Flask - An Easy-to-Use Python App-Building Framework

A former UC Davis student, Niraj Vora focused much of his time at the school on the development of green energy solutions. Also knowledgeable about web development, he has completed diverse software projects. In one project, Niraj Vora used Flask to add Twitter API calls within a multi-threaded Python server, allowing users to efficiently post and favorite Tweets.

A Python web framework, Flask offers web application code that is more explicit than competing framework Django and thus more “Pythonic.” Created a number of years after Django, Flask took into consideration the evolving needs of the Python community in providing simple, elegant solutions.

Lacking much of the boilerplate code of Django, valid Flask applications require relatively short codes. This makes it easier for the newcomer to get a simple app developed and running on various devices. Flask apps employ templates and web forms that are used to build apps for unit testing and launch.

An Introduction to Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One

A former UC Davis student, Niraj Vora studied chemical engineering while attending the university. After leaving UC Davis, he completed Hack Reactor training and obtained employment as a full-stack software engineer. An avid reader, Niraj Vora lists Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One among his favorite books.

Set in the year 2044, Ready Player One is a dystopian science fiction novel narrated by protagonist Wade Watts, a schoolboy who spends all of his free time in a virtual universe known as the Oasis. Upon the death of Oasis creator James Halliday, a contest is launched to find secret clues, or Easter eggs, hidden within the Oasis universe.

According to Halliday’s wishes, the winner of the contest, known as Anorak’s Invitation, will receive his substantial real-life fortune. With so much money up for grabs, millions of players compete to solve Halliday’s puzzles, and many of them are even willing to commit murder to beat Wade and the other “egg hunters” for the top prize.

Released in 2011, Ready Player One quickly found both commercial and critical success. The novel received the 2012 Alex Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association and the 2012 Prometheus Award from the Libertarian Futurist Society. A film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg is currently in the works and will be released in 2018.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline’s Online Puzzle-Focused Future Novel

With an educational background at UC Davis, Niraj Vora undertook research in the chemical engineering sphere and focused on green energy innovations. An avid reader throughout his years at UC Davis, Niraj Vora particularly enjoys future-focused books such as The Martian and Ernest Cline’s bestselling 2011 novel, Ready Player One.

Set in 2044, Ready Player One places the protagonist, Wade Watts, within a dystopian future in which being immersed within OASIS, a virtual utopia, is his only escape. Watts devotes his days to exploring ’80s pop culture-based clues that the late billionaire inventor James Halliday has set in place as a way of providing wealth and power to whoever solves the puzzle. 

Wade Watts bands together with a number of like-minded avatars within Oasis, and their group, High Five, achieves significant progress toward the ultimate goal of cracking Halliday’s puzzle. Unfortunately, others vying for this objective within the massively multiplayer online game prove willing to get ahead by any means, including killing.

Experiencing India’s Golden Triangle

Niraj Vora is a former UC Davis student who majored in chemical engineering. After his time at UC Davis, Niraj Vora became a full stack software engineer and enjoys traveling to a variety of locations in his free time. His world travels have taken him to India, where he visits family as well as noteworthy sites.

One popular circuit around India is called the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle takes visitors through three major cities, allowing them to visit many of India’s top tourist attractions. The cities on the triangle - Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur - are conveniently interconnected.

Delhi, India’s capital, is divided into two sections: Old Delhi and New Delhi. Visitors to both sections can’t help but notice the contrasts between old and new. Old Delhi is crumbling and historic, but New Delhi, created more recently by the British Raj, is well-ordered and modern. Delhi has served as a seat of power for many rulers over the course of more than a thousand years.

The Taj Mahal is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Agra. Named a World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal has been called the most beautiful building in the world. This impressive site was built by Shah Jahan as a memorial for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth in 1631.

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is known for its activity and color. The City Palace, located at the center of the Old City is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. It currently houses the former royal family. The Amber Fort is also a popular destination in Jaipur where visitors can enjoy an elephant ride to the top of the fort.

Traveling the Golden Triangle allows visitors to experience a diverse taste of India’s long and rich history.

San Francisco 49ers Get Active in the Community

After spending three years studying chemical engineering at UC Davis, Niraj Vora was accepted into a competitive advanced software engineering program and became a full stack software engineer. Niraj Vora balanced his studies at UC Davis and Hack Reactor with his interest in sports, including the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.

In addition to preparing for the 2016 season, several members of the 49ers recently volunteered at a philanthropic event in the East Bay area that was organized by a nonprofit called Convoy of Hope. The 49ers’ Vance McDonald maintained a relationship with the charitable organization after he and his teammates worked with the group to coordinate a trip to Haiti in 2015. During the three-day trip, the players met with families affected by the 2010 earthquake and supported recovery efforts in the country.

Inspired by this experience, McDonald has continued to work with Convoy of Hope and recruited his teammates to volunteer at the recent East Bay event, which provided community members with health screenings, groceries, employment services, and other resources. A number of Niners joined the effort, including Busta Anderson and Eric Reid.

The Use of Ceramics in Healthcare

Before becoming a full-stack software engineer, Niraj Vora studied chemical engineering at UC Davis. While attending UC Davis, Niraj Vora served as a research assistant, studying the conductive properties of ceramic pellets.

Scientists and academic institutions study ceramics and ceramic engineering, developing usage ideas for this versatile material all the time. Different forms of ceramic components are used to help computer and electronic devices operate, to provide global telecommunications, to protect military personnel, and to improve healthcare as well.

At Murdoch University in Australia, scientists are researching the use of a certain type of ceramic, hydroxyapatite, that can be formed into a pellet to replace damaged bone. The hydroxyapatite powder is heated to extremely high temperatures before being formed into pellets. These pellets possess a balance of porosity and strength similar to real bone.

For experimental purposes, the ceramic pellets are implanted into sheep muscle, and scientists are finding that the porosity of the ceramic allows cell infiltration and stimulates bone growth, while the strength of the ceramic can hold up to the sheep’s biological matter. Additionally, the pellets are economical to produce, making them an appealing alternative to other available synthetic bone options.

Super Smash Bros ALL INTROS 1999-2014 (Wii U, 3DS, Wii, GCN, N64)