Matt Zuba is a TA for CS 7210: Distributed Computing. Keep reading to learn more about Matt!
What do you do professionally?
I am currently the Manager of Software Development for Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona. I've been with the organization for over 11 years, the last 4 of which have been in this role. I started my tenure at Goodwill as a Programmer Analyst, eventually moved into a Cloud Solutions Architect position, and worked my way up into the role I'm in now. In addition to software development oversight, my team and I also manage my company's AWS infrastructure and our Linux-based servers as we're the primary users of it.
Why do you TA for OMSCS?
I'm currently a TA (IA) for CS 7210: Distributed Computing. I took this as my final course in the program and while it was a significant challenge, more so than any other class I took, I enjoyed the material and the projects. I felt I would be able to contribute back and help future students who wanted to take the course and maybe help offset some of the initial impressions of the course when it was first introduced to OMSCS. I enjoy the chance to pass on my knowledge to others, whether it be mentoring, simply helping people understand a topic they're not familiar with, or anything else I can do to help.
What is your advice for future OMSCS students?
Halfway through the program, I was fortunate enough to be invited into a small cohort of fellow students who I had taken some classes with. This proved to be invaluable in some of the more challenging courses we took together. My biggest piece of advice is to be engaged; form virtual study groups, ask questions, participate in course Slack channels with fellow students, be active in discussion boards. Additionally, never feel like you are alone. If you are stumped or not fully understanding something, there's a high likelihood that someone else is as well. Asking questions to gain clarity can only help you!
What hobby or activity are you looking forward to getting back to once you're done with OMSCS?
I have a wife and two kids, and I worked full-time while completing this program over 3 years, so that didn't leave much time for hobbies. I did opt to take summers off so that I could spend time with my family and take vacations, though. A hobby I had wanted to start during my time in OMSCS was 3D Printing. I received a 3D Printer as a graduation gift from my family and I've been happily designing and printing away, having lots of fun with it. Another hobby that went by the way side was recreational target shooting. The summers in Arizona are too brutal for outdoor shooting, so I'm excited to have gotten back into that, and getting my kids involved in it as well!
