Who am I?

Last updated 23/12/2011

I started my quest in the tech world a few years ago. I’ve always been interested in computers, but my passion only started to flourish during my 3-year Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at ISCTE-IUL. At the end the of 2nd year of my BSc, I started working at a web hosting company (http://ptws.pt) out of the need to learn even more and because I wanted see what the real world of work/technology was like. I managed to conciliate my studies and my work, finishing the BSc with an average grade of 17 out of 20. After finishing the BSc in 2010, I enrolled in the Master’s Degree. I just finished all the courses and I’m now working on my thesis.

I have a deep interested in Robotics, particularly Evolutionary Robotics. Using artificial neural networks and the power of evolution to shape controllers for robots fascinates me. It also changed my view on the vast diversity of amazing and complex behaviors we can find in simple insects and other animals. I’ve been involved in research for the past few months and we’ve already published a paper. My Master’s thesis will be related to this topic.

Working and studying has been a constant since 2009. It has been very difficult, but it’s extremely rewarding. I mainly work as a web developer using PHP/HTML/Javascript/CSS. I’m not that good at coming up with designs, but give me a mockup and I’ll give it life (or die trying!). I really enjoy back-end programming, learning new frameworks, and customizing existing open source software. I love programming, challenges and everything technological. I always try to improve myself and I can’t stand the taste of failure: I won’t rest until a challenge is solved.

Here’s some misc stuff:

• I’m a petrolhead. My deity is the God of Torque.
• I’m a metalhead. Some of my favorite sub-genres include Death, Melodeath, Black, Trash, and Progressive.
• I’m a wannabe guitar player. I don’t have much time to hone my skills, but it’s a great hobby.
• I’ve won some awards at ISCTE-IUL: Excelence Award (three times) and Best BSc Finalist.
• I’m a Zend Certified Engineer (ZCE) in PHP5
• I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks during my commute. Currently listening to the following podcasts: This Week in Tech, This Developer’s Life, Security Now, and Talking Robots.
• I have recently developed an interest in photography. I’m still a beginner, but you can check out my experiments on Flickr.
• I’m an administrator at the Portuguese PrestaShop community (http://prestashoppt.com)
• Last but not least, I have an amazing girlfriend and muse She fuels my desire improve myself and gives me the strength to push on, day after day.