Computer Science Personal Statement – Term Paper

The desire to pursue my goal in the area of machine learning that will lead to a career as a programmer for the Army Cyber Mission Force has led me to realize that Georgia Institute of Technology’s Online Master of Computer Science is the ideal program for me. The choice of Georgia Institute of Technology was informed by several things that I discovered after an extensive research process on what program would be suitable for me as I embark on growing my career. First, the program is ideal as it offers students an opportunity to grow their knowledge while still working which ensures that they do not lose the opportunity to gain experience as it is the case when individuals take up full-time learning. The program also offers a cost effective method of increasing one;s skills as the learning takes place through the online platform. Finally, the program was created in collaboration with other institutions, and hence it attracts a wide number of students which in the end ensures that student interactions on the online platform offer a wide variety of experiences that are critical in broadening one;s knowledge.

Guided by my abilities and the situations that I was experiencing immediately after my bachelor;s degree, I opted out of the university. The decision accorded me more time to reflect on a career path and also serve in the military. The military exposure was critical as it allowed me to engage in multiple projects that are in line with my research and academic interests. The military exposure enabled me to gain skills in the design, implementation, and execution of information security and cyber security strategies. The training that I have undertaken since I joined the military has enabled me to in a position to figure out that I am interested in machine learning and hence the desire to gain more knowledge through undertaking an advanced degree. The courses created by Dr. Isbell;s on Machine Learning and Dr.Thrun;s on Artificial Intelligence of Robotic will help me to lay a good foundation that will establish my career as an Army Cyber Force Programmer.

Given that I have been diligent in the pursuit of my goals all through my life, I am convinced that I will be in a position to complete the program at Georgia Institute of Technology. Convinced that the program offered by the institution is critical to my success, I will be willing to devote myself to the desired results. My commitment is evident in the different assignments that I have taken up in the period that I served in the Army from working in hardship bases where the Army has set up its operations to taking up new projects that required me to learning new skills.

In my career as a military personnel, I have had several experiences that have served to prepare me for the MS Program at Georgia Institute of Technology. The professional opportunity has accorded me the chance to advance my programming skills using Python to the exploit for different software and using PowerShell for the detection of registry anomalies. The experience has also enabled me to use Bash Script for network scanning and also employ MATLAB in the simulation of blood vessel growth under the influence of cancer cell. These learning opportunities that have been accorded to me over my time in the military services have been instrumental in enabling me to improve my coding in a manner that embodies best practice and good coding structure as I had to work with other developers during software development processes.

Other than instilling in me the technical aspects of programming, my service in the army has also prepared me for the MS Program and the career that I will take up after graduation through offering opportunities to serve as a leader. At the beginning of my career, I was charged with the responsibility of planning and supervising operations of training rooms as well as the deployment of staff. The exposure gave me an opportunity to grow my ability to pay attention to details, something that will enable me to better contribution to the Army Programmer Community. My role as an Information Assurance Officer in Kuwait also allowed me to work extensively in software development as I also engaged myself in planning and managing information assurance policies for the computer systems. My role as the Assurance Officer saw me implement changes that transformed how my department was able to protect our unit by the employment of both technical operations and policy approaches. Coupled with the technical skills that I will gain during the Master;s Program, the experience will be instrumental in enabling to make a significant contribution to the Army both from the technical aspects and also spearhead policy development to improve the operations. The practical experiences that I have gained in the military services will enable me to make a reliable contribution to the learning process during different discussions held during the MS Program and hence allow the other students to gain more practical knowledge from the perspective of military operations.

The MS Program is a great fit for my career growth as it will offer me an opportunity to acquire diverse and advanced knowledge that is in line with the new developments in the area of machine learning. The MS Program will, in essence, provide me with the prerequisite preparation that will enable me to achieve my goal of sharing the information I learn with the Army Programmer Community with the aim of mentoring the next generation of Army Cyber Mission Forces. The program will also feed into the requirement that all members of the military cyber field should continually upgrade their technical skills through taking advantages of the resources that are available in the military as well as those outside the military.

The program will also help me in learning the new research techniques that are applied in the area of machine learning which is important for me as I will be required to continually develop innovations that can be used by the Army in its operations. Being able to engage in more technical research is mandatory for persons that work in the Army Cyber Programs in the field of cyber security is constantly changing with new developments taking place each day. My training will help me to engage in the research process with the aim of positioning machine learning as a central element in all future military conflicts. The experience in the military has also taught me that the battle for cyber security is a constant struggle so I will also work to ensure that I provide mentorship to my colleagues so that they can be well equipped in preparation for handling future military engagements as well as participate in research activities.