The following publications are fictional, and are only intended for this job market website demo.

Research

Blog Post #1

Blog Post

Prompt

“What I learned about Markdown and Git, and how they help me contribute to open source and improve professionally. Have you used them before? What surprised you about Markdown or Git?”

What I learned about Markdown and Git

Markdown ended up surprising me the most. I thought that it would be an overly complicated coding language that I would be struggling to learn, but it has been quite simple so far. By using a few characters like a ‘#’, ‘*’, ‘-‘, or other characters, I can alter the headers, make lists, and provide links to websites or images. I learned that Markdown is used everywhere too, not just in the technology industry. What I have learned to like the most from using Markdown is that it makes my writing look clean and professional-like without me having to look for formatting buttons–I can just use my keyboard! So far, using Markdown has been straight forward and I can see myself using Markdown outside of this class.

Git, on the other hand, is something that I believe will take some time to understand and see why it is so important. When I first began completing the Microsoft Learning Labs I found it extremely difficult to understand the verbiage that came with Git. Terms like “branches”, “commits”, and “pull requests”, seemed like complete gibberish. Once I continued to use and research Git, it was easy to understand why many use Git to collaborate and work on projects virtually.

### How They Have Helped Me Contribute to Open Source and Improve Professionally ### So far, I do not believe that learning about Markdown or Git has helped me professionally. Do I believe that if I decide to go into the workforce, knowing a syntax language might be beneficial? Yes. As of right now though, I believe knowing Markdown and Git will only help me do well on this course. Although knowing Markdown and learning about Git has not helped me contribute to Open Source, since I have not worked on any kind of projects as of yet, I can see how I will be able to use both in the future in working on Open Source projects.

### Have You Used Them Before? ### I have not used Markdown or Git in the past, but I am excited to learn more about each one.

### What Surprised You About Markdown or Git? ### What surprised me the most about using Markdown was how little I had to learn to use it. Markdown helps a lot with editing text to the format that you would like. I thought that I would have had to learn a completely knew coding language, but it is a lot easier than that since we mainly use symbols to edit the format of text.

What surprised me the most about Git was how it goes about saving changes to the work being done on Git. Where most apps or programs might just save one version of a file, Git gives you the entire history of changes that have been made to a project! You can go back and see where you started in a project to where you ended! It is very comforting to know that you are able to experiment while working on a project without the worry of losing all the progress you’ve already made.

Blog Post #2

## Blog Post ##

Prompt

“How I chose a repository to explore and what I found interesting about its structure, community, and contribution process.”

How I Chose a Repository

I chose the Seamly2D repository because it offered something outside the typical coding libraries I usually see. It stood out because it’s software for fashion design, not just for programmers. It’s a practical tool for pattern-making, which blends creativity with software development, and I was curious to see how that kind of project is organized in open source.

What I Found Interesting about its Structure

The repository has a clear README, a contributing guide, and developer documentation, which helps with navigation. I liked that the repo mixes technical documentation with links to user resources like forums and a wiki. It shows that the project isn’t just about the code, but also about supporting people who want to use the tool, which I think makes the project’s structure unique compared to purely developer-focused repos.

What I Found Interesting about its Community

The community seems really friendly and supportive, especially on the forums. Beginners ask questions and usually receive patient, helpful replies. Having a code of conduct also shows the maintainers value respectful interaction.

What I Found Interesting about its Contribution Process

The contribution steps are explained, but it could be easier for beginners if the repo marked some issues as “good first issues.” Right now, it feels more geared toward experienced contributors. This could make it harder for newcomers to know where to start, even though the overall process is structured and collaborative.

image

Blog Post #4

# Reveal.js: My First Deep Dive into an Open Source Project

What Is Reveal.js For?

Reveal.js is an open-source HTML presentation framework. Instead of building slides in PowerPoint or Google Slides, you can write them in HTML or Markdown and run them in a browser. It supports nested slides, transitions, syntax highlighting, speaker notes, PDF export, and even plugins for math or charts. Its a very flexible open source project that seems to be very popular among developers and educators who want web-based presentations!

How Is Reveal.js Structured?

The repository is very neatly organized into the following folders:

  • css/ – themes and slide styles
  • js/ – the core JavaScript logic
  • plugin/ – add-ons like notes and math support
  • examples/ – ready-made decks showing features in action
  • dist/ – pre-built, minified files for quick use
  • test/ – automated tests for core functionality
  • README.md – a starting guide

Having everything sectioned off into this organized design makes it clear to new and existing contributors on what’s core versus optional. The project also includes build files like gulpfile.js and a demo index.html.

