About Me

I recently graduated from Washington University with a Master's degree in Computer Science. In addition to having experience with web and app development through work and internships, I have hands-on service experience through AmeriCorps.

I am passionate about advocating for the underprivileged, and working with a low-income school demonstrated how much change can be made if we prioritize equity and justice. I also learned the importance of working personally with disadvantaged communities to fully understand their situation and needs. My goal is to pair that understanding with my skills in tech and programming to properly help and advocate for those that need it most.

Additionally, I am very proud of the work I've done as co-president of my school's chapter of ACM. Managing the logistics for events, diplomatically seeking solutions to interpersonal problems, and finding the balance between kind and firm has really taught me a lot about working with people and has helped me become the kind of leader I want to be.

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Education

Washington University School of Engineering

M.S. in Computer Science • Graduated May 2016

Relevant courses include: Tech Entrepreneurship, Introduction to Machine Learning, Introduction to Formal Languages and Automata, Computational Geometry, Translation of Computer Languages, Calculus of Several Variables, Software Engineering Workshop, Database Management Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Advanced Algorithms, Technical Writing, Video Game Programming, and Artificial Intelligence.

Washington University College of Arts and Sciences

B.S. in Environmental Studies • Graduated August 2009

Work

STI Regional Response Coalition

Web Development Consultant • January 2018 - September 2018

I created membership, forum, and file upload features for the STIRR website (www.stlstirr.org), which over 50 public health organizations use as a centralized source of information. To do this, I selected and incorporated WordPress plugins to match client’s needs and budget, and edited backend files, using PHP, to coordinate between plugins for consistent information. During the process, I communicated regularly with a non-technical client and adapted plans as expectations changed. Finally, I wrote separate documentation for users, web admin, and programmers, to thoroughly explain the features I added.

AmeriCorps

Beyond School Success Coach • October 2017 - July 2018

I mentored up to 15 scholars every weekday after school at St. Louis College Prep, a charter school serving low-income students, working to improve their academic, social, and emotional skills. I raised academic competency of struggling students by two months for every month of attendance. I guided students to build emotional regulation and coping skills through weekly workshops and regular feedback. Through regular communication with teachers and parents, I built a holistic understanding of scholars’ needs and weaknesses, and utilized this assessment to provide individualized mentorship. Additionally, I planned and taught a weekly enrichment course on basic coding, using Scratch to teach the foundations of computer programming in an age-appropriate way.

Care Otter

Software Developer • June 2016 - April 2017

I designed and built a system to keep track of relevant entities and their connections with each other, using C#, and created functions to efficiently traverse that entity graph and store and retrieve data. I partitioned data into multiple nodes using Azure Service Fabric, and implemented functions to keep the data consistent from front-end to back-end. When I moved to the new QA team, I built automated QA tests for back-end and front-end (Android and iOS) testing through Xamarin Test Cloud.

Washington University

Teaching Assistant • August 2013 - May 2016

I assisted students for 10-15 hours each week during lab time and office hours, as well as graded exams and evaluated students’ project demonstrations. I have worked with the courses Computer Science I, Computer Science II, Rapid Prototyping and Creative Development, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, and Database Management Systems.

Amazon

Software Developer Intern • June 2015 - August 2015

I updated the layout for the Luxury Beauty product group description feature using Javascript, CSS, and a proprietary Amazon UI Elements framework. This feature has since been expanded to the Amazon Private Label product group as well. I also implemented other user-facing features as part of sprint work with the Retail Page Consumables team. All changes I made needed to be consistent across both mobile and desktop versions of the Amazon Retail Page, as well as backwards-compatible.

Answers

Software Developer Intern • May 2014 - July 2014

I worked with Google Glass to design and build an Answers app, focusing on front-end development and connecting with the Answers back-end using established protocols. I later joined the Android app team to help add features to the existing Answers app to prepare for an upcoming build release. I designed the look of these features in the app's UI in keeping with the established look and feel of the app and website.

Exegy

Software Developer Intern • June 2013 - August 2013

I created a Java application to display real-time market data using Exegy software. I designed the user interface myself, with input and specifications from my team lead. I used clear, concise code with thorough documentation, so that the source code for the app can be given to potential customers as an example of what Exegy software is capable of. The app is also used internally to provide a quick reference for market data as a way to check other software for accuracy.

AT&T IT MATREX/Internship Program

Student Technical Intern • June 2012 - August 2012

I built a database of my team’s current projects and made a prototype interface to use it. I designed the interface with input from my supervisor, who I met with regularly to provide updates on my progress and incorporate any new features needed. Additionally, I collaborated with other interns on projects such as designing proposals for new products and services.

Skills

Languages

Java
Python
C++
C#
Objective-C
Javascript
PHP
MySQL
MatLab
HTML/CSS

Frameworks

Unity Game Engine
Django
JQuery
Node.JS
Azure Service Fabric
Xamarin Test Cloud

I'm Aarthi Arunachalam.

Welcome to my website.

I'm a programmer and amateur game developer whose goal is to use my craft to spread joy in the world! Come check out some of the stuff I've done, and feel free to come talk to me if you'd like!