Matt Wolffe - Musi(CS)ian

My name is Matt Wolffe. I’m currently a student at James Madison University where I am studying computer science. My fascination with computer hardware and software germinated at a very young age thanks to my parents allowing me to play computer games like Pajama Sam whenever I couldn’t sleep as a kid in the late 90’s. I built my first (inexpensive) computer in middle school, and by my senior year of high school I had a collection of machines participating in distributed computing projects such as Folding@Home, SETI@Home, and GIMPS (the latter mostly for CPU stress testing). Beginning in high school I self-taught C++ out of a beat-up old textbook my high school’s CS teacher lent me as I wasn’t interested in spending an entire year learning visual basic.

I am most proficient in C, Java, Python, and Javascript. I am refamiliarizing myself with C++ and C#, learning React, and starting to learn Max MSP. I have experience with SQL as well as HTML/CSS.

Music

I am a 'classically trained' musician, having performed and studied music for nearly two decades. I studied low-brass performance for several years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I had been awarded the Kenan Music Scholarship in 2014. I studied under retired principal trombonist of the North Carolina Symphony, Michael Kris. I play bass & contrabass tubas, Cimbasso, euphonium, & bass trombone. Thanks to Professor Kris I was able to make a foray into the world of historically informed performance, learning how to play and perform on instruments such as the Ophicleide and Bass Sackbut. I have traveled extensively to supplement my studies by taking lessons with principal performers in orchestras throughout Europe and the eastern United States. I did not, however, complete my degree at UNC due to rather serious burgeoning health issues.

Educational Work

I currently work as a tutor/teaching assistant in and around the Shenandoah Valley area. I cover college-level courses in chemistry, computer science, and mathematics. I thoroughly enjoy teaching, and hope to one day be able to work as a professor. In the past I have provided inexpensive private tuba and euphonium lessons to students who enjoy music making, but are unsure of whether they wish to study music formally.

Interests in Computing

• Quantum computing
• Software for musicians such as DAW's, instrument virtualization, notation software, etc.
• Computer science pedagogy, learning management systems, and other educational tools
• Distributed Computing Systems like the projects mentioned above
• Applications of CS in the fields of chemistry, mathematics, music, and cosmology
• Ethical concerns of Large Language Models