Undergraduate degree
English

Favorite quote
“To be interesting, be interested” - Dale Carnegie

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
I took my first ever Digital Worlds class here at UF called “Foundations of Digital Culture,” and I very quickly realized that Digital Worlds was where I needed to go for my Master’s program. I was at a crossroads at the time between my love for stories and my love for technology. That class made me realize that it wasn’t an obstacle – it was my destination, and now I’m exactly where I need to be.

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
My lightbulb moment was going on a trip to Disney last year and riding Mickey’s Runaway Railway in Hollywood Studios. I was blown away by their use of mixed media to create an incredibly fun experience. I loved the projection mapping they used and how they played with light. There was a real spirit of wonder, and it made me feel like a kid. That’s what magic is, that feeling of wonder that wells up inside you when you see something with heart. It’s a delightful thing. As far as my career path is concerned… ha! I don’t think I have one yet. But I do have a notion - a North Star - and it’s that sense of wonder. So if you want to find me, go wherever the magic is. I’ll be there.

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
I’m Cuban, and after playing some incredible VR Experiences this summer like “The Line” and “Goliath”, I foresee myself making a VR experience that’s all about the immigrant experience. The experience of my family, and all the hopes and dreams of anyone who is looking for a brighter future in a new world. That’s a story I just have to tell. There’s no stopping it now.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I used to do martial arts when I was younger. It was a lot of fun. Consequently, there was a period of time when I would only really want to watch Bruce Lee movies. The only exception was anything to do with Batman.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? 
I imagine I will be in a workshop or studio somewhere, making stuff. Just like I do now! Ideally, I would love to have a nice garden as well. If I lived in a chateau that wouldn’t be so bad, either. But really, in five to ten years, I hope to be doing what I’m doing now, but with a beautiful family and lots of lovely memories to draw upon when creating new things for the world. And a nice garden. I wasn’t joking about the garden.

Favorite place you’ve visited?
Of the cities I’ve visited, I loved Montreal in Canada the best. As well as London. But to be honest, I’m happy anywhere as long as there’s a good bookshop nearby

Undergraduate degree 
Digital Arts & Sciences

Favorite Quote
“If it makes you happy, then why does it matter?”

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
My friend Emily Husak, who was in the MiDAS program last year. She is someone who I regard as a dear friend and mentor who helped me when I first started out on the BADAS path. She told me a lot about the program while she was in it, and I also got to meet all the other MiDAS students at Convergence this year. They all told me how much they enjoyed the program and believed in its value.

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
The original moment I realized I genuinely loved my major was in my first class with Ms. Cantrell because of her energy, drive, and love of what she was doing. My second was in my first 3D class with Mr. Karlson as I learned how much I enjoy creating 3D art, and then numerous times again as I created signs for my friends. I would point out to my friends where they saw animation and digital art in their everyday lives until, eventually, they would do it back to me by sending me examples or saying, “That’s so cool, this is what you're going to be working on?”

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
I have a few ideas for my capstone project that are already stored away in my notes, but I’m not sure which of them I want to make the most. I’m very excited to create and rig a creature for Professor Hyuk’s class in the fall. I have been contemplating a VR fantasy-themed zoo where players could experience and interact with different fantasy creatures. I’d really enjoy creating other 3D models of legendary monsters and then getting to paint and rig them.=

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I have a deep love of psychology after having the best psych teacher in high school and would love to create human behavioral tests using VR experiments. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? 
I plan to work at a smaller company as a 3D modeler or effects artist in a city. I would prioritize a happy and welcoming work environment over a job that offers more pay as I want to continue to enjoy what I create and be around people motivated by passion.

Favorite place you’ve visited?
My favorite place I’ve visited is Madrid, Spain. Specifically, a beautiful, bustling glass market called Mercado San Miguel. I got to go there with my best friends during my senior year of high school, along with a group of students from my hometown on a school trip organized by my favorite psych teacher.

Undergraduate degree 
Digital Arts & Sciences

Favorite quote 
“Science isn’t about why, it’s about why not.” – Cave Johnson, Portal 2

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
As someone who has been a virtual reality enthusiast since my early teens, I was excited at the prospect of an academic program focused on my interests. My time in Digital Worlds as an undergraduate was very positive, and MiDAS seemed like the logical next step in my journey. 

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
I’m not sure there ever was a lightbulb moment—pursuing the convergence of technical and creative computer skills has been my interest and hobby for as long as I can remember. In my mind, there was no question that I would end up doing anything else. 

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
The storyteller in me has been itching to create something that plays with the bounds between fiction and reality for some time. Now that I have the opportunity and resources to work on more ambitious projects, I want to experiment with the ability to tell self-aware and metafictional stories through the medium of virtual reality. 

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I’ve never been to school! Before college, I had never stepped foot in a proper school as a student. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade but still ended up here at the University of Florida. I hope this less common upbringing gives me a unique perspective on the kinds of problems and projects we try to tackle in MiDAS. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? 
In five years, I hope to be applying the kind of skills I’ve been developing in MiDAS and on my own to a project I can be proud of. I see myself working at a startup developing the next big virtual reality experience trying to educate or inspire its users. 

