Nicholas Simpkins
ITData ScienceAI & MLBig DataFintechCloud Architecture
📧 nicksimpkins@icloud.com, nsimpkins@hawk.iit.edu📱 (603)-848-6787📍 Chicago, IL
Education
B.A.C. Information Technology & Management
Illinois Institute of Technology
AUGUST 2021 - MAY 2026 • CHICAGO, IL
Minor in Finance
M.A.S. Information Technology & Management
Illinois Institute of Technology
JANUARY 2023 - MAY 2026 • CHICAGO, IL
Specialization in Applied AI & ML
Experience
IT & Security Consultant
Freelance
JUNE 2024 - PRESENT • VARIOUS
Bank Teller (Seasonal)
Merrimack County Savings Bank
JUNE 2023 - AUGUST 2023 • CONCORD, NH
Bank Teller (Seasonal)
Franklin Savings Bank
MAY 2022 - AUGUST 2022 • FRANKLIN, NH
Projects & Startups
Time-series data management and analysis platform for the financial industry.
Technologies: React, Python, SQL, AWS (RDS, EC2), Google Cloud (Cloud Run, Cloud Run functions), Firebase
Open source CLI with tools such as file conversion, with main functionality for interacting with cloud database systems.
Technologies: Python, SQL, AWS (RDS), MySQL
An easily containerized web app that generates dynamic web content using client-side LLMs with reference from JSON data
Technologies: Svelte, JavaScript, LLMs (Phi-2, Llama-2-7B)
University backed project aimed at creating a dynamic and intelligent safety system for buildings.
Technologies: Python, Raspberry Pi, Ubuntu, Arduino, Breadboards, Sensors, LEDs
Skills
Languages
HTML & CSS
Python
JavaScript
PHP
SQL
R
Scala
Java
Frameworks & Libraries
React
Flask
Django
NextJS
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
StyleX
Svelte
Express
jQuery
Spark
Cloud Services
AWS
GCP
Firebase
Kubernetes
Docker
Azure
Databases
MySQL
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
SQLite
Firebase
DynamoDB
Minio
AWS RDS
Development Tools
GitHub
Google Drive
Microsoft Office
VS Code
Slack
Trello
Basecamp
Figma
OneDrive
PyCharm
Postman
Eclipse
RStudio
VirtualBox
VMWare
Jupyter
Terraform
Vagrant
Vault
Wireshark
Fiddler
Discord
WebEx
OpenAI ChatGPT
Anthropic Claude
GitHub Co-Pilot
Courses
Technology Courses
Applied AI & Deep Learning
Topics: Game Theory, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Generative AI, NLP, Neural Networks
SPRING 2025
Cloud Computing Technologies
Topics: AWS, Terraform, Vagrant, Virtualization
FALL 2023
Data Mining & Machine Learning
Topics: R, Python, Jupyter, Web Scraping, Preprocessing, Classifications
FALL 2024
Programming for Data Analytics
Topics: R, Python, Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn
SPRING 2024
Advanced Topics in Data Management
Topics: SQL, Normalization, Data Warehousing, ETL Processes, Data Lakes, Data Governance
FALL 2024
Database Security
Topics: SQL Injection, Access Control, Encryption, Backup and Recovery, Database Auditing, NIST
FALL 2024
Web Application Foundations
Topics: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Responsive Design, SEO, Human-Computer Interaction
SPRING 2024
Big Data Infrastructure
Topics: Python, Scala, Spark, Minio, Jupyter
SPRING 2025
Cybersecurity Technologies
Topics: Encryption, Network Security, Firewalls, Intrusion Detection, Incident Response, Risk Management
FALL 2023
System Integration
Topics: Project Management, React, SQL, Terraform, Vagrant, Vault, OAuth, Proxmox
SPRING 2025
Open-Source Programming
Topics: Python, I/O, Data Analysis, Pandas, NumPy, Seaborn, Object-Oriented Programming
SPRING 2024
Undergraduate Research
Topics: Cybersecurity, Raspberry Pi, Ubuntu, Tornado, NMAP
FALL 2024
Intermediate Software Development
Topics: Java, JDBC, Object-Oriented Programming, Design Patterns
SPRING 2023
Project Management for ITM
Topics: Project Management, Agile Methodologies, Scrum, Waterfall Model, Risk Management, Stakeholder Analysis, Scope Management
FALL 2023
Finance Courses
Economic Analysis of Capital Investments
Topics: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Equivalent Uniform Befefit/Cost, Taxes, Inflation, Risk
FALL 2023
Investments
Topics: Portfolio Theory, Asset Pricing Models (CAPM & APT), Diversification, Efficient Market Hypothesis, Behavioral Finance
FALL 2024
Financial Derivatives
Topics: Options, Futures, Forwards, Swaps, Hedging Strategies, Pricing Models (Black-Scholes, Binomial Tree), Greeks
SPRING 2024
Buisness Economics
Topics: Microeconomics, Market Structures, Pricing Strategies, Game Theory, Market Failures, Externalities, Buisness Cycles
SPRING 2025
Buisness Statistics
Topics: Modeling, Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, Decision Trees, ANOVA
SPRING 2025
Principles of Economics
Topics: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Supply and Demand, Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Economic Indicators
FALL 2022
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Topics: GAAP, IFRS, Financial Statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement), Accrual & Cash Accounting, Cost Systems
SPRING 2023
Rise of Global Economy
Topics: Colonialism, Mercantilism, Industrial Revolution, Bretton Woods System, Globalization, Trade Wars, Emerging Markets
SPRING 2022
Certifications
FINRA SIE (Securities Industry Essentials)
Achievements & Involvements
Illinois Tech College of Computing Dean's List
New Hampshire Scholar
IIT ITM Organization
Stuart School of Business Investment Club
CME Group University Trading Challenge
Interests & Expertise
I focus on the intersection of technology and finance, working with large datasets for machine learning and statistical analysis. Recently, I've explored LLMs and AI image generation technologies, from lightweight models like Phi-2 to more robust systems like Deepseek R-1. I have extensive experience with cloud services, particularly Google Cloud and AWS, developing the backend infrastructure for my VisionKernel startup. My expertise includes API engineering for financial data, working with RESTful APIs and GraphQL, and handling various data formats including JSON, XML, and SDMX.