Before coming to ESnet, Alex was a network software automation engineer for Charter Communications and sometimes a contractor. In another life, he was a professional artist. He lives in Denver, CO with his wife and two Pekingese, which may actually be aliens in a cute disguise. Enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains, biking (not in the mountains), comics, and the occasional video game. 

What brought you to ESnet?

I was working as a contractor for about a year, helping write code for the Network Services Orchestration (NSO) piece of ESnet and various other parts of the software ecosystem. The people are great, and the fact that the network being deployed and maintained supports scientific research is amazing. Couldn’t resist the offer to work here!

What is the most exciting thing going on in your field right now?

I really like where the Rust programming language is headed, and I’m actively trying to learn more about it so I can implement it in both professional and personal projects.

What book, movie, or podcast would you recommend?

I enjoyed Dune (just read it for the first time). I’ve been trying to read more lately, so maybe ask again in a couple months. I would also highly recommend Darknet Diaries podcast for those interested in stories about cybersecurity/hacking, physical security testing, or social engineering.