Team Q&A: Nick Swinford – Software Developer Intern

From his love of Star Trek to his recycling efforts to learning coding, our new Software Developer Intern is here to help build the grid of tomorrow today. Join us in welcoming Nick to the Virtual Peaker team!

How did your previous life prepare you for Virtual Peaker?

I’ve been doing freelance web development for a few years now and my experience with javascript and debugging skills should help me greatly. Earlier this year, I completed Code: You, which is a coding boot camp that’s been a great asset and helped prepare me for this internship. Before that, I received a Bachelors in Biology from EKU. The critical thinking and research skills that I was taught at EKU have always helped my interest in web development. I’m excited to be applying those skills here at Virtual Peaker.

Tell us about your role at Virtual Peaker.

I’m a Software Developer Intern. My focus will be learning the platform and working on the admin app. I’m excited to be working here and learning from so many great people! This is my first time working in a collaborative environment with other developers and I’m excited to learn more about development and grow as a developer.

How do you personally engage in sustainability efforts?

I take recycling very seriously. A few years ago, I set up a recycling station in my garage and recycle all plastic, aluminum, steel, and paper or cardboard products that I use. Doing this has helped reduce the amount of garbage my household produces by almost 50%. On top of that, I’m passionate about having a zero-waste kitchen to prevent food waste and eliminate single-use plastics. (In the US,  it’s estimated that 30-40% of food is wasted.) This includes finding alternatives for plastic bags, plastic wraps, or other single-use products. These simple things help reduce my carbon footprint.

What can you tell us about yourself?

I’m originally from Chicago but moved to Kentucky as a kid with my family and I’ve lived here ever since. I’m a huge nerd at heart and a big fan of science fiction. (I’ve been to 4 Star Trek Conventions.) I also love to work out and bake! In my spare time, you can usually find me gaming.

About The Author

Bill is a serial entrepreneur with a PhD from UC Berkeley in Controls and Artificial Intelligence and 10 years of experience with high performance residential energy management and connected appliances. He was previously at GE as an Advanced Systems Engineer in the Connected Home Software Group, but left that role in May 2014 to pursue entrepreneurship full time.

Bill grew up in Louisville and returned with his family in 2010 after a long stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. He loves Louisville and is working to make it a better and more attractive city for high tech startups.

More About Bill