Robert Long
First Principles Approach
10+ years with C#, Python, SQL, HTML5, and ECMAScript 6+. My versatility spans cross-platform development—from native desktop experiences to platform-agnostic web and backend systems. My fascination with the computer science world drives me to truly understand a problem's native principles. This deep understanding allows me to create solutions that are simpler, more natural, and effective.
My Skills, Experiences, & Practices
Functional Programming
For me, Functional Programming is a powerful toolkit for creating clear and controllable software. It enforces a discipline that helps me stay focused by breaking large problems down into a series of small, predictable data transformations. I can build a repertoire of sharp, pure functions, where each function is a self-contained unit that only has to be concerned with its inputs and outputs. At a higher level, this repertoire can be composed into a fluent, domain-specific language (DSL)—a powerful technique for modeling complex logic, which I've often found tempting for things like rules-based mathematical calculations. This makes unit testing incredibly straightforward, as there are no hidden states or external dependencies to manage. The paradigm's greatest strength is how it controls complexity by keeping side effects at bay; by isolating interactions with the outside world, the core logic of the application remains simple and predictable. This approach leads directly to software that is not only highly maintainable and robust, but also easier to reason about and built to last.
Machine Learning & Language Exploration
My current focus is on deepening my understanding of the modern machine learning landscape. My journey began with computer vision, a necessity for my work, which first sparked my interest in how machines can interpret real-world patterns. However, the recent revolution in Natural Language Processing, particularly with transformers, captured my full attention. The realization that we can now teach computers to understand and articulate complex ideas connected with a lifelong fascination I've had with language. This has pivoted my exploration from a professional necessity into a deep, personal quest to understand how these interconnected fields are fundamentally changing how we interact with technology.
Rethinking the Monolith
A core principle in distributed systems is that network calls are inherently expensive, as the process of serializing, sending, and deserializing data introduces significant latency. While microservices are invaluable for enabling team autonomy, they intentionally accept this performance cost to gain organizational scale. My experience has shown, however, that many projects benefit more from computational efficiency than organizational separation. A carefully designed monolith delivers immense performance by keeping communication in-process, which not only improves speed but also creates a fundamentally simpler architecture. With a single codebase, tasks like debugging, troubleshooting, and overall maintenance become far more direct and manageable.
Formless
After more than a decade of writing software, I've learned that rigidly applied structure can be the single most limiting factor in finding a truly great solution. When we force a problem into a preconceived pattern, we often miss the simpler, more direct path that's waiting to be discovered. My approach is to instead derive the structure from the first principles of the problem itself. I see a deep parallel to the concept of 'Jū' (softness), the martial arts expression of Yin, in disciplines like Judo and Jujitsu. True mastery isn't about meeting force with force through rigid techniques; it's about yielding and adapting to the problem's own energy. The ultimate expression of this mastery is to be 'like water.' It acknowledges that we can only experience the computational realm indirectly, so a solution's form must emerge from a careful, first-principles evaluation of the problem, not a rigid template. This is the essence of my approach to software. It's not about forcing a design that we perceive as elegant, but about carefully solving the problem and respecting the structure that naturally emerges. A solution built this way is fundamentally more robust, carrying fewer bugs and built to last a long time.
UI & UX Understanding
I've had the opportunity to build user interfaces across a wide spectrum of technologies, from native desktop and mobile with WPF and MAUI to the web's foundational trio of HTML5, CSS3, and ECMAScript 6+, which underpins modern frameworks like React and Angular. While these domains can seem worlds apart, what years of working through their unique challenges has taught me is that they all share the same fundamental problems of state management, performance, and intuitive user interaction. This long process of solving these core issues in different contexts is what builds the hard-earned, framework-agnostic intuition needed to solve truly difficult problems. It is this understanding that allows me to build dynamic UIs capable of meeting any kind of demand. I don't back down from an interesting challenge; I strive to not only deliver on a user's creative vision but to enhance it, creating solutions that are simpler, more effective, and robust.
