Welcome to Surya Vijay's Portfolio

About me

I am a high school student with a passion for computational finance and music. In my free time, I enjoy learning about machine learning and AI and exploring new coding languages. I also love playing the trumpet and piano, and I have placed 2nd at state for the Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science for the Technology Student Association. At school, I take a variety of challenging AP classes to push myself and achieve my goals. I constantly involve myself in community events and volunteer my time to make the community a better place.

Portfolio

Machine Learning Model for Predicting a Criminal's Recidivating Factor

In this project, I developed a machine learning model using Python to predict how likely a criminal is to recidivate based on different features such as ethnicity, age, and prior convictions. We used a dataset currently in use around the country called the COMPAS dataset to train and test the model, achieving an accuracy rate of 69%. The accuracy rate best displays the faults of the COMPAS dataset and should discourage the use of it in justice systems in the future. This project helped me to deepen my understanding of machine learning algorithms and their applications.

Volunteer Experience

I am a dedicated volunteer, always seeking opportunities to help those in need, whether they are in my own community or across the country. As a member of the Pale Blue Dot Foundation, I provide virtual tutoring to Bhutanese refugee children from all over the US. These children's parents may not have the education or time to teach them, so I am happy to help fill that gap. In my local community, I volunteer with the Vibha group, where I teach personal finance classes to elementary school children, participate in city park cleanups, and gather clothing donations for the homeless. These experiences have brought me immense satisfaction and have shown me that I can truly make a positive impact on the world.

Trumpet Solo and Ensemble Achievements

As a trumpet player, I participate in the TMEA All-Region competition each year and got into the All-Region band in my sophomore year. As a freshman I was a part of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra performing incredibly difficult pieces with my accomplished peers. I practiced our music for months to perfect my technique and interpretation, and performed exceptionally well. At the North Texas Premier Solo Contest I have repeatedly achieved the highest score, displaying my proficiency at the instrument. This winter I was part of an ensemble that performed at the 77th Midwest Clinic at Chicago, an esteemed clinic that selects the best 5 high schools from around the world to perform for them.

Web Scraping of Job Postings for Data Scientists

To gain insights into the job market for data scientists, I built a web scraper using Python and Beautiful Soup to collect data on job postings from different websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor. I stored the data in a CSV file and used Python and pandas to analyze the trends in job titles, locations, and qualifications. This project improved my skills in web scraping and data manipulation.

I participated in the Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) competition organized by the Technology Student Association (TSA) and placed 2nd at the state level. The competition involved collaborating to solve complex physics problems, putting together an eloquent essay highlighting a solution to a major problem in central business districts across the country, and working collaboratively with my team to develop an innovative solution to a presented build challenge. This competition was beneficial for my growth as it greatly honed my critical thinking and teamwork skills.

Piano Recital at Community Center

As part of a community outreach program organized by my private lesson teacher, I gave a piano recital at a local community center. I played a selection of classical and contemporary pieces by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Gershwin. I also gave a brief introduction to each piece to engage the audience and enhance their understanding of the music. Due to my prowess in piano playing and excellence in my performed pieces I was awarded the outstanding musician award. This recital allowed me to share my love of music with others and contribute to my community.