TG Spotlight: Matthew Williams

A: It’s a bit too hard to pick one, but a few of my favorites include Looking for the Lost by Alan Booth, Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heinrich, and Fate is the Hunter by Ernest Gann.

​Q: Where is your favorite vacation spot?

A: Big Island in Hawaii (I have family from Hawaii) or at any hot spring in Japan.

​Q: Is there anything on your bucket list?

A: To get my private pilot’s license.

​Q: What’s your favorite way to unwind after a busy day?

A: Reading or working on side projects.

Q: If you could only have 3 apps on your smartphone, which would you pick?

A: Something to give me the weather, Vivaldi (Browser), and something else to play music.

​Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life?

A: Clive Owen because The International is one of my favorite movies.

Q: What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?

A: Overcoming some difficult API/data extraction challenges with a client using Apache NiFi. NiFi gives you the flexibility to solve problems in ways you didn’t at first think was possible and to do it quickly. it’s very satisfying when this comes together especially when you can improve your skillset. 

​Q: What has been your best experience at TG so far?

​A: By far working with a great team of individuals who are passionate and knowledgeable.

​Q: What technologies have you worked with or enjoyed working with?

​A: I’ve worked extensively with Apache NiFi and KNIME, Coucbase, SQL Server, MySQL, but have dipped my toes in various other technologies from web design (Bootstrap, XML, WordPress) to machine learning (DL4J, H20, R).

​Q: What tech trends excite you the most?

​A: I’m a bit of a Luddite when it comes to being excited about new tech trends, but some things that do excite me are the proliferation of microcontrollers for the maker space, I’m currently tinkering with some ESP32 based LoRaWAN modules to work on Meshtastic. I also have a rack full of servers in my basement to host some of the projects I work on during my spare time.