Paolo Salazar
Tech & Business
Best experienced on a computer
view standard siteEducation
3 tracks
Bachelor of Science — Computer Science with Business Applications
Relevant Coursework
- CS 111 — Discrete Structures
- CS 141 — Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms
- CS 170 — Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
- CS 100 — Software Construction
- ENGR 180W — Technical Communication
- BUS 104 — Decision Analysis & Management Science
- BUS 103 — Marketing & Distribution Management
Organizations
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Katipunan Pilipino Organization
- Vietnamese Student Association
GPA
3.03 as of August 2026
Associate Degrees — Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics
Relevant Coursework
- CS 131 — Data Structures using Java
- CS 230 — Advanced Programming & Algorithms using C++
- MATH 220 — Linear Algebra
- PHYS 211 — General Physics
- ACCT 201 — Financial Accounting
Involvement
- AVC STEM Club
GPA
3.50
High School Diploma
Attending a STEM-focused school sparked my interest in technology, engineering, and other STEM fields, motivating me to pursue computer science and continue developing my technical skills.
GPA
4.04
Projects
9 tracks
Overview
A Discord bot that tracks the Asia, London, and New York trading session hours and automatically posts @everyone alerts in a designated channel when each session opens and closes on weekdays.
Features
- Monitors three trading sessions on their local market hours: Asia (Asia/Tokyo, 09:00–15:00), London (Europe/London, 08:00–16:30), and New York (US/Eastern, 09:30–16:00).
- Posts an open/close alert to a configured channel within a minute of each session boundary, automatically skipping weekends.
- Includes a !test command to verify the bot can post to the configured channel.
- Configured entirely through environment variables (bot token and channel ID), loaded via .env locally.
Deployment
Runs as a long-running background worker on Railway, deployed directly from GitHub with automatic redeploys on every push to the connected branch.
Technologies
Python, Discord API, Railway, Environment Configuration
Status & Roadmap
Brand new and actively evolving. Currently building out price alerts and AI integration as the next set of features.
Overview
An interactive model-comparison application created during my machine-learning internship at Neurogica to help analyze how post-training quantization affects time-series forecasting models.
What I Did
- Built an interactive Python application for comparing forecasting model behavior before and after quantization.
- Designed visual comparisons around forecast error, accuracy, latency, uncertainty, prediction intervals, and quantiles.
- Used results from large-scale experiments involving millions of forecast trajectories.
- Translated machine-learning research results into a more understandable interactive format.
Technologies
Python, Streamlit, AWS, Machine Learning, Data Visualization, Time-Series Forecasting
What I Learned
- Evaluating machine-learning models beyond basic accuracy metrics
- Communicating research through interactive visualization
- Working with large experimental datasets
- Understanding model quantization and efficiency tradeoffs
Overview
EyeSpy is a travel-safety platform designed to help users evaluate hotel rooms and short-term rentals for potential safety concerns.
What I Did
- Integrated the Gemini API with a reference dataset to perform AI-powered visual analysis of rooms.
- Designed the system to identify potential safety risks from user-provided room imagery.
- Helped generate voice-guided findings and automated safety reports.
- Worked with a hackathon team to develop the concept and working prototype within a limited development window.
Technologies
TypeScript, Gemini API, AI-Powered Visual Analysis, Web Development
What I Learned
- Building with generative AI APIs
- Rapid prototyping
- Scoping an MVP
- Team development under strict time constraints
- Applying AI to a real-world safety problem
Overview
A music organization application designed to automatically sort users' Spotify liked songs into more organized and personalized playlists.
What I Did
- Developed a full-stack application integrating the Spotify API.
- Built functionality to categorize liked songs and automatically organize them into curated playlists.
- Helped reduce the amount of manual playlist organization required by approximately 80%.
- Collaborated within a four-person development team.
- Used sprint planning, user stories, and Scrum-style task boards to organize development responsibilities and features.
- Participated in feature planning, development, testing, and team coordination.
Technologies
React, JavaScript, SQLite, Spotify API
Team Size
4 developers
What I Learned
- API integration
- Full-stack development
- Sprint planning
- User stories
- Scrum workflows
- Collaborative software development
- Translating user problems into application features
Overview
An automated flight-price monitoring application designed to reduce the need to repeatedly search for airfare manually.
What I Did
- Built a Python-based flight-price tracker using the Amadeus API.
- Automated real-time flight-price monitoring.
- Integrated SendGrid to send email notifications when relevant price updates were detected.
- Integrated Twilio for SMS notifications.
- Reduced manual flight-price searching by approximately 80%.
