Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet! I like to to use this space as both a showcase of my work and a time capsule of my thoughts. I find myself feeling perpetually reminiscent on the past projects and and experiences I’ve had, and wanted a central place to showcase them ~ all with a bit of inner monologue.
Let me introduce myself… ☀️
If we haven’t met yet, hi! I’m Aava, a 3A Systems Design Engineering Student studying at the University of Waterloo. I operate in the intersection of Older Adults, Digital Storytelling, and Software Development. Self described as a vibe curator, I enjoy creating welcoming and accessible environments, and working towards impactful causes. This decade, I am on my Side Quest Arc and am open to any and all opportunities! I’ll post some of my learning on here, so stay tuned…
My Work 💻
TLDR: Elaborations of my resume
Companies/Organizations
Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab
Researcher; 2022-Present
⭐ Working on making consumer technologies relevant and accessible for older adults. 🤔 Curious about VR technology applications in story telling and world creation for older adults. 🎈 BIG fan of Spatial, and their platform. UPDATE - Demo Paper published!! Read here!
Intellijoint Surgical
iOS Software Developer Intern ; F23 (Sep. - Dec. 2023)
🚀 Intern Project was launched as a product by Intellijoint IJX, and Interventional Systems*! 😎 Got 100 Comments on my first PR… I learned a lot here… 👩💻Interfaced between Swift and Objective C code bases… had to make a lot of Objective C wrappers…
ecobee
iOS Software Developer Intern ; W23 (Jan. - Apr 2023)
🐣 First time developing in iOS… Went through all the apple Tutorials 🛫 Shipped some CTA buttons, and integrated ecobee Contact into Homeowners app for Smart Security App. 🏃♀️➡️ Ran a bunch of Co-op events, including Assassins, and game nights!
Projects
- Navcare: A shift route optimizer for Personal Support Workers, aiming to address daily time lost in commute Personal
- Water Wheel: A water sensor system to help individuals keep better track of their water consumption
- Knit: A video calling app that connects older adults with each other to connect and make new friendships! (Older adult omegle but more monitored and moderated)
- Tora: Information app that connects grassroots activists with new activists to help onboard them onto movements effectively, trying to minimize the amount of misinformation spread on social media.
Curiosities 💭
- Design for older adults and facilitation of intergenerational knowledge transfer
- Sustainable work life balance
- Anti hyper-attention society building
- How to build a more sustainable tech society
- How to build sustainable and welcoming multidisciplinary creator environments
Reading List 📚
- When Breath Meets Air (should I go to med school???)
- The Burnout Society
- Siddhartha by (Hermann Hesse)
- Atomic Habits
- Kaikeyi
- They Both Die at the End
- The Nightingale
- An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
Cool People 🍻
Meet some of my friends…