Alex Thurgood

I am currently pursuing a degree in Software Development at the University of Utah, where my coursework has included mobile and web development, computer security, networking, and database management.

Over the past year, I've been a key contributor to the SOUR project, primarily serving as a backend engineer. My responsibilities have included designing core APIs and database schemas, as well as developing our search functionality and related-content recommendation algorithm. In addition to my coursework, I work with the Identity and Access Management (IAM) team in the university’s IT department. In this role, I provision cloud accounts and Duo Mobile accounts, manage group access using Grouper, and efficiently resolve user support tickets.

My technical interests lie in backend development and database systems. Recently, I've developed a strong interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning, fields I plan to explore more deeply after graduation. I'm particularly motivated by opportunities to build applications that have meaningful, real-world impacts and improve the lives of as many people as possible.

Ashlyn Hansen

I am a graduating senior at the University of Utah, earning a degree in Software Development with a minor in Arts Technology. My academic focus has been on web and mobile development, where I've explored the intersection of technology, design, and user experience. I enjoy creating intuitive, engaging digital products that solve real-world problems through thoughtful design and functionality.

For my capstone project, I helped develop SOUR, a thrifting-based social media and e-commerce platform that connects users through curated fashion and sustainable shopping. This project highlights my passion for meaningful, community-driven technology and my ability to work on both the technical and creative sides of development.

I’m particularly interested in UX/UI design and full-stack development, with hands-on experience using tools like React and React Native to build responsive, dynamic applications. With a background in arts technology and graphic design, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective to every project and strive to create work that is not only functional but impactful.

Emma Luk

I am an aspiring full-stack developer pursuing a B.S. in Software Development with a minor in Entrepreneurship at the University of Utah. I am the founder of SOUR, a social eCommerce app that enhances second-hand fashion through video-based listings and AI-generated descriptions, built with Python, React Native, and AWS.

I have led development as Code Lead for SEEDS Dandilyonn, a food community app, and competed in the Information Systems Game Day Analytics Challenge, analyzing Super Bowl Twitter data for marketing insights. My technical skills include Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, FastAPI, Firebase, and AWS.

I have worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Kahlert School of Computing and interned at Mapps Lab. I am a Kahlert Scholar, a Get Seeded Grant recipient, and an active member in the Society of Women Engineers. Passionate about innovation, I want to build user-centric applications to solve real-world problems.

Ricardo Baeza

A senior studying software development with coursework in algorithms, computer systems and computer organization, I bring over 4 years of experience at a midsize SaaS company where I progressed from Technical Support Engineer to Software Quality Tester. This foundation in product reliability and user experience complements my academic focus on lower-level computing concepts.

Recently, I completed an internship at Amazon Web Services where I implemented an LLM-based solution to analyze post-operational event artifacts and generate automated rules for detecting customer impact.

I specialize in backend development and deployment operations, with a particular passion for solving challenges related to scalability and performance optimization. My combination of practical experience and computer science fundamentals enables me to thrive in environments where mass scale and speed are critical constraints. I am compelled to pursue opportunities in cloud computing where I can contribute to building resilient, high-performance systems.