Technologies
Python, JavaScript, Amadeus API, SendGrid, Twilio
What I Learned
- Working with external APIs
- Automation
- Notification systems
- Backend development
- Designing software around a real-world user problem
Overview
A club-discovery platform created during my first hackathon to make it easier for UCR students to find organizations aligned with their interests.
What I Did
- Collaborated with a four-person team during a 12-hour hackathon.
- Developed functionality allowing students to search and filter UCR organizations by interest.
- Organized student-organization information into a custom JSON database.
- Helped design and build the project from idea to working prototype within 12 hours.
Technologies
JavaScript, Python, JSON, Web Development
Significance
This was my first hackathon, giving me my first experience building a complete project under a strict deadline with a development team.
What I Learned
- Hackathon development
- Rapid prototyping
- Team coordination
- Prioritizing MVP features
- Working under time constraints
Overview
A pet-management application designed to make it easier for owners to organize recurring responsibilities for their pets.
Features
- Personalized pet profiles
- Dynamic task tracking
- Calendar-based scheduling
- Customizable pet-related to-do lists
Purpose
I built PetPlus primarily as a learning project to gain more application-development experience before working on the larger Song Sortify project.
What I Learned
- Application structure
- User-focused feature design
- State and task management
- Building software as preparation for more advanced projects
Overview
A recreation of Flappy Bird developed in Python using PyGame.
Features
- Physics-based character movement
- Collision detection
- Scoring system
- Game-over and restart logic
Significance
This was my first complete individual programming project, helping me move from coursework into independently building something from beginning to end.
Technologies
Python, PyGame
What I Learned
- Game loops
- Collision detection
- Event handling
- Physics-based movement
- Independent debugging and development
Repository
No longer available
Overview
An interactive trivia website created for an Antelope Valley College STEM Club Halloween event.
What I Did
- Led a small student team in developing the website.
- Built an interactive question and scoring system using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Designed the project for children attending the event to answer questions and win prizes.
- Helped coordinate development responsibilities among team members.
Technologies
HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Significance
This was my first software project, marking the beginning of my experience building applications outside of traditional coursework.
About Me
1 track
I'm Paolo Salazar, a Computer Science with Business Applications student at the University of California, Riverside, with an expected graduation in Summer 2027. Before transferring to UCR, I studied at Antelope Valley College, where I earned associate degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics.
My interests sit at the intersection of technology, product development, and business. On the technical side, I'm especially interested in software engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data-driven applications. I'm also interested in product management, technical project management, product operations, and other roles that combine technical knowledge with planning, communication, and problem-solving.
Through internships, hackathons, academic projects, and personal projects, I've gained experience working across the development lifecycle—from identifying requirements and planning features to building, testing, analyzing, and presenting technical solutions.
I enjoy learning unfamiliar technologies, turning ideas into working products, and collaborating with people from both technical and non-technical backgrounds. Long term, I'm interested in developing the technical, product, and business skills needed to help build and lead meaningful technology products.
Work Experience
4 tracks
Software Engineering / Machine Learning Intern
- Developed an interactive Python model-comparison application for evaluating the effects of post-training quantization on time-series forecasting models.
- Compared model performance across metrics including forecast accuracy, prediction error, inference latency, prediction intervals, quantiles, and uncertainty distributions.
- Designed and executed large-scale AWS experiments involving millions of forecast trajectories to investigate how reduced numerical precision affected model behavior.
- Analyzed experimental results and translated technical findings into clear visualizations and comparisons.
- Presented project progress and technical findings to supervisors, incorporated feedback, and iterated on the application throughout the internship.
- Conducted research into model quantization and its potential impact on prediction quality, uncertainty, and model efficiency.
- Worked in an international professional environment while balancing independent technical work with recurring team communication and project updates.
Key Skills
Python, Machine Learning, Time-Series Forecasting, AWS, Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Research, Technical Communication, Model Evaluation
Full-Stack Developer
- Expanded and restructured core website components while implementing new features to improve functionality and user experience.
- Collaborated with marketing, a lead developer, and other team members to translate business and product requirements into technical solutions.
- Used Git and GitHub to manage code changes, collaborate on development, and maintain organized project workflows.
- Worked across technical and non-technical teams to understand requested features and implement changes aligned with business needs.
Key Skills
Full-Stack Development, GitHub, Requirements Gathering, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Web Development, Product Requirements
Traffic Engineering Intern
- Deployed and monitored more than 50 traffic counters to collect data for transportation and infrastructure analysis.
- Collected, organized, and validated traffic data used by engineers to evaluate roadway conditions and project requirements.
- Prepared reports and technical documentation based on collected traffic information.
- Supported engineering staff with data collection and field operations for traffic-related projects.
