One doesn’t usually associate staring at a computer screen with self-reflection – except for, of course, when you’re staring at a glossy screen. Surprisingly, I’ve recently noticed myself doing a great deal of both throughout my experience with computer science. Among the many things I have learned about problem solving, I have also found myself […]
Author Archives: Keshav Tadimeti
Keshav Tadimeti: Hurtful, discriminatory comments should not be defended as free speech
I was sitting at Union Station at 6:30 in the morning, waiting for my train to arrive at the platform. Although I was busy reading on my phone, I noticed a man take a seat beside me. Suddenly, he turned and asked: “Are you building a bomb? Are you going to blow this place up?” […]
Lost in Boelter: Threat modeling
Have you ever wondered about those people who use cable locks for their laptops? Well, I’m one of them. Contrary to conventional wisdom, that doesn’t mean that I’m overly protective of my laptop or that I have something to hide. I’m just taking precautions that, arguably, few do. Now, you might say to yourself that […]
Lost in Boelter: Cracking the code behind encryption
NK DTZ’WJ WJFINSL YMNX RJXXFLJ, NY’X UWTGFGQD STY JSHWDUYJI Don’t worry, this isn’t a mistake. That line above is in fact gibberish. But, what if I told you that those seemingly random characters actually map to the following message? IF YOU’RE READING THIS MESSAGE, IT’S PROBABLY NOT ENCRYPTED. What I have just demonstrated is encryption, […]
Keshav Tadimeti: Sexual assault awareness is important, but action is key
“Congratulations, you’ve been accepted into the Class of 2021! Prepare for a challenging year ahead, which includes losing your virginity to a rapist.” Under normal circumstances, your everyday college acceptance letter wouldn’t include that second sentence. But, that’s one of several jarring statements presented in an online campaign titled, “Don’t Accept Rape”, which last week […]
Lost in Boelter: Does it compute?
When I was in elementary school, one of the weekly vocabulary exercises I had to complete was in the topic of “fields of study.” This basically meant that our class had to learn the etymology of many of those terms ending in the root “-ology,” or “field of study” – a task I’m sure we […]
Lost in Boelter: Abstract simplicity
Bits of change Computer science is a changing landscape. The truths and limitations of today may not necessarily hold for the next. The rate at which new innovations in computer science are developed is dizzying, and this is an exciting yet somewhat humbling fact. The rapid advancements within computer science allow not only for computers […]