About
Who am I?
I am a 25-year old international student from Johannesburg, South Africa.
In May 2023 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, GA. I have also completed a minor in Computing & Intelligence.
In August 2023 I returned to Georgia Tech and am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Finance degree.
What can I do?
I am a full-stack developer (leaning backend) and have experience working in startup environments. I have developed a broad range of technical skills in my internships; having done everything from writing API endpoints in Python using Django and debugging C++ firmware on custom microcontroller sensors, to architecting a backend in AWS using serverless databases/instances and building an AngularJS web app to interface with a open-source CRM backend. Take a look at my resume for more details.
My studies and interests overlapped when I discovered the Georgia Tech Student Foundation's Investments Committee (GTSF IC) toward the end of my freshman year. I joined the newly formed Quantitative Sector at that time and haven't looked back since. It is an entirely student-run investment fund that manages over $2 million and has been an incredible learning experience, which has made me even more passionate about pursing a career in finance. During my time in the Quantitative Sector, I developed tools and algorithmic trading strategies as well as managed the sector's members and it's projects as the Sector Head.
Lately I have been teaching myself Web3 and cryptocurrency technologies such as Solidity, frontend frameworks like Angular, distributed orchestration through tools like Kubernetes, and I have been tending to my slowly growing (pun intended) bonsai collection!
Why do all this?
Technology has always been one of my deepest passions. As a result of my early love for video games, I began taking apart gaming consoles and laptops to try to understand their inner workings which lead me to start repairing them as well.
Coding became my favourite subject in high-school and around that same time I opened my first stock brokerage account with help from my Dad. My Mom grew up on a farm and taught me the value of grit and perseverance; which she frequently reminds me is embodied in a single Afrikaans word: "Vasbyt". All those experiences have spurred me on to keep exploring and following my passions, and brought me across the world to further my knowledge by studying in the USA.
I am analytical, responsible, competitive, driven, and strive to make a significant and positive impact in everything I do. These are all traits that I take great pride in and which I believe have played no small part in my successes thus far. If you're interested in my personality based on "tests" I have taken, I am an ENTJ-A and Type-8 Enneagram (with high Type-1 and Type-3 scores as well).
Don't take my word, take theirs!
"Dylan was an incredible value add during his time here. Not only in what he accomplished in software development but even more so in his vision, insight, attitude, professionalism, and work ethic. As an owner, it is rare when you see his level of ownership in an employee, much less an intern. It allowed me to give Dylan general direction & resources and then give him the space to work through the best way to execute."