RESUME OF MAAN ASHGAR
P.O. Box: 5484 Aramco
Dhahran 31311 Saudi Arabia
Phone: +966 505 893092
Email: Maan@Ashgar.net
Education
2001-2007 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.
Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering.
- Major GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale.
- Honor student from the third distinction for 3 semesters.
- Graduated in Jan 2007.
- Done many course-related projects as individual work and as a team member.
- Gave a number of presentations about these projects to faculty members and fellow class students.
- Courses took include: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Multimedia Systems, User Interface Design, Software Design and Architecture, Software Testing and Quality Assurance, Internet and Web applications, Principles of Human behavior.
- Toefl scores: 109 out of 120 Internet-based (Paper based = 632).
- Is a Microsoft Student Partner.
Tools and Technology
- C#, XNA, Java, J2ME, Assembly, XHTML, JavaScript, XML and ASP.NET.
- Basic knowledge in C++, C, Flash, VB.NET, LaTex and UML.
- Microsoft Robotics Studio, Photoshop, Lego NXT MindStorm.
Working Experience
- May 2006 – Currently: working with Intel Corporation as a lab engineer in the KFUPM Intel lab.
Responsibilities and tasks include:
- Providing technical and administrative support for events and workshops in the Intel lab and Intel events outside the lab.
- Handle the lab’s administrative work (Shipments, Reports, bills …. etc).
- Give lab information/tour to the lab visitors and answer their questions.
- Provide simple technical support for Intel clients in the eastern region.
- May 2007 – Nov 2007: working with the National Talent Center in various positions.
Responsibilities and tasks include:
- Engineering Director position.
- Helped in the organization and planning of the first national RoboCup Jr 2007 in Saudi Arabia.
- Managed the “Training Area” during the first national RoboCup Jr 2007 in Saudi Arabia.
- Create, edit and direct 3 video presentations within very short deadlines.
- Worked in the Ethra 2007 Summer Camp for Gifted Students: Teaching courses, helping in events organization, provide technical support for the students’ lab, provide help for students in their projects.
- Providing technical support for the center’s office and training areas: Software installation, Network configuration, Problems solving.
- Give advice and recommendation on machine purchases for the center’s office and gifts: PC’s, Laptops, Robotics kits, Printers and Cameras.
- Heads a research project to provide 3D simulation for NXT robots programs built in Lego NXT MINDSTORM software.
- Built and wrote a report on a robot kit owned by the center.
- Wrote reports and installation guides for software used by the center.
- Worked with the Saudi Airlines IT department for 7 weeks as a summer student.
- Worked for Al-Jurasy Company during high school summer vacation.
Extra Activities
- Founder and president of the games development club “GDClub” in KFUPM.
Started a club that focus on developing videogames for Windows based platforms and consoles.
- Managed the public relations and advertisements for the GDClub.
Took care of all aspects of advertisements for the club, this include designing/printing posters, brochures and e-mails layout. Public relations handling includes giving seminars, events hosting, guest speaking at events, forums handling/participation and query e-mails handling.
- Managed the GDClub activities, planning and administrating.
Planned and organized the activities of the club, this include contest hosting, entries judging, teams organization, hosting brain storming session, hosting network game party (LAN party), lessons writing, materials and resources providing and events locations preparing/reservation.
- Gave many presentations and reports related to videogames development.
Reports includes:
-“WHO ARE THE ONLINE GAMERS?”: A look at the demographics and the online behavior of people who play online games.
-“The implementation of A* algorithm for path finding in games“: The report explains the way the A* algorithm works, how it is implemented and then show the difference between it and Dijkstra algorithm.
- Developed four games, in Java, in J2ME, QBasic and in C#/XNA (demos only).
(2007) XNA game: “Caffeine Rush”, an arcade game where the player tries to serve coffee to the customers as quickly as he can or he ends up losing his job at the coffee shop. The game starts speeding up once the player reach a certain amount of sales (Which means he is doing a good job and more customers start coming to the coffee shop). Done as an entry for Microsoft’s XNA “Dream Build Play” contest.
(2005) J2ME game: a break-out clone. Done while self-studying how to program mobile games using j2me.
(2001) Java game: a tic-tac-toe game with a graphical interface. Done completely from scratch as part of a class project.
(1999) QBasic game: a simple game that asks the player 3 question and sees if he can answer it right.
- Advanced to the International Selection Round in Microsoft Imagine Cup 2007 “Project Hoshimi”, AI programming contest. Received “Arabian Gulf Countries Representative” Certificate from Microsoft Arabia.
Out of 100,000 participants, only around 900 advanced to Round 2 and less of that number advanced to the International Selection Round. Rewarded by Microsoft Arabia as “Arabian Gulf Countries Representative” in the Saudi Arabia Imagine Cup 2007 awards. Contest mission was to program the AI of a group of nano-bots in a 3D simulated human tissue. (Figures were provided by Microsoft).
- Volunteered for the National Talents Center during the International Training Exhibition 2007.
Responsibilities include giving presentations about the center’s activities and services, answer visitors’ questions and show a quick demonstration on 2 robots that interacts with each other through Bluetooth communication.
- Participated with the IEEE team in “IEEE Extreme” contest, a 24H programming challenge.
Part of the 3 member team that competed under the IEEE student branch at KFUPM name in the first IEEE Extreme international contest. Contest rules were to solve 8 real-life problems by programming solutions for them in less than 24 hour.
- An IEEE Member.
- Previous member of the computer club.
- Participated with the computer club and the IEEE group in exhibitions in the eastern region.
- Art work and sketches samples can be found at
http://alamed.deviantart.com
Personal Background
- Grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Travels include the U.S., England and Italy.
- Fairly fluent speaking and writing skills in Arabic and English and learning Italian and Japanese.
- Interests include programming computer games, drawing, sketching and reading.
- A quick learner, very patient, highly enthusiastic, open minded, and works with passion.
- Willing to work and relocate to anywhere.