About

Last updated 10/10/19

My name is Tony McDonald.

Computing and IT BSc Degree Student (computer science route at level 2).  I dream of being a scientist! I love computers and gaming. In fact, my first computer was a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k, which I would spend hours coding from a magazine called Crash. At current I like Mac, Mint, Ubuntu and Windows 10 and I love to code in Python 3 and Java OOP. Since object orientated programming is very versatile, I find I enjoy building code that sorts data and solves problems with it as well as python. Yes, algorithms are fun! I love computer science because it means i have something to offer biology and physics and it also lays the foundation for medical research and other sciences because of the algorithms involved.  At current, i find myself more and more interested in nanotechnology and neuromorphic computing.

Related sites
My YouTube channel
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Do it CV Volunteering record (doesn't include hours at Cancer research)
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My Degree

I’m currently doing a degree in Computing and IT at the Open University. So far we have covered the basics around networking, object orientated concepts and solving problems with algorithms. The programming languages covered so far have been Scratch, Java and Python.  More recently, i have been learning about computational thinking and web technologies.  Obviously, HTML, CSS and basic web design are included.

Maths really is an important part of my degree. Algebra and calculus took up a whole module. In computer science, a good understanding of Mathematics in necessary since we use maths formulae a lot. For instance, big O notation is used to understand the efficiency of an algorithm. Computers can calculate much faster than any human being, so using computers to solve maths problems relating to physics, for instance, is very useful.

Note taking is important in any subject; therefore, my degree covers the difference between good and not so good note taking. Personally, i find that spray grams and diagrams are very useful along side rewriting things in my own words. Although i use electronic notes a lot, i still like to complement my notes with old fashioned pens, markers and pencils.

Volunteering

When i am not studying, i like to volunteer. I have been volunteering for Cambridge online since 2016 as a digital champion and more recently as an Ambassador. I also volunteer with netSquared in Cambridge. At Cambridge online we support people with basic digital skills and at netSquared we support local charities and businesses with their social media accounts. Volunteering is a good way of gaining experience and supporting the local community at the sometime. In fact, many tech firms encourage their employees to volunteer once a month because it has so many benefits.

Why i volunteer for IT charities

Cancer Research UK

This involves working in a shop in the high street.  I often work upstairs in the sorting department preparing goods for the shop floor.  Although this does not involve computing, i like to show my support for cancer research and have more than a passing interest in protein folding.  Genetic algorithms can be used to solve the problem of protein folding, which intern can lead to the next generation of revolutionary medication.  I always have time for Cancer Research UK.

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Tony McDonald’s CV

Volunteering