What Did You Find Interesting About Its Documentation & Maintenance?

Three things stood out to me:

  1. The README quickly explains the setup, features, and links to full docs. The examples folder is practical and easy to try.
  2. It is clearly seperated between plugins that makes Reveal.js feel very approachable to newcomers.
  3. Tests are included, releases are consistent, and the MIT license encourages contributions.
  4. The project is active, with recent commits and community involvement. These touches make the project not only functional but also contributor-friendly.

Could You Imagine Yourself Contributing?

I feel that I would be very hesitant in contributing. Reveal.js has been in active development for many years and includes many features. I feel that understanding how everything connects before making meaningful contributions could take a lot of time. Additionally, with so many users depending on it, the maintainer could likely enforce strict standards for pull requests. That means I would need to learn their style guides, testing setup, and backward-compatibility rules before submitting anything. To be honest, the most pressing issue as to why I’m so hesistant on contributing to this project is because open source contributions don’t happen overnight. Beyond writing code, I’d need to respond to feedback, make corrections, and possibly maintain the contributions I’ve made long-term. It would simply be too much of a time committment.

Blog Post #5

# Blog Post #

Prompt

“Ownership, Access, and Innovation: What I Learned About Licensing.

  • Reflect on something you learned about open source licenses (e.g., MIT vs GPL, what’s allowed, what’s restricted).
  • How did the Tetris movie shape your understanding of software ownership and distribution?
  • What surprised or intrigued you about NIU’s approach to IP, patents, and tech transfer?
  • How do you think licensing empowers or complicates open innovation?”

Reflect on something you learned about open source licenses

Before learning about software licensing, I honestly thought it was a simple legal document that developers had to get sorted whenever they created a project that they wanted to profit from. I now realize licensing is actually very important. Licensing decides who gets credit, who can use what, and how ideas spread or get locked down. It’s basically where ownership and innovation meet.

How did the Tetris movie shape your understanding of software ownership and distribution?

The Tetris movie completely changed how I see software ownership. It made learning the stipulations on copyright and ownership of technology projects very fun and interesting to learn! It’s fasinating how such a simple game sparked so much discourse over who actually owned it. The story showed how messy things can get when rights, politics, and money are all tangled up and involved with one another. What stood out most to me was how the game’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov, wasn’t even able to make money from Tetris for years because the Soviet government owned it. It made me realize that just having a great idea isn’t enough— you need to understand how ownership and licensing work, or someone else might profit from your creativity.

image image

What surprised or intrigued you about NIU’s approach to IP, patents, and tech transfer?

I was also surprised by how Northern Illinois University handles intellectual property and patents. Instead of just locking things down, NIU actually helps students and faculty protect their inventions and turn them into real-world projects! The university’s tech transfer program connects inventors with companies that can help bring their ideas to life! I really appreciate NIU keeping a balance between it protecting the creator while still encouraging collaboration and innovation and not seeking any kind of financial ompensaion or credit.

How do you think licensing empowers or complicates open innovation?

I feel that licensing can be both empowering, but very tricky to work with. Licensing helps people share their work safely, but it can also make collaboration harder when rules don’t match up between projects. Although, without licensing, open innovation could easily turn into exploitation.Between open source licenses, the Tetris story, and NIU’s approach to IP, I’ve learned that licensing is way more than legal paperwork. It’s a system that was created to keep innovation flowing — and makes sure the right people get credit for their work.

Blog Post #6

# Blog Post #

Prompt

“My experience participating in MLH Global Hack Week: what I learned, what I contributed, and who I connected with.”

Write about:

  • What you learned from participating in MLH Global Hack Week
  • What contribution (or challenge) you made
  • Who you connected with or learned from
  • How this experience shaped your view of open source collaboration

My Experience Participating in MLH Global Hack Week

Participating in MLH Global Hack Week was an incredible opportunity to learn, collaborate, and explore new areas of technology. Throughout the week, I joined a workshop and participated in a challenge that helped me grow both technically and creatively!

What You Learned from Participating in MLH Global Hack Week

One of the things that I took away from this experience was learning about IoT communication using MGTT with Python. The event was very hands-on, and it really helped me understand how lightweight messaging protocols enable devices to communicate efficiently, which is obviously essential for smart systems and connected technologies that are all around us. I also participated in the Tetris Mini-Event, where I learned more about the game’s logic, collision detection, and user interface design! Attending these events showed me how diverse the world of coding can be. You can do anything from building interactive games to managing real-time data across several devices!

