I solve complex problems

About Me

My name is Fai. I currently work as a Software Development Engineer for Amazon in Edinburgh, Scotland. Over the years, I have cultivated various skills through my education, professional experience, and curiosity. I am an astute problem solver who devises creative and elegant solutions to complex challenges. I excel in mathematical modelling and statistical analysis.

I've always dabbled in different hobbies. Most notably, I used to perform Close-up and Card magic for more than 15 years and developed a very high skill level in sleight of hand. In fact, I used to perform magic for corporate and charity events. (Yes, I had a moustache when I was younger!)

Other than magic, I also enjoy Photography. I particularly enjoy macro photography, although I do also like taking photos of birds, landscapes, and the night sky.

I am also an avid Supergirl collector. I own one of the largest Supergirl collections in the world, at more than 150 pieces, not including comic books. Some of the pieces I own are one-of-a-kind and unobtainable. I built this collection over the span of more than 10 years. The picture below is an outdated picture. Since the picture was taken, I have added more than 50 more pieces to the collection, however, since I am in the process of moving, I wasn't able to take a more recent photograph. Why Supergirl? She’s my favorite superhero!

My current pastime is glassworking. Also known as 'lampworking', it involves melting glass rods into intricate art forms. I specialize in Borosilicate Lampworking, which uses a Propane torch to heat up glass rods to more than 1200°C. The molten glass is shaped and annealed in a kiln. I make marbles and pendants out of glass. At some point, I'd like to get good enough to be able to sell my work and start my own glass art business. But that's still a work in progress!

Skills

I am familiar with many different software packages and languages across different disciplines. These are detailed below. In addition to these software packages, I am also proficient with a number of different AWS services.

AWS

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Programming Languages

Web Development

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Mathematics

Graduated from Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada in June 2011. My focus was on Calculus and Analysis. Additionally, I took courses in Number Theory, Mathematical Modeling, Operations Research, Statistical Analysis, and Graph Theory with some emphasis on subjects that overlap with Recreational Mathematics, like Game Theory and Real Analysis.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering - Engineering Chemistry

Graduated from Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada in June 2010. The Engineering Chemistry program is one of the toughest disciplines in Canada. It trains students not only in Chemical Engineering, but also pure Chemistry, allowing graduates to work in either chemical research fields or chemical engineering fields. My thesis focused on developing metrics for predicting the onset of chemical reactions in Temporal QM/MM simulations. It was nominated for the Queen's University Sullivan Prize for Best Thesis of the Year. If you are curious, you may download my thesis here.

Work Experience

Software Development Engineer - Amazon

November 2022 - Current

• Delivered software components and improvements to enhance my team's applications
• Built software architecture using AWS
• Participated in the design of software solutions internally and across other teams at Amazon
• Reviewed code and design documents to ensure compliance with Amazon's standards
• Handled tickets in the On-call queue to address immediate customer pain points

Full-Stack Web Developer - starcraft2coop.com

September 2018 - August 2022

• Developed the entire site from scratch, using a PHP backend
• Created a one-of-a-kind replay file parser in Python that uses smart event detection
• Designed the first observer interface for Co-op replay files
• Recorded game analysis and animated guide videos for the site's YouTube channel

Math Tutor - Freelance

April 2018 - September 2018

• Tutored Middle-school and High-school Mathematics in a one-on-one format
• Covered topics from different syllabuses such as GCSE, AS-level, A-level and CBSE
• Achieved an average 10% improvement in students' Math grades

Process Engineer - ADNOC

August 2015 - March 2018

• Determined root causes of frequent alarms and implemented changes to reduce them
• Designed new plant controller logic that saved approximately $200,000 in yearly maintenance costs
• Developed PI ProcessBook with VBA functionality to monitor plant performance
• Debugged crashes in the Honeywell Advanced Profit Controller software and server configuration

Laboratory Chemist - ADNOC

December 2011 - August 2015

• Managed a team of 15 staff to ensure safety, quality and adherence to company standards
• Developed documentation and implemented systems to adhere to ISO 17025 standards
• Managed the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software
• Developed a routine job macro on Microsoft Excel with VBA which saved 25 man-hours per week