I’m Demetrus Rorie a driven, zealous, senior of Elizabeth City State University. As I have matriculated through ECSU my outlook on life has taken a drastic change. Although I have always been a spunky, goal-oriented, outgoing person, I have become more determined to accomplish my goals. . My duration at Elizabeth City State University has encouraged me to mature both academically and mentally. The goals that once seemed so distant, and sometimes unattainable, now seem accomplishable. As I am finishing the requirements for my bachelor’s degree in computer science I am preparing to pursue my master’s and doctorate degree from a top research university.         

            While enrolled at Elizabeth City State University I am mentally and academically preparing for a career in the Computer Science field. Through the intensive math courses and rigorous academic schedule, I have obtained the necessary skills to effectively operate various computer systems and use different software packages. Computers have always intrigued me. I wanted to know what made computers function, what were some of the different applications of computers, and how I could use these machines to increase the quality of people’s lives. The ONR/NASA scholarship program has allowed me to answer some of these questions that have been lingering in my mind. Throughout the program I have done research on UNIX machines in an attempt to link the SGI stations together to perform as a supercomputer, remote sensing research detecting coastal upwelling events along the NC coast utilizing AVHRR and in-situ sea surface temperatures and wind data . I have worked at the University of Kansas researching the polar ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and trying to quantify there role in the rising of the sea level. In addition, I have worked at Texas A&M University constructing an autonomous mobile vehicle for research in autonomous controls. I wrote software that simulated vehicle dynamics, GPS signal, heading, and environmental response data. While attending Elizabeth City State University I have worked with Macintosh computer and TeraVision and also learned Html, JavaScript and also to program using Java, C, and C++.

            Learning different programming languages and getting to physically work with different computers has influenced me to continue my education in graduate school. There I will be able to continue my studies and possibly quench my thirst for knowledge. Graduate school will give me the opportunity to add to my research experiences and give me more insight into the world of computers. I believe that “if it is to be it up to me” so I am diligently working to accomplish my goals. With the firm undergraduate education that I have received in the computer science program at Elizabeth City State University and research experiences at other universities such as: Texas A&M and the University of Kansas I am prepared and excited about having the opportunity to attend graduate school and to earn both my masters and doctorate degrees.