Madelaine Struwe
Who Am I?
My name is Madelaine Struwe, and just like everyone else, my story begins at birth. A couple of hours before Mother's Day the world welcomed me, whether it was ready or not. I was born in Chicago, Illinois but when I was 4 years old my family moved to Colorado and I have lived here ever since. Growing up I wanted to be an artist, but I also wanted to enlist in the Marines when I was old enough. I always felt like I was on track with my dreams, I was drawing all the time and even joined a youth program called the Young Marines.
I joined the Young Marines in 6th grade and stayed until I completed high school. I worked hard while I was in the program, I challenged myself physically and mentally as I worked my way up the ranks and traveled to different "Leadership Academies" across the county. While in high school, I also wanted to try playing a sport, as such I tried out for my high school football team. I became the first girl to join the team, and I continued to challenge myself physically to stay at the same level as my fellow teammates.
As I approached my high school graduation, I attempted to get into the Military Academies to continue down my path. However, even with a Congressional Nomination, I could not get in, and I was set on a slow path to realizing that life does not go the way you plan all the time. I made plans to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder to go down a new path.
I began taking classes at CU in the fall of 2012. In December 2018, I graduated from CU Boulder with a BA in Computer Science and a minor in Nordic Studies.
My Computer Science Experience
An Insight into My Computer Science Background
Where I Went to School
In Fall 2012 I began taking classes at CU Boulder for a degree in Mechanical Engineering. However, as I took more classes in that field, I realized that is not what I wanted to be doing. I knew I liked putting things together and doing puzzles, so I had to think, "What major would be right for me?" I decided to transfer to Computer Science, and although some of the classes have been difficult, I have enjoyed taking them more. What attracted me to Computer Science was it seemed to be like a puzzle, and I was trying to solve it by putting the pieces together. To me, it seems like Computer Science gives you a problem and asks you to solve it. While a lot can be frustrating, it is satisfying to finally have the answer, and sometimes it is fun putting the pieces together.
Classes I Have Taken
Regarding my Computer Science classes, I have taken the intro level course offered at CU and worked my way to upper division classes that appealed to my interests. To name some of the classes I have taken:
- Discreet Mathematics
- Algorithms
- Introduction to Robotics
- Software Development Methods and Tools
- Computer Graphics
- Computer Animations
Projects I Have Worked On During College
While taking these Computer Science classes, I have been able to work on school projects that challenged me, but also exposed me to new libraries and software. One project entailed writing a program for Sparki Robots to play a game using computer vision. Another project focused on working in a group to develop a web app. Some of the tools I have picked up because of these projects include:
- OpenCV
- OpenGL
- HTML5
- CSS
- Maya
- GitHub
Projects I Have Worked On Outside of College
After graduating from college, I have been given the oportunity to work on other projects of my choosing. I have decided to try to create my own video game, as well as coding some old classic games. Stay tuned to see my projects when I finish them. As a result of working on these projects, I have been learning to use the following tools and languages:
- Unity
- C#
- javascript
My Experience Outside of Computer Science
A Glimpse into My Other Studies
Minor
While taking classes at CU Boulder, I knew I needed to take a language course and some general education courses. For the language course, I wanted to take something I wanted to actually learn, as a result, I took Swedish. During my two years of Swedish classes, I came to appreciate the Swedish culture and history. As a result, I decided to take "Scandinavian" classes for my general education courses. After looking at the requirements for a Nordic Studies Minor, I discovered that I have already taken most of the classes I needed. As such, I decided to get a Nordic Studies minor.
To learn more about what classes I took and what they entailed, you can click here.Writing Classes
Even as a Computer Science Major, written and verbal communication is still extremely important. I have taken a few writing courses while attending CU. I have taken a couple official "Writing" courses at CU. One class was about comic books and graphic novels, and to how those are valid forms of books and not as just a means of simple entertainment. Another class I took allowed me to write a scientific paper of my own choosing. I decided to write a refutation against Nick Bostrom as to why AI is nothing to fear.
A couple other courses I took, while not technically a Writing course, entailed higher level writing and thinking not normally engaged by a Computer Science Classes One course was a History course and the other was a Geography course.
To learn more about these writing classes, and to see the papers I have written, you can click here.What I Like to Do When I'm Not Programming
I Like to Have Fun
Video Games
Some of my earliest memories revolve around video games. My first game console was the Nintendo Entertainment System, I enjoyed playing games such as Castlevania and The Legend of Zelda. Although at the time I was not very good, but, much like with everything else, practice makes perfect. Over the years I came into my own as a gamer.
I can say that my favorite game of all time is Resident Evil 2 (1998). Moving the characters is like moving a tank, and the graphics don't stand up to today’s standards. However, I enjoyed the story and having 2 playable characters to choose from. But both characters need to be played with, in a Scenario A and Scenario B to get the full ending. Depending on which character and the choices you made during the first play through, the story changes for the second character. Playing a game like that was extremely different and revolutionary.
Some other games and game series I really enjoy are:
- Assassin's Creed
- Bayonetta
- Devil May Cry
- Fallout
- God of War
- The Legend of Zelda
- Resident Evil
Artwork
I have always enjoyed drawing since I was a child. One of my favorite classes from elementary through high school was art class. Today I do not have time to do as much drawing as I use to, however I still like to occasinally let my creative juices flow by drawing on my computer with my tablet. You can see some of my works below!
Play Games with My Friends
I enjoy getting together with my friends to play games. We usually play tabletop games like Dungeon and Dragons. In a typical month, I will get together every other Sunday with my friends and run a campaign for them to play through as the Dungeon Master. On the weeks where I am not leading the campaign, I enjoy playing. Being a player encourages teamwork and problem-solving. Being the Dungeon Master allows me to make a world for the players to navigate through. I have learned how to make the world more "accessible" to players with how I describe things to them, and how to adjust things on the fly if something is too difficult for them to overcome.
Playing with My Dogs
The one constant thing in my life is my dogs. No matter how long I am gone, or what kind of day I have had, my dogs always remain so happy to see me. To my dogs, I am the center of their lives, and to show them how much I love them, I enjoy playing with them, spoiling them with different flavored treats, and just being with them. It is still a mystery to me of, "What have I done to deserve two amazing dogs?"
Putting Things Together
I have always enjoyed putting things together, whether it is furniture or a small figurine. To me, there is something extremely satisfying about putting things together, not just the outcome, but the whole process of assembling items is relaxing. I even enjoy putting together the dreaded IKEA furniture. I hear horror stories about people losing pieces or having extras, I can say that neither has happened to me.
Contact
Feel Free to Contact Me
Cell Phone: 720-301-1812
Email: struwe.madelaine@gmail.com