What Contribution (or Challenge) You Made

I contributed by actively participating in the coding challenges and supporting others in the Discord community. During the IoT event, I experimented with sending and receiving MQTT messages between simulated devices.

Who You Connected with or Learned From

One of the best parts of MLH Global Hack Week was seeing people who were also curious and motivated to learn more about the coding world, like I am. I was in the same events with developers, fellow students, and possible mentors from different backgrounds who shared their unique experiences and project ideas. Whether it was discussing IoT setups, debugging Python code, or just discussing tech trends, the interactions I saw and lightly participated in were very engaging. From what I saw, everyone was very welcoming and supportive.

How This Experience Shaped Your View of Open Source Collaboration

Before participating in Global Hack Week, I mainly saw Open Source as a way to share code with others online. Now, I see that Open Source can be and is to many people, a community-driven learning environment. It is a space where people can collaborate, share knowledge, and improve ideas by working together! Seeing how many people shared their perspectives and solutions made me appreciate how Open Source thrives through diversity and teamwork. Overall, participating in MLH Global Hack Week helped me gain a deeper appreciation for coding and connecting with a supportive community. I would say I now understand the true value of open collaboration in the tech industry.

image

Blog Post #7

# Blog Post #

Prompts

  • What counts as a contribution in open source?
  • My thoughts on the value of code and non-code contributions.
  • How diagrams help clarify workflow.
  • How communication and collaboration shape successful non-code contributions.
  • What non-code contribution opportunities did you find?

What Counts as A Contribution in Open Source?

In open source, a “contribution” is any action that helps improve the project, whether directly or indirectly. Of course, code contributions — like fixing bugs, adding new features, or improving performance— are the most visible. But open-source ecosystems thrive on a wide range of other contributions, too. These can include writing documentation, designing project logos, creating tutorials, translating interfaces, organizing community events, or even testing and reporting bugs. Essentially, if your work helps the project grow or become more accessible, it counts as a contribution.

My Thoughts on The Value of Code and Non-Code Contributions

Both code and non-code contributions play essential roles. Code changes might be what end users see immediately, but non-code contributions often determine whether the project is usable and approachable. For example, clear documentation can save new contributors hours of confusion, and a well-designed README can make or break someone’s decision to get involved. I have also come to see that non-code work helps sustain the human side of open source — managing discussions, reviewing pull requests, or improving project governance all help maintain a healthy, inclusive community. In a way, non-code contributions create the foundation that enables great code to exist and evolve.

How Do Diagrams Help Clarify Workflows?

One thing that surprised me is how helpful diagrams can be in open-source communication. A well-made diagram can explain a complex workflow or system architecture much faster than a page of text. For example, visualizing how components interact in a web app or how translation pipelines work in a localization tool can make it easier for newcomers to understand where they can contribute. I have found that diagrams not only reduce misunderstandings but also spark collaboration — people can more easily point out issues or suggest improvements when they can “see” the process.

How Can Communication and Collaboration Shape Successful Non-Code Contributions?

Non-code contributions often depend heavily on communication. Writing clear documentation, proposing UI improvements, or organizing issues all require explaining ideas in a way others can act on. Collaboration tools like GitHub Discussions, Slack, and Discord make this process smoother, but what really matters is tone and empathy. Successful contributors listen, give constructive feedback, and make sure everyone feels included. I have noticed that the most impactful contributors are not just skilled technically — they are also great communicators who help maintain a positive community culture.

What Non-Code Contribution Opportunities Did You Find?

While exploring repositories, I noticed many open-source projects welcome contributions in documentation, translation, and user support. For instance, projects like Weblate encourage users to help localize their interface into different languages. Others, like Mozilla or Django, have documentation teams that constantly improve clarity and accessibility. Even small acts, like proofreading README files, creating tutorial videos, or helping triage issues, make a difference. These opportunities showed me that you do not need to be an expert developer to contribute — curious, helpful, and willing to collaborate.

Blog Title

Blog Contents</details>

Publications

Mission III, H. Husky, “The Impact of Mascot Presence on Athletic Performance: A Tail-Wagging Analysis,” 2024. Journal of Collegiate Spirit, 15(3): 101-115. Keywords: school spirit, athletic performance, mascot influence, crowd psychology.

Working Papers

Job Market Paper: Mission III, J. Trainer, “Bark vs. Bite: Comparing Auditory and Visual Mascot Techniques for Maximum Crowd Engagement.” Keywords: mascot techniques, crowd psychology, auditory stimuli, visual cues, sports marketing. Download File