code more efficiently and write complex algorithms.
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In second semester I took Wireless security, this class was especially interesting as it was a graduate level class enabling me to interact and learn from graduate students. I was able to use my previous knowledge in solving practical problems. At the end of the class, I, as a member of three people team, submitted a project aimed to hack Wi-Fi password through amazon button setup process. We had to read and understand the previous research to accomplish the goal. The project was successful and helped me personally to improve as a team member and to draw upon information and research beyond the classroom material. I had similar experience while taking other graduate courses like Information warfare and Advanced Protocols and Network security.
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Last summer, I started my internship as a software quality engineer. Even though I did not have any special training for software training, I was able to get excellent evaluation as ISU coursework had prepared me for Ethical and professional environment. My core concepts and ability to read IEEE papers, documentations and develop efficient reports, required by lab work at ISU, helped me stand out from other interns. To continue my passion and add to my background I have taken Software testing and System Software Safety classes at ISU. Again helping me understand and apply knowledge to real world scenarios as both classes include going through Software Failure documentation and a final paper addressing a current problem and presenting a solution.
Course work at ISU offers a good mix of individual and group projects preparing students to work in professional world without any constraints. It also include paper writing and presentations building up confidence and public speaking skills important for after college success. Professionalism and ethical values are emphasized through various policies and assignments to make sure every student understand and make these values a part of their personality.
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I also had an opportunity to be a part of student organizations like WiSE and WACS, enabling me to have an outside classroom experience and work on interesting projects targeting engineering problems. I also got to participate in social events and organize technical presentations for organization members, making me a better team leader and presenter.
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In short, during my brief time at Iowa State I have been able to develop as a professional and add many skills to my skill set. I have found my focus of studies and I am currently working on achieving even in depth understanding of professional world and obtain certifications of expertise in respective field. If I were to take undergraduate work again, I will take up more out of class responsibilities and start my professional training even early, adding more experience to my resume.