RCAC Student Spotlight: Augusto Butkewitsch
Name: Augusto Butkewitsch
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics
Position in RCAC: Programmer
Can you introduce yourself and share a little about who you are? Hello! My name is Augusto and I’m a programmer!
What are some of your main interests or passions? I enjoy programming, learning, and love playing my violin.
Can you tell us about your role at RCAC? What does your job entail? I work as a programmer at the Envision Center, using Unity C# to conceptualize, create, and test educational simulations in virtual environments.
What do you enjoy most about working at RCAC? Working at RCAC, I enjoy most the friendly atmosphere and being exposed to a variety of different programming and visualization projects made by very talented people. I consider my time and work at RCAC to be one of the most rewarding learning experiences I have had at Purdue University.
Tell us more about your favorite project you like to show off! As part of my work with RCAC and Envision Center, I am helping develop a 360° interactive simulator of Purdue's nuclear reactor to train students for successful operation. As part of a series of virtual labs, the simulation walks students through the proper steps to achieve criticality in the reactor, analyze real-time data feeds, and understand safety & shut-down procedures.
What did you learn from this project? During this project, I have learned a lot about Unity/C# development and its integrations with other software such as MATLAB and WebGL. I've also improved my understanding of digital user experiences and software development lifecycles. This work was published as part of a paper for the American Nuclear Society.