Favorite place you’ve visited?
I descended into the interior chamber of a volcano in Iceland a few years ago, which still stands as one of my life's most memorable and surreal experiences. Maybe we should recreate the environment in virtual reality for educational use and share the experience. 

Undergraduate Degree
Management Information Systems with a minor in Psychology 

Favorite Quote
“Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.” - Simon Sinek

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
The MiDAS program teaches cutting-edge technology to students so they can thrive in emerging markets. I want creative freedom of expression, so I was fascinated by learning more about emerging markets. My goal is to build upon my skills so that once I graduate, I can design, develop, and market products. The MiDAS program will help me achieve this goal.

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
User Experience Design combines my unique skill sets: creativity, business, psychology, and technology. After learning about UX Design, I knew it would open a window of possibilities. This got me excited for my future in the field. 

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
I’m looking forward to creating interconnected experiences amongst users. To do this, I seek to use augmented reality and data analytics to reinvent the way people connect. By designing a user-focused product for college students, I hope to connect students to their peers and their surroundings.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I am an entrepreneur at heart. Throughout college, I have started multiple business endeavors, including designing clothes and freelancing in photography and product design. Through this, I learned how to use social media to promote a product and learned how to collaborate with clients. Since my undergraduate degree was focused on Management Information Systems, I wanted to build upon those skills and push myself to create value using my creativity. Some of my fondest college experiences were running photoshoots for clothes I designed and donating a portion of the profits to Breast Cancer awareness.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? 
In five years, I want to find myself working with products that I am passionate about and help build the tools that create a great user experience. In 10 years, I want to be the one leading these projects. 

Favorite place you’ve visited?
One of my favorite places I visited was Israel. The richness of culture and religion stuck out to me the most. I loved learning more about the country’s history and experiencing a culture so different from the United States

Undergraduate degree
Digital Arts and Sciences 

Favorite quote
“There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.” - Helen Frankenthaler 

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
I enrolled in the MiDAS program to have a better understanding of emerging technologies such as virtual reality. This program will allow me to expand on skills developed during my undergraduate degree and will set me apart from others entering the field. I also wanted more experience in project management that I otherwise would not have received before entering the field. I’m still figuring out what to specialize in since I have so many interests in art, such as 3D modeling, illustration, graphic design, etc., so I’m hoping to narrow it down through this program. 

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
I’ve always loved traditional art, but growing up, I never realized that it could be a career. During high school, I discovered a course on Khan Academy called Pixar in a Box, which taught the fundamentals of the animation pipeline. Not long after, I got my first drawing tablet and instantly fell in love. Since then, I’ve always had a fascination for that intersection between art and technology and knew I wanted to pursue a career in it.

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
I’m excited to experiment with VR and use my traditional art background to make something unique. I want to make an experience where users feel like they’re in a painting by using hand painting techniques in 3D modeling. 

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome, like many other artists, even though I try my best to seem confident. I think this is something I’ll constantly be working on, but it’s comforting to know that many other artists face the same problem - even those who are very successful. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten?
In five years, I see myself working at a game studio in the art department, whether that’s 3D modeling, illustration, graphic design, texturing, etc. In ten years, I hope to work my way up within a company to a position such as an art director. My dream is to have my own company selling art, so that’s something I’ll constantly be working towards on the side. 

Favorite place you’ve visited?
Definitely Italy. Ever since I visited, it’s been my dream to live there, and I’ve always had a connection to it since that’s where my family comes from. Not only was it beautiful, but I also loved their way of life. Their food was also tastier and healthier since it’s fresher and less processed.

Undergraduate degree
Digital Arts and Sciences

Favorite quote
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you” - Fred Devito

What brought you to the MiDAS program? 
I had my sights set on MiDAS before I was out of high school. This was the only program I could find focused on VR and AR development, and I wanted to be part of that. VR and AR have great potential in the coming years, and I want to be one of the ones to actualize that potential.

What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
The first to come to mind was a Best Buy VR Demo. It was the first time I had ever worn a VR headset before. I was put through a few different experiences, and by the end of it, my mind was reeling with the possibilities.

What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
I would love to make a giant game world for players to explore together. Imagine large open landscapes, dark winding caverns, and magic permeating throughout the land. It’s your typical fantasy setting, but in VR, the wonder of it all would be multiplied significantly. And adventuring this new world with friends by your side? That’s an epic story waiting to happen.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I like collecting playing cards! Not the Magic the Gathering, baseball, or Pokemon type, but just your standard playing cards. There are hundreds of super cool designs you can find online. And in terms of being a collector item, they are a lot cheaper than other collectible things! Also, you can play with them and show them off next time someone wants to play Go Fish.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? 
Five years? Hopefully in the midst of creating a new world for millions of people to enjoy and create memories in. Ten years? That’s asking too much - I prefer to live day by day, and ten years is too many days away for me to think about. But imagine all the crazy tech we could have by then! Will we have widespread flying cars? An AR revolution? Robot apocalypse? I am excited to find out!

Favorite place you’ve visited?
This one is tough. I spent three years in Okinawa, Japan and I loved it there. I can't wait to go back someday. But if we are exclusively talking about visiting? Montana was gorgeous and I barely got to spend a day there.