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Darren Nakamura

Darren Nakamura

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Followers of Darren Nakamura154 followers
location of Darren NakamuraApache Junction, Arizona, United States

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  • Timeline

  • About me

    Recent computer science graduate with an extensive background in laboratory chemistry

  • Education

    • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

      2003 - 2007
      B.S. Chemistry

    • Caltech

      2007 - 2009
      M.S. Chemistry

    • Mississippi State University

      2016 - 2022
      Bachelor of Science - BS Computer Science

      Earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science while concurrently holding a full-time position as a Research Associate at the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory.

  • Experience

    • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

      May 2005 - May 2007
      Undergraduate Research Assistant

      Worked in a bioanalytical chemistry laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Linda McGown. Designed and carried out experiments with thermoassociative guanosine based gel mixtures, an original material. Experiments focused on probing the behavior of the gels using spectroscopic methods, including circular dichroism and fluorescence.

    • California Institute of Technology

      Oct 2007 - Jun 2009
      Graduate Research Assistant

      Worked in a chemical biology research laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Dennis Dougherty. Designed unique experiments with implications in nicotine addiction. Worked extensively with unnatural amino acids in proteins expressed in the heterologous Xenopus laevis oocytes.

    • Destructoid.com

      Oct 2010 - Jan 2021

      Writes news, reviews, and features for gaming website Destructoid.com. Manages the in-house style guide. Edits pieces for form and accuracy. Writes news and reviews videogames for one of the most popular gaming blogs.

      • Associate Editor

        Dec 2014 - Jan 2021

      • Contributor

        Oct 2010 - Dec 2014

    • Brookline College

      Dec 2010 - Feb 2012
      Instructor

      Designs and instructs curriculum for a postsecondary chemistry course.

    • Self Employed

      Jan 2011 - May 2014
      Private Tutor

      Tutors high school students in mathematics and science.

    • Forever Living Products

      May 2011 - Nov 2011
      Chemist

      Analyzes the content, amount, and character of various nutraceutical products through physical and chemical methods.

    • Forever Nutraceutical

      Nov 2011 - Aug 2012
      R&D Scientist

      Formulates and pilots new nutraceutical products, adjusts existing product formulas for different regions

    • Arizona Department of Agriculture

      Sept 2012 - Sept 2014
      Agricultural Chemist II

      Prepares agricultural samples for pesticide residue analysis. Uses various instrumental analytical techniques including gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry.

    • Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory

      Nov 2014 - Sept 2023

      ● Led the inorganics division to achieve record sample throughput● Trained junior analysts to maintain and operate elemental analytical instrumentation● Produced training videos that continue to provide value ● Learned to maintain and operate six different analytical instruments● Analyzed food, water, soil, and other matrices for elemental content and contamination● Wrote and reviewed standard operating procedures for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 standards

      • Research Associate II

        Jun 2019 - Sept 2023

      • Research Associate I

        Nov 2014 - Jun 2019

    • Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin

      Oct 2023 - Apr 2024
      Engineering Scientist Associate

      ● Developed requested features for display software used in underwater vehicles● Created base environment for Nvidia Jetpack development● Automated development processes using Git, Bash, CMake

    • Earthborne Games LLC

      Oct 2024 - Apr 2025
      Software Developer Intern

      ● Led development on an interactive map for use with a published adventure card game● Worked in HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript to produce web-based, graphic interface● Communicated with stakeholders to understand requirements and maintain scope

    • AML RightSource

      Mar 2025 - now
      Associate Analyst I

  • Licenses & Certifications

  • Honors & Awards

    • Awarded to Darren Nakamura
      Rensselaer Medal Award Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2007 The Rensselaer Medal Award is given to high school students, chosen by their instructors to be the most outstanding students in mathematics and science.