Alumni Spotlight: Carlos Rafael Catalan

What is your academic and/or professional background? If you're currently working, what do you do?

I have been working for 7 years as a Software Engineer in various industries which include Gaming, Manufacturing, and Telecommunications. I currently serve as a Lead Software Engineer in Samsung Research developing internal tools for developers from multiple projects. On the side, I am also developing patents and research in the 5G, AR/VR, and Human-Computer Interaction space for Samsung's various business cases.

What is your advice for current OMSCS students?

Enjoy the process! Don't be in a rush to complete the program! Take one course per semester as two courses would be difficult to balance with work, family life, and other concerns. Don't let the remote nature of the program get in the way of your networking. Connect with fellow students in the Introductions thread in your courses; help each other with the course materials and homeworks; visit the OMSCS student center; and attend coffee hour sessions!

What research are you working on, or what research do you hope to work on in the future?

Most of the research I'm doing is in line with Samsung Research's current business endeavors, so I'm currently looking to develop patents in the 5G and AR/VR spaces, as well as working on a research paper that is closely related to my project. My goal is to present at an HCI-related conference!

Besides computer science, what other discipline are you interested in or would like to learn more about?

Right now, I'm really interested in learning new languages, both written and spoken. I believe that not only does it open up a lot of new opportunities for an individual, it also gives you a deeper level of human connection with a native speaker of that language. Right now I'm learning Korean and Hangul, but over time I'd like to learn Nihongo, Mandarin, and Greek.

Tell us about why you feel the work that you do is significant and why it is important that you are the one doing it.

The most significant aspect of my role as a lead developer is my mentorship of my team members. Working as a software engineer can be really difficult especially if you do not have a good mentor looking out for you, which is what happened to me unfortunately, and led to me being laid off from my first job. It is a terrible experience that I would not want anyone else to experience. Currently, all members of my team are fresh graduates so it is my job to create an environment for them where they could learn to become better developers. My goal is to encourage them to use their skills to pursue big ideas that serve their communities and inspire them.