Miller Tinkerhess—Résumé

Video Game Programmer / Designer

I'm looking for my first job in the game industry as a game programmer or designer. I have formal education in both computer science and jazz trumpet performance, and professional experience with web and mobile development. I'm currently a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Michigan working with the Soar cognitive architecture and will graduate in May 2012.

I recently released Mechasaur, a turn-based strategy game for Android devices. It features enemy AI powered by Soar, a symbolic rule-based production system. It uses the libGDX game framework.

Most of my programming experience has been in Java. I also work with C++, Objective-C, and Python on a regular basis. I have used a variety of other languages including Common Lisp, Prolog, C#, and Javascript, although I'm rusty with them at the moment. I have experience with OpenGL graphics programming and socket-level network programming. I use Git, Vim and Eclipse.

Master's Degree in Computer Science, to be completed May 2012.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Graduate Research Assistant with the Soar group under Professor John Laird.
Current GPA of 7.555 on a 9-point scale.

Highlights:

• Co-author, A Case Study in Integrating Probabilistic Decision Making and Learning in a Symbolic Cognitive Architecture: Soar Plays Dice.
• Developed an Android tablet interface for human-agent interaction in a mixed real / virtual networked robot simulation environment.
• Developed an Eclipse plugin for the Soar cognitive architecture.
• Developed an algorithm to generate rhyming poetry in iambic pentameter based on an input document.
• Presented at the Soar Workshop in 2010 and in 2011.

Courses taken include:

• Operating Systems
• Knowledge-Based Systems
• Logic Synthesis and Optimization
• Advanced Artificial Intelligence
• Natural Language Processing
• Machine Learning
• Adaptive Dynamics
• Advanced Cryptography
• Psychology and Politics of Sense Making

Bachelor of Music in Jazz Trumpet Performance, May 2008.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio.
Graduated May 2008 with a GPA of 4.07 overall on a 4-point scale and a 4.16 in computer science courses.

Highlights:

• Studied with Marcus Belgrave, Wendell Logan, Roy Poper, and others.
• Toured as a member of the Oberlin Jazz Septet.
• Arranged I Can't Get Started for performance by the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble.
• Received the National Merit Award and the Conservatory Dean's Talent Award.

Courses taken include:

• Principles of Computer Science I and II
• Computer Organization
• Systems Programming
• Compilers
• Music Technology

Research Programmer, University of Michigan Artificial Intelligence Lab
October 2009 - August 2010

• Worked with graduate students to develop a simulation environment framework for reinforcement learning agents.

Mobile App Developer
October 2008 - Present

• Recently released Mechasaur, a turn-based strategy game for Android.
• Have published several of my own apps and games for iOS and Android.
• Programmed Nerve Whiz for Dr. Zach London, which has been downloaded over 33,000 times.

Web Developer, National Association of College Stores
June 2008 - May 2009, Oberlin, Ohio

• Implemented online credit card processing for donations and membership renewals.
• Found and fixed SQL injection vulnerabilities.
• Researched content management systems for use in Nacs.org redesign.

Computer Lab Assistant
February 2007 - December 2007, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

• Assisted students with Java programming and Linux software questions.

mechasaur.com

github.com/mtinkerhess

millertinkerhess.com