It’s time to choose a project! This is a task that I don’t take lightly because I will be investing a ton of time in whichever idea I choose. For my Capstone project I really want to expand my knowledge and create a product that I will be proud to bring up in interviews. I’ve narrowed my possible projects into five choices, so without further ado, here they are!

5. Job Tracker

• Description: Create a website where users can track their internship and job applications.
• Pros: My previous knowledge of website development would make this project much easier. I am interested in learning how to maintain user accounts/credentials.
• Cons: Redundant experience since I have already created a few websites, so there wouldn’t be much to add to my resume
• Takeaway: While I am intrigued by learning how to operate a site with login information, I fear that this project wouldn’t distinguish itself much from my current portfolio. So I am willing to do this one, but it’s at the end of my wishlist.

4. Crowd-sourced Immersive Language Learning App

• Description: Create an app for native speakers of a language to contribute their own audio for learners to listen.
• Pros: I took a mobile app development class last quarter so I have some experience building mobile apps. Like I mentioned for the previous project, I am interested in learning to maintain user accounts. I am also fascinated by languages so I would enjoy the content of the app.
• Cons: The end result I’m interested in (having lots of users sharing their own audio clips) wouldn’t be achieved by the end of the quarter.
• Takeaway: The real work of this project is creating the functionality, however my interest is mainly in seeing an app like this that not only has functionality, but has been scaled for lots of active users. I’m not sure how feasible this goal would be in the span of only a quarter.

3. Simulation Challenge

• Description: Create a Virtual Reality (VR) simulation.
• Pros: Testing out my product would be a ton of fun!
• Cons: I have no VR experience, so there could be many unexpected learning curves. There could be a potential delay for my project because I don’t own a VR headset and I would have to wait for one from my school.
• Takeaway: I would be very willing to do this project, however I think it will eat up every free second I have since I have no experience in this area. That might not be an issue though since VR is a lot of fun. I mean, testing my product by playing a video game doesn’t sound too bad!

2. Algorithmic Stock Market Trading Strategies

• Description: Implement and test stock market trading strategies.
• Pros: I want experience with machine learning and using statistical models. Working with these algorithms would increase my knowledge of investing.
• Cons: If I were to bring up this project in an interview, it would probably be important that the interviewer has a decent understanding of the stock market to fully explain the project.
• Takeaway: I have been starting to dabble in the stock market and a project like this could help increase my understanding of investing. The end result may not be super flashy but it could give clear metrics showing the success of my project.

1. Top-n Music Genre Classification Neural Network

• Description: Create a neural network capable of guessing the genre of songs.
• Pros: LOTS of new stuff to learn.
• Cons: LOTS of new stuff to learn.
• Takeaway: This is ranked as my number 1 for so many reasons. I have a high interest in learning more about neural networks. During my previous bachelor’s degree in cell biology, one of my favourite parts was my neuroscience class. The brain is so complex and I am fascinated by how computers are able to artificially replicate its abilities. The applications of neural networks are endless and machine learning is going to keep increasing in relevance moving forward. This project will likely take a lot of time but it’s worth it!