Hi reader!
My name is Juan Pablo Duque, and after 3 hard years of working plus studying for the online postbaccalaureate in computer science, I find myself 2 months from the finish line!
My experience with computers as a kid was a mix of excitement and fear. While I enjoyed playing games, I was wary of exploring further, fearing I might damage it. This fear of damaging the computer came from a teacher at school, who shaped my initial relationship with computers as one of extreme cautiousness and fear.
During my first degree in civil engineering, I started to view computers in a different light, and the irrational fear that I had before changed into curiosity after I became aware of the huge impact the computer had on my academic and personal life (this was the early days of Facebook and smartphones). During that time, I became increasingly interested in computer science and at some point, I decided that one day I would go back to study this subject deeply. And 18 years after graduating from Civil Engineering, here I am fulfilling that promise 😊
Since my first degree, I have leaned towards entrepreneurship and investments, though I have also pursued other interests over the years, such as becoming a diving instructor. In 2019, after selling my startup, I had the chance to reevaluate my career path. All the media attention that Artificial Intelligence received during that time caught my interest, which led me to start doing machine learning and deep learning courses on Coursera and look for study groups on these topics. While doing these courses I became aware of all my gaps in computer science knowledge, which combined with my desire to move away from Colombia, motivated me to enroll in the online BS in computer science at Oregon State University.
After graduating I expect to have more time to reconnect with colleagues and assemble a team to work on a project that leverages technology to solve a real-world problem, feeling more confident now to go over that path. With some luck and hard work, I hope my projects will contribute meaningfully to my future clients.