Background

Growing up in Ethiopia, I witnessed both the richness of history and the challenges of socio-economic problems. Early on, I believed politics was the only way to make meaningful change. A professor encouraged me to consider another path—that technology could also drive transformation. That advice reshaped my life.

I pursued Computer Engineering and discovered my passion for programming—the ability to translate human reasoning into algorithms and bring machines to life. From undergraduate research in robotics to graduate studies in Artificial Intelligence at Purdue University, I have been driven by the belief that science and engineering can provide practical solutions to society’s challenges.

Today, I work as a Software Engineer at Bloomberg, focusing on distributed systems and enterprise infrastructure for the Bloomberg Query Language (BQL). My work includes building enterprise Java services for BQL Permissioning and Metering, developing high-throughput Kafka publishers and Flink consumers, and contributing to workflow optimizations. I’ve also worked on internal projects that involved enhancing legacy C++ code and Dockerizing services to improve development efficiency. This experience has strengthened my expertise in Java backend systems, stream processing, and large-scale workflow optimization.

Earlier in my career, I contributed to NASA’s Swarmathon research, where I designed and tested swarm robotics algorithms in C++ using both physical robots and simulation environments. That project deepened my foundation in agile development, algorithm design, and applied robotics.

Across my career, I’ve combined engineering, design, and problem-solving skills with strong teamwork and leadership. While my professional work at Bloomberg focuses on distributed systems and infrastructure in Java and C++, my academic background and personal projects continue to explore the potential of AI and robotics as transformative technologies.

Educational Achievements

  • Master of Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering – Purdue University
  • Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering – Jackson State University (GPA: 3.91)
  • Recipient of multiple academic scholarships and Dean’s/President’s List honors
  • Undergraduate Research Award for robotics project

Selected Experience

Software Engineer — Bloomberg (London & New York)

  • Developed enterprise Java services for BQL Permissioning & Metering
  • Designed Kafka publishers and Flink consumers to optimize workflows
  • Dockerized BQL services to improve developer productivity
  • Enhanced legacy C++ systems in internal frameworks

NASA Swarmathon Research

  • Built swarm robotics algorithms in C++ (Central-Place Foraging, Similar Triangle models)
  • Improved swarm networking by 60% with optimized publisher code
  • Tested systems with both real robots and the Gazebo simulator

Software Developer — P3strategies

  • Designed Tableau dashboards for public schools to improve parent-teacher communication
  • Helped Hattiesburg Public School District rank #1 nationally for student progress tracking