Joey Bechard

Joey Bechard

Computer Science Engineer

If the Computer Science Engineering major wasn't enough of a giveaway, I think it's pretty fair to say I'm very passionate about computers and all things tech! I am currently a senior at the University of Connecticut (with an expected graduation date of May 2021), and I also work part time. After graduating, I am excited to be working with Nelnet full timeI love all things software and hardware- a lot of my free time is spent learning new CS related topics. Read on to learn more, and don't hesitate to reach out to talk!

About Me

Software Development

I currently work as an IT Software Engineer. I work on a large-scale distributed project built on the Spring framework in Java.

My preferred languages include Java, Python, and C- but I've also done work in MIPS assembly, Kotlin, and JavaScript.

Living & Breathing Tech

On my own time, I am super passionate about finding new cool ways to use technology, as well as playing around with retro tech. I enjoy experimenting with system administration, and I'm constantly spinning up a new container or VM on my Proxmox virtualization server. My latest projects include setting up a ZoneMinder server to run security cameras at my house, and a VPN server to let me remotely connect while I'm at university.

I am unapologetically a die hard Apple fan- a lot of my passion for computers was sparked from the magic of my dad's 68K Macintosh computers, as well as the trusty G3 iBook I used well into the Intel days. Working with tech that was always some degree of outdated made me really curious about their inner workings, and I got a lot of my tech savvy from playing around with these older machines. I collect and repair old (mostly Apple) machines that are interesting to me- some of my favorites are the Macintosh Classic II I just re-capped, my VIC-20, my Perfoma 631CD, and my iBooks.

In terms of personal software projects, a lot of my coding is done to solve or automate problems I come across. One recent example was writing a small python project to keep track of my internet connection and scrape my modem's statistics page to try and diagnose an unreliable DSL connection at home. Other examples include scraping my university's course enrollment page to text my friends when classes have open enrollment slots. I'm also interested in programming puzzle/game solvers, and I've written programs to play Mancala or to solve the Klotski puzzle. Recently, I have begun doing Deep Learning Research through my university, and have built a software platform to collect and aggregate data for this project.

Instruction & Mentorship

I've also had the opportunity to be TA for the University of Connecticut for their Computer Architecture and Computer Network courses, which has been a great experience (and my first time formally instructing for college level material). In the past, I've also worked with youth to provide instruction and training to increase proficiency in 21st century skills through a STEM education company, CPEP.

Outside of being a TA, I have also served as a mentor through PATH (Peer Allies Through Honors). This program pairs me with freshman honors students, and allows me to help them acclimatize to the college experience. I serve as a mentor for the H2O Learning Community at UCONN, which also involves mentoring a large community of sophomore Honors students as well as planning community events.

Rapid Prototyping & CAD

My dad is a Technology Education teacher, so I've had the opportunity to work with rapid prototyping technology like 3D printers and CNC machines for many years. I have experience in engineering design and modeling processes and do most of my modeling in Autodesk software. I spent a lot of time using Inventor and am trying to transition to Fusion 360 (due to more affordable licensing). We've made some cool projects, like laser cut educational kits that were produced at a fairly large scale. My dad recently got a big CNC Router, which has been exciting to come up with projects for.

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Photography

I enjoy taking pictures as a hobby and while I definitely wouldn't call myself a photographer or even say I'm very good, I really enjoy both the tech side and the art side of taking photos. I'm mostly interested in taking portraitsI I enjoy using Capture One and Affinity Photo to edit my photos. I am a Fujifilm fan, and I think their mirrorless cameras and lenses are excellent. Currently, I use an X-T2 and X-E1. During these COVID times, I have not done much photography, but I hope to pick it back up soon. I am currently working on my lighting and composition skills. Some images I've taken are in the Gallery in the navbar.