Projects
Michael Robins is many things – an artist, a landscaper, a designer, an engineer of sorts, a former soldier, a cyclist, a kayaker, a bounty-hunter from time to time, and of course, my father. However, he isn’t the best with technology. That’s why I helped him set up his own website to showcase his work and the services he offers. Check it out to support him or just to browse beautiful and eccentric stuff.
Over the summer in Singapore, I helped Anju Patwardhan curate a website on financial resilience and well-being in the context of ageing populations around the world. I researched, wrote and edited articles, and organised her Wordpress site so it could be ready to go live to the world. I also helped with some graphics, the logo, and a few other design elements. This was a great learning experience and was my first exposure to thinking critically about financial well-being from different stakeholders: the individual, corporate, government, and startup.
Redesigning Public Green Space
As part of an inter-university challenge called the ‘Summer of Solutions’, I worked on a team with students from Berlin and Cardiff to come up with various sustainable and low maintenance proposals for the redesign of a public green space outside an elderly care home in Berlin. Background research was conducted, back and forth with the clients to get specifications on the land, and consideration of many different factors went into the project. I was responsible for most of the design mock-ups.
Winner of the Start Up Nation Challenge (SNC)
An 8 week long challenge in teams, with members across LSE and Imperial in London, and from IDC and Technion in Israel. Worked to create a start up venture from scratch, with help from professional mentors and business specialists. As the winning team, we received $500 USD each and a plane ticket to Israel!
ICL Merch
Designed a few hoodies and sweatshirts for various courses at my university to make a little bit of money on the side and put some unique pieces of clothing into circulation. So far designed for Des Eng, EEE, Mech Eng, Materials, Medicine, and Biomed courses.
Web design
Informally hired to design and build websites for family and friends. Three domains so far, branding, logos, embedding html, and curating content.
Ongoing
pi!
Configured the first pi into my very own server to host the original milarobins.com. Also experimented with e-Paper displays and scripts. VNC to access remotely.
Arduino
Thoroughly enjoyed tinkering with a beginners set for Arduino as my first exposure to basic circuitry and sensors. Fundamentals of electronics that I am now much more comfortable with.
Published a book
Part of an independent research project in my final year of high school, I carried out an anthropological survey on individuals to compare human perspectives from Singapore and Missouri. Good practice with interviewing, transcribing, data parsing, and for the final product, graphic design.
Skills
Competent with several different website building softwares: bludit, squarespace, Wordpress, Wix, and Mozello
Adobe softwares: InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
HTML, CSS, Python, SQL, and C familiarity
Comfortable with MatLab and Wolfram Alpha
Linux, and iOS familiarity
Basic short films in iMovie
Advanced French speaking, listening, reading, and writing ability
Comfortable with presentations and public speaking
Academic Research and paper composition
Virtual event organiser and host – themed zoom dinners, trivia nights, and fashion shows
Avid reader and traveller – always responsible for itineraries and become everyone’s personal GPS. Adamantly against taxis/ubers and proponent of learning to navigate public transport
Photobook and wedding album design using various online platforms