We live in a world where data and digitization predominate, which influences day-to-day
activities. As a result of the 'sand to silicon to microchip' journey, a new industry has
emerged, whose impact on modern technology is significant, particularly in social and
economic terms. My thoughts about the process of creating specific software for the
modern world were sparked by my observations of the development of the IT sector during
the lockdown, including the further development of the "new world" software, which
played a crucial role in the new life era. The lockdown in my two home countries, Russia and
Turkey, was exactly the case where the demand for IT specialists to develop software that
people needed was high during the lockdown, as with mobile banking operations, or remote
working online, resulting in a boom for those specialists with the ability to develop software
and algorithms. After witnessing the change in the way the world worked, I became very
interested in studying how algorithms and software work and how they are written in code,
as well as how different social media platforms use algorithms to make personalized
suggestions for each person. As a result, I became passionate about this sphere and wanted
to dig deeper into it.
Today's world is undeniably a highly technical and complex system, with multiple programs
capable of performing various tasks. I became interested in creating such kinds of projects,
which consequently made me learn the basics of two one of the most popular and
applicable languages in the world, python and C++ During my high school days, I became
acquainted with Python and it became a hobby of mine during the lockdown. I used the
“Python crash course” book, which gave me a solid foundation in programming. As a result, I
became passionate about creating a Telegram bot on python that would find films based on
their nicknames, as well as the link to film reviews. After that, I took a few courses from a
company called "Skillbox" so that I could further advance my programming skills by learning
the basics of C++. I was able to put what I had learned there to work in the optional module
offered by QMUL titled "C++ for finances", which I completed with a high distinction. Even
so, I wouldn't have found my passion for computer science without mathematics, as math is
its heavy foundation of it. As I learned the basics of Python and analyzed algorithms, the
quantitative side of computer science was of particular interest to me. My observation has
been that mathematical methods are tightly linked to computer science and that to
program algorithms and learn coding in applications, I must apply mathematics.
Nonetheless, mathematics is a favourite subject of mine, and my passion for it led me to
compete in high school competitions, where I placed third in year 8 and second in year 10,
demonstrating that my interest in mathematics and information technology has led me to
pursue a career in computer science. During the lockdown, I started reading daily
technology and cybersecurity news, and I realized that cybersecurity is one sphere in the IT
industry which attracts me quite well. “Only a switched-off computer is reliably protected”,
the citation by my compatriot Eugene Kaspersky, sparked an interest in another aspect of IT
for me. My readings became increasingly focused on how specialists find vulnerabilities, as
well as recover software after cyberattacks. Moreover, working with algorithms and
analyzing massive amounts of data led me to a different area of IT, data science, in which I
was able to see how the data is collected, and further used for the benefit of the
organization. As a consequence, I became heavily involved in these two spheres in the field
of computer science.
The quantitative analysis I have shown has also led me to study Economics, Statistics, and
Mathematics at QMUL in addition to my mathematics and coding interests. Economic
studies have been instrumental in understanding the decision-making process as both an
interesting and also complex process based on a comprehensive analysis of data, estimating
risk and outcomes, and then summarizing that information. My interest in this area is
strongly linked to my interest in data science, as both disciplines heavily rely on people
making decisions and how their behaviours are reflected in later projects.
Aside from my academic studies, I enjoy some extracurricular activities that give me a break
from the monotonous daily routine. A club of economic and political students welcomed me
in 2019. The club sessions focused on analyzing the economics and decision-making of
modern countries. It was my first opportunity to demonstrate and realize myself in those
spheres, and I successfully executed it by becoming the leader of a team. Further, I have
also developed a passion for watching and playing football, especially in my hometown
junior club, where I was enjoying playing the role of the defender and even winning three
games between both cities. My high school accomplishments shaped my personality in
terms of leadership, self-confidence, social responsibility, and other personality traits that I
hope to continue to cultivate at university.