Ian Gotcher

Yale CS MS Student | UVU CS Grad | Software QA and AI Research Experience | Cybersecurity Certified

IanGotcher75@gmail.com
LinkedIn Google Scholar

About Me

Upcoming CS Master’s Student at Yale University expected to graduate this year, with industry experience in software QA, proficiency and research experience in AI/ML technologies, and certification in cybersecurity. I graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Computer Science from Utah Valley University, where I developed leadership skills as the VP heading the Academics Branch within the student government.

As a Research Assistant at UVU, I designed custom pathfinding algorithms and co-authored a conference presentation. At Legrand, I led beta and alpha testing for a network management platform, implementing automated tests across web, Android, and iOS to ensure seamless releases. Finally, my CompTIA Security+ certification complements my relevant coursework in data privacy and security.

I am eager to leverage my technical expertise and leadership from student government to drive impactful AI and security solutions at innovative tech firms.

Skills

Proficient: Python • C/C++ • Agile • Scrum • Appium • BrowserStack • Azure DevOps

Competent: Java • C# • SQL • HTML/CSS • JavaScript • Kotlin • Git

Familiar: Postman • Selenium • Azure • AWS

Education

Yale University
M.S. expected, Computer Science, August 2025 - May 2026

Utah Valley University
B.S., summa cum laude, Computer Science, August 2019 - May 2025

• GPA: 3.93
• Presidential Academic Merit Scholarship - Full ride academic merit scholarship.
• Dean's List - Awarded placement on list for all nine semesters attended.
• Honors Program
• UVU Student Association (Student Government)

Experience

Legrand, Provo, UT
Software QA Intern, May 2024 - September 2024

• Worked as the sole member of the QA team for ProWatch, a remote network management and monitoring platform.
• Oversaw the beta testing and successful release of a version that introduced pagination, as well as alpha testing of a version in which the app was rewritten in a new mobile framework.
• Tested Web, Android, and iOS versions through manual and automated testing.
• Wrote, maintained, and configured automated tests.
• Trained another intern.

Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
Research Assistant, May 2024 - May 2025

• Trained, integrated, and utilized deep learning AI image recognition models to locate wind turbines from a distance and visually inspect wind turbine blades for damage and defects.
• Wrote and updated code that performs the automated pathfinding of an autonomous drone as it searches for and flies toward wind turbines and closely examines their blades.
• Designed and implemented a novel custom solution that allowed for the tracking of objects by moving a drone’s camera gimbal to keep it in frame.
• Co-authored and presented our findings at the i-ETC Conference.

Utah Valley University Student Association, Orem, UT
Vice President of Academics, April 2024 - April 2025

• Led and managed an eight-member academic senate, oversaw the recruitment and hiring process for seven college senators and one assistant.
• Directed advocacy initiatives for student academic interests and organizing educational events about campus resources.
• Researched and proposed academic reforms desired by UVU students, working closely with the Academic Affairs Council and the Provost on implementing them.

Publications

E. Haymore, K. Guymon, I