Who Am I?

My name is Cole Johnson. I'm a recent graduate, originally from the Washington, D.C. area, and have my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. My studies have also taken me abroad to the University of Edinburgh for a semester. Outside of tech, my biggest hobbies include playing sports (especially basketball, soccer, and tennis), reading science fiction, and learning new languages.

What Are My Interests?

My journey into computer science began with a fascination for AI, sparked by years of reading science fiction. This led me to explore machine learning and build AI-powered applications. While at USC, my coursework and projects broadened my perspective significantly. I've developed a deep interest in the fundamentals of how software and hardware interact. This passion led me to one of my favorite projects: building a full-stack RISC-V CPU emulator from the ground up in Rust. I'm also driven to apply my skills to pressing, real-world challenges, which was the motivation behind my work on the Skyguard project, where I engineered a data pipeline on a Raspberry Pi to help a landmine detection model aid demining efforts in Ukraine.

What Are My Goals?

For most of my career, I plan to establish myself in the industry, working in fields like machine learning, software engineering, and data science. I aim to contribute to organizations leveraging computer science and mathematics to create meaningful global impact.

My immediate goal is to establish myself in the industry, working on challenging problems in fields like systems programming, machine learning, and software engineering. I'm particularly drawn to roles where I can contribute to foundational technologies and build tools that have a meaningful impact, whether for other developers or for society at large. Looking further ahead, after building a strong foundation of applied technical knowledge, I aspire to grow into roles where I can help drive innovation and lead teams to solve complex problems. Ultimately, I hope to leverage technology to help better the lives of as many people as possible.

What Skills Do I Possess?