Hey Hackers! I’m Lukas Esterhuizen, an enthusiastic student and researcher in physics, astrophysics, and applied mathematics, driven by innovation. As the CEO and founder of EST Engineering Technologies, my team and I create advanced electronics and software solutions. Staying updated with the latest technology is crucial to me, and I'm committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible. I've successfully optimized workflow and production in electronics, and my expertise spans electronic design, manufacturing, and project management. I excel in troubleshooting, adaptability, fast learning, and effective communication under pressure. I possess strong critical thinking, business management, leadership, and teamwork skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office, I'm skilled at complex problem-solving. My interests include cricket, camping, traveling, reading, and astrophotography. I'm also a volunteer at SANParks, contributing to South Africa's natural resource conservation. With a proven track record in both science and business, I'm a motivated professional ready to make a significant impact. What's your current role and what do you like about it? I study physics and applied mathematics at the North-West University in South Africa. I am also involved in space research projects which require a lot of programming and simulations. I also run a company that is focused on the development of innovative astro-technologies like Cubesats and Aerospace Dosimeters. How did you get into Programming? Through my passion for physics and electronics. I guess the business also played a role but in my field of study and work, programming is a major part of everything. I knew I needed to upgrade my skills in , , MATLAB, and Fortran. I enjoyed every bit of the journey and I am very excited to see where the future will take me in terms of my programming skills. Python C++ How did you get into writing about Programming? Blogging was always something I wanted to try and what better topic to write about than one I am passionate about and work with every day? What's your earliest memory of you learning to code? I was sitting at my home lab, opening an Arduino kit I ordered. I did not understand how it worked but soon found out you can connect all sorts of sensors and circuits to an Arduino, but to work, it requires programming. So I went on and then eventually ended up watching videos of Arduino programming. Google YouTube When Elon Musk achieves his dream of getting us to Mars, what technology do you think would be important on Mars and why? Renewable Energy Sources: It is more difficult to generate power on Mars due to its lesser gravitational pull compared to the Earth. A sustainable power supply would be dependent on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. Systems for Water Recycling and Purification: Given Mars's limited supply of fresh water, the survival of its inhabitants would depend on the development of effective systems for water recycling and purification. Mars' significant temperature changes make it challenging to maintain a comfortable climate. In order to control the temperature, humidity, and air quality, sophisticated climate control equipment would be required. Using in-situ resources (such as Martian ice and dirt) to produce the essentials for life on Mars is known as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The colony would become more self-sufficient as a result, requiring fewer resupply missions from Earth. Automation and robotics: Mars is a hostile environment with few resources. Advanced robotic and automation systems would make exploration, resource extraction, and infrastructure maintenance efficient and safe. What's a programming language that you would build EVERYTHING and ANYTHING in and why? I believe that Python would be the ultimate programming language to construct everything and everything. Here are some reasons why: : Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that can be used for a wide range of applications, from web development to machine learning. Its adaptability makes it a good choice for designing complicated systems and tools. Easy to Learn and Use: Python features a straightforward and easy-to-read syntax, making it accessible to beginners and experts alike. Its wide standard library and a vast variety of third-party libraries also make it easier to construct and maintain large projects. Versatility : Python is an interpreted language, which means that it is less prone to mistakes and crashes compared to compiled languages. Its heavy emphasis on error handling and documentation also makes it easier to debug and maintain programs. Community Support: Python has a huge and active community of developers who contribute to the language and its ecosystem. This community support ensures that there are always new libraries and tools available to help developers solve obstacles. Robustness : Python can connect with other programming languages and tools, making it a good choice for designing applications that need to integrate with other systems. Its capability for cross-platform programming also makes it easier to construct apps that can operate on several operating systems. Overall, Python's breadth, ease of use, robustness, community support, and interoperability make it a great choice for building everything and anything in. Interoperability What's something you think Software developers do not do enough of? Something that software developers may not do enough of, is testing their code thoroughly. Testing is an essential part of the software development process, as it helps to ensure that the code is free of bugs and errors. However, many software developers may not test their code thoroughly enough, which can lead to issues down the line. One reason why software developers may not test their code thoroughly enough is that testing can be time-consuming and repetitive. It requires developers to manually test their code, which can be tedious and boring. Additionally, testing can be difficult, especially when working with complex codebases. What is your least favorite thing about programming? Definitely debugging. Debugging is the process of identifying and fixing bugs in code, and it can be time-consuming and frustrating. Developers may spend hours trying to identify and fix bugs, only to find that the problem lies elsewhere. What’s a technology you’re currently learning or excited to learn? I am excited to learn more about Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). GANs are a type of neural network that can generate new data that is similar to existing data. GANs consist of two neural networks: a generator network that generates new data, and a discriminator network that evaluates the quality of the generated data. GANs have many potential applications, including generating realistic images, videos, and even music. I am excited to learn more about GANs and how they can be used to create new forms of content that are more realistic and engaging than ever before. What’s your favorite Programming story of all time on HackerNoon? My favorite programming story on HackerNoon is “ ” I started to experiment a bit with app development in my free time and the method talked about by Nicolas Frankel changed my whole approach to app design and development. I think I like this article because it has helped me the most out of all the articles I have read about app development. Reactive Programming - The New Way to Write Apps? Time travel 10 years into the past or 10 years into the future? What does technology look like? Give reasons for your answer. 10 years into the future: With continuous breakthroughs in machine learning and neural networks, AI systems may grow more intelligent and capable of executing complicated tasks. This might encompass things like autonomous driving, individualized healthcare, and even artistic undertakings like writing or art. er Sustainable Energy: As concerns about climate change continue to grow, sustainable energy technology will become increasingly vital. In the next 10 years, we may see tremendous breakthroughs in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, making it simpler to minimize our dependency on fossil fuels. I you want to know more about my research, feel free to contact me via Twitter. I will also appreciate a follow (I post about space, programming, and electronics) Link to Twitter: https://twitter.com/cosmicteq

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