My Renewed Fascination for Algorithms
My work in computer science has sparked a renewed fascination with the mathematics that underpins it all. Unlike my time in college, this is a deep and genuine curiosity that I now have the freedom to pursue for a lifetime. Studying the algorithms behind modern AI and distributed systems has led me back to the fundamentals—revisiting graph theory, linear algebra, and the calculus that powers transformers. It reveals that mathematics is a different and powerful lens for viewing computation; when you learn to work with this perspective, building effective software becomes a more direct and intuitive process, bringing us closer to the reality of computer science as a realm of its own.
Projects & Experiments
The Offline Paradox
Discovered that removing dependencies made systems faster AND more reliable. Built OCR processing that runs completely offline - no Redis, no services, just pure logic. Result: Millisecond processing, zero downtime.
Performance Through Understanding
400% speed improvement not through optimization, but by understanding what the system actually needed. Removed layers of abstraction others thought were necessary. The solution was always there, hidden under complexity.
The 99.8% Discovery
Found that system outages weren't from complex failures but simple resource exhaustion. One refactor eliminated years of downtime. Lesson: The critical problems hide in plain sight, not in edge cases.
Professional Recommendations
I had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Robert Long for over four years, and I can confidently recommend him as one of the most talented software builders and technical leaders I've ever collaborated with. Robert possesses a rare ability to solve deeply complex technical problems that frequently challenge other senior developers. He is not just adept at implementation; he is a true technical visionary who consistently looks beyond the obvious to recommend brilliant, game-changing alternatives. Robert is exceptionally skilled at researching and integrating bleeding-edge technologies to deliver solutions that redefine product capabilities. His recent work on an innovative AI project stands as a testament to his impact. Robert engineered a proof-of-concept that rapidly exceeded all expectations, accomplishing what was previously deemed impossible and revolutionizing a core aspect of our product. The result was so compelling that multiple company executives immediately launched a full development initiative to bring his design to market. Robert's extensive experience in AI, from deep research and analytics to using it for rapid code generation, allows him to operate with incredible speed and scale. Beyond his technical prowess, Robert is a phenomenal collaborator. He excels at sharing knowledge with the team, leading design sessions that explore and evaluate multiple technologies—meticulously weighing the pros and cons before guiding the team toward the optimal architectural path. Any software development team seeking a leader capable of solving impossible technical challenges and integrating transformative AI capabilities would gain an invaluable asset in Robert.
Brian Nguyen
Principal Software Architect at CoreLogic
MS Computer Science, UC San Diego • 25+ Years Industry Veteran
Co-Founder Autonomous AI Robotics Startup • Patent Holder (US7274378) • Gateway • Rand McNally
I had the opportunity to work with Robert at CoreLogic, and what stood out most was his outstanding problem-solving ability. Regardless of how difficult the challenge, he always found a solution with confidence and clarity. Beyond his technical strengths, Robert is also incredibly kind and supportive. He often stayed late to help teammates who were stuck, never hesitating to offer his time and expertise. His deep and broad knowledge of software engineering made him a valuable resource not just within his team, but across the organization—colleagues from other teams frequently sought his help. Robert is the most capable and compassionate software engineer I've had the pleasure to work with. He would be an invaluable asset to any organization.
Joanne Geng
Data Architect at Microsoft
MS Computer Science, UC Irvine • BS Computer Science, UC Irvine
23+ Years Data Science & Engineering Veteran • Former CoreLogic Data Architect
I worked with Robert for 4 years at Pitzer College. I would have loved for him to stay, but he recently moved on to a better opportunity, which make total sense for him. He's a hard worker, fast learner, and has a great eye for edge cases, which makes for more robust code. And curious, which bodes well for continued growth. Definitely an asset in development or operations.
Bob Goldstein, PhD
Director of Information Technology at Pitzer College
Postdoc Stanford (Cell Biology/Chemistry) • PhD UC Berkeley (Physics/Biophysics) • BA/MS UPenn (Physics)
Physics Expert • Problem-Solving • IT Leadership • Claremont Colleges
Robert is a very passionate software engineer, always looking to solve problems in a simple and efficient manner. At Extron, he demonstrated good understanding of WPF and helped to create advanced UI components for desktop applications. I enjoyed working with him and I'm confident that he'll add great value to any team he works with.
Buddha Shrestha
Software Engineer at Microsoft
Master of Science, Computer Science
Cloud Infrastructure • Azure Platform
Robert was always willing to learn new technologies and skills to create new solutions or improve existing ones. Robert's willingness to share his experience and knowledge will others make him a valuable asset. Robert could manage multiple projects and priorities to ensure that critical tasks were completed in a timely manner and met objectives. Robert collaborated with peers and colleagues to contribute to the success of every individual and team that he interacted with.