Key Skills
Data Collection, Data Organization, Technical Documentation, Field Operations, Engineering Support
Target Team Member
- Assisted more than 100 customers per shift while resolving order issues and maintaining service accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
- Improved drive-up fulfillment efficiency by identifying workflow bottlenecks and coordinating task adjustments with team members.
- Maintained organized staging systems and verified order accuracy before customer handoff.
- Supported coworkers during high-volume periods to maintain service quality and operational efficiency.
- Developed strong communication, customer service, teamwork, adaptability, and time-management skills.
Key Skills
Customer Service, Operations, Teamwork, Communication, Problem-Solving, Workflow Improvement
Contributions
5 tracks
Website Development Team
- Collaborated with approximately 4–6 students to plan and develop a full-stack website.
- Coordinated development responsibilities and feature implementation with team members.
- Used GitHub to track progress, communicate updates, manage code, and resolve project blockers.
- Gained experience working within a structured student development team.
- Participated in STEM-focused activities and projects while attending Antelope Valley College.
- Led a small development team in creating an interactive Halloween trivia website for a campus event.
- Helped coordinate responsibilities, development tasks, and event requirements.
12-Hour Hackathon | November 2025
- Participated in my first hackathon as part of a four-person team.
- Helped create Highlander OrgQuest, a platform for discovering UCR student organizations.
- Experienced rapid ideation, feature prioritization, teamwork, and software development within a 12-hour deadline.
48-Hour Hackathon | 2026
- Participated in a larger and more technically advanced hackathon after completing CutieHack.
- Collaborated with teammates to develop EyeSpy, an AI-powered travel-safety platform.
- Worked with generative AI technology and helped develop a functional MVP under a 48-hour deadline.
- Expanded my experience with product ideation, technical implementation, and collaborative problem-solving.
Independent Entrepreneurial Project
- Began exploring the process of creating a small web-development and digital-marketing agency serving businesses in Southern California.
- Researched how to identify potential clients, understand business needs, develop websites, and communicate service value.
- Used the project as an opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, client acquisition, and business development.
- Currently an early-stage learning project rather than an established company.
Website
Skills
7 tracks
- Python
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
- Java
- C++
- SQL
- HTML
- CSS
- React
- Streamlit
- PyGame
- SQLite
- Git
- GitHub
- AWS
- Railway
- GitHub
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Sheets
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Office
- Spotify API
- Gemini API
- Amadeus API
- Discord API
- SendGrid
- Twilio
- Machine Learning
- AI Application Development
- Time-Series Forecasting
- Model Evaluation
- Post-Training Quantization
- Data Analysis
- Data Visualization
- Large-Scale Experimentation
- Project Coordination
- Requirements Gathering
- Feature Prioritization
- Sprint Planning
- User Stories
- Scrum Boards
- Progress Tracking
- Technical Documentation
- Stakeholder Communication
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Product Requirements
- MVP Scoping
- Risk Identification
- Team Coordination
- Technical Communication
- Translating Business Requirements into Technical Tasks
- Leadership
- Communication
- Problem-Solving
- Analytical Thinking
- Organization
- Adaptability
- Time Management
- Team Collaboration
- Customer Service
- Independent Learning
- Curiosity
- Ownership
- Working Under Time Constraints
- Technical and Non-Technical Communication
Interests
2 tracks
I'm interested in opportunities that combine technology, problem-solving, product development, marketing, and collaboration.
Software & Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Full-Stack Development
- AI Engineering
- Machine Learning
- Applied AI
- Data / AI Applications
Product & Project
- Product Management
- Technical Product Management
- Technical Project Management
- Project Coordination
- Product Operations
- Technical Program Management
Business & Technology
- Technology Consulting
- Business Operations
- Technical Operations
- Digital Transformation
- Startup / Entrepreneurship
- Technology Strategy
Marketing
- Product Marketing
- Growth Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Marketing Analytics
Outside of school and technology, my interests include:
Music
I listen to a wide range of music, including R&B, hip-hop, EDM, Latin music, jazz, and other genres.
Piano
I play piano and enjoy learning music outside of academics and software development.
Fitness
Working out is one of my regular hobbies and an important part of my lifestyle.
Reading & Journaling
I enjoy reading and journaling, using both to learn and reflect.
Sports
I enjoy both playing and watching sports. I especially follow basketball and football, and my favorite teams are the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Rams. I also enjoy playing golf.
Marvel & Movies
I enjoy Marvel, including Marvel movies and characters, and I like watching movies in general. I appreciate exploring different genres, stories, and cinematic universes.
Travel
I enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures. Countries I have visited include:
- Japan
- South Korea
- Italy
- Canada
- Mexico
Connect
4 tracks
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Profile
Find me on Handshake