My name is Alex Wald, and I am currently a Junior. My major is Computer Science, and I am also pursuing a minor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. In my free time, I enjoy developing software and building electromechanical projects. In art, I have experience with ceramics and photography and some experience with digital art.
While in high school, I participated in a wheel throwing class every Saturday for three years. In the class, I made ceramic pots, bowls, and cups. Below is a picture of one of my pieces.
At WPI, I have taken the art courses Essentials of Art, Digital Imaging and Computer Art, and The Art of Animation I. One of my favorite projects in these classes was in Digital Imaging and Computer Art and was to make a surreal scene using images and Photoshop. Below is the image that I produced. I also enjoy photography so I decided to take pictures for this project and use pictures that I had previously taken to produce the image below. The title of my surreal scene is “Technological Invasion”.
My interest in Computer Science began when I was 10 years old. I have written programs in many languages such as C, C++, Java, and AutoHotkey Script. In the past I have done web development with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I have also developed for Android, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Lego Mindstorms NXT platforms. I started learning about basic electronics in high school, and now I am learning more advanced topics such as digital system design with FPGAs and signal processing. I have done work using Verilog, a hardware description language, and MATLAB.
Recently, I have been inspired by art that combines technology and creativity for entertainment. One of my personal projects is called the Gadget Room. The Gadget Room is a project that combines my artistic and technical abilities, and the goal of the project was to add entertainment to a room using lighting and mechanical devices. During my Sophomore year, I had the project set up in the common room of my suite in Founders Hall. Below is a video of the project.
In the Light Art Practicum, I look forward to the opportunity to work on another project that consists of both art and technology.