Robert Little
Integrations Engineer at Avalara
BS Computer Science • Software Industry Veteran
Root Cause Troubleshooting Expert • Consultant • Enterprise Integration • Industry Veteran
During two years, Robert introduced me to full-stack development, the various concepts, and programming languages. I appreciate his spectrum of knowledge, passionate and patient delivery besides his consistent and clear-minded approach. Robert has had an indescribable influence on my problem-solving skills and strategies. I am also very grateful for his insight and vision. I recommend Robert's services to anyone who wishes to take better advantage of one's creative thinking.
Emmi Kaasalainen
Osteopath Practitioner & Business Owner at ViaVital Chiropractic and Health Services
Masters in Biochemistry - University of Helsinki
Healthcare Innovation • Osteopathic Medicine • Practice Owner
Robert oversaw a key project for the Pitzer College Office of Career Services. We were about to lose an important student resource; a directory of alumni and parents/family members who students can contact for career conversations. Robert led an effort to build a platform "from scratch" for our students. He coordinated a process with the offices of Advancement, Information Technology, and Career Services to create this directory and make it available to the community. Throughout the process, he was kind, focused, detail-oriented, and an easy partner with whom to work.
Brad Tharpe
Assistant Vice President of Career Services at Pitzer College
Masters Degree
Associate Director, MA in Bioethics • Adjunct Faculty, Humanities & Communication
Robert is a gifted computer scientist who is trustworthy, responsible, committed and innovative. He has a passion for programming and sharing his knowledge with others. I learned a great deal from Robert and I'm sure he'll be an asset to the next organization he joins.
Nipun Karunarathna
Propulsion Structures Engineer at Boeing
BS Engineering, UC San Diego
Aerospace Engineering • Structural Analysis
I have known Robert Long for about 4 years. I worked with him as he provided his advice and programming ability to set up a tracking system for our Institutional Research Board (IRB) application system at Pitzer College. The IRB application review is a Federally mandated program for all colleges and universities that do research with human subjects. Robert listened to our needs and provided us with the means to meet our needs, along with giving us an easy to use site for our end users. The key fact is that it is not an easy task for an IT professional to translate what a non-IT person is trying to accomplish. Robert is good at this translation. He was thoughtful, always attentive to our needs and professional.
Cecilia Manoochehri
Sponsored Research & IRB Administrator at Pitzer College
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Adjunct Professor of Economics • 45 Years at CalTech
Efficient, knowledgeable, and persistent are the three things that first come to mind when working with Robert. Robert has been an excellent partner in my programming team for over a year now, and I remain impressed at the number of projects that he is able to perform in simultaneously as a combination of his organization and tenacity. Be it about work or simply pursuing his hobbies, his passion is clearly on display and would make an excellent addition to any project.
Brandon Watts
Software Engineer at Pitzer College
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
Full-Stack Development • Network Specialist • System Architecture
Long is a good programmer, and a good game designer.
Li Xiao, PhD
Associate Professor, Institute of Computing Technology at Chinese Academy of Sciences • Professor at Ningbo Huamei Hospital, UCAS
PhD Biomedical Engineering, UC Irvine • BS Physical Sciences, Tsinghua University (92/100)
Research Leader • Published Author • Computing Technology Institute • Biomedical Engineering
My Recommended Books
Agile Principles, Patterns, and Practices in C#
by Robert C. Martin
The Pragmatic Programmer
by David Thomas & Andrew Hunt
Pro C# Series
by Andrew Troelsen
C++ Primer Plus (5th Edition)
by Stephen Prata
The Art of Functional Programming
by Minh Quan Tran
The Book of JavaScript: A Practical Guide to Interactive Web Pages (2001)
by Dave Thau
Understanding ECMAScript 6
by Nicholas C. Zakas
Exercises in Programming Style
by Cristina Videira Lopes
Pro WPF Series
by Matthew MacDonald
Currently Reading
The Rust Programming Language
by Steve Klabnik and Carol Nichols
Build a Large Language Model
by Sebastian Raschka