Hi, I’m Karina 👋
I’m a Computer Science graduate student at Santa Clara University (graduating Dec 2026) passionate about building systems that scale.
What I Do
I specialize in backend engineering, cloud systems, and serverless architecture. I love solving complex problems—from optimizing distributed systems to designing scalable APIs.
Track Record
✓ Published researcher — First-author peer-reviewed paper on serverless cold-start reduction (IEEE SmartCloud 2026)
✓ Production systems engineer — Built automated banking pipelines and internal tools processing millions of transactions
✓ Performance optimizer — Achieved 70% reduction in processing time through system design improvements
✓ Cloud architect — Experienced with AWS Lambda, API Gateway, and serverless architecture
My Interests
- Distributed systems & scalability
- Serverless architecture & cold-start optimization
- Full-stack development (backend preference)
- Performance optimization & benchmarking
- Open source contributions
Education
M.S. Computer Science & Engineering — Santa Clara University (Expected Dec 2026)
Coursework: Algorithms, Operating Systems, Cloud Computing, Databases
B.S. Computer Science & Applied Mathematics — University of Wisconsin–Madison (2021)
GPA: 3.1/4.0
When I’m Not Coding
I’m exploring new frameworks, contributing to open source, working on side projects, or debugging production systems.
Open to opportunities in: USA, Europe, Middle East, India
Willing to: Relocate, work full-time, contract, or internship roles