About Me

Hi, I’m Nathan Nguyen - a first-generation Computer Science Honors student specializing in Systems Programming and Machine Intelligence at Purdue University.

I’ve always been curious about how things work. Growing up in Vietnam, I was the kid who took things apart just to see what was inside (putting them back together was… optional). That curiosity stuck with me, and it’s what led me to computer science.

Career Goals

I’m currently pursuing roles in Systems Engineering and Quantitative Development - especially work that values technical rigor and deep problem-solving.

What I Enjoy Working On

• Mathematics: I like understanding ideas from first principles rather than memorizing formulas. Proofs and derivations are oddly satisfying.
• Machine Learning: I’m drawn to pure ML research, where the goal is to push the boundaries of what models can do.
• Systems & Backend: I enjoy building software that’s fast, reliable, and thoughtfully designed.
• Competitive Programming: I recently got into it, and it’s become one of my favorite ways to sharpen problem-solving skills.

Outside of Code

When I step away from the terminal, I’m usually out in nature clearing my head. I enjoy landscape and portrait photography and shoot on a Nikon Zf paired with a Voigtländer lens. Slowing down to work with manual settings teaches me to notice patterns - the same way I look for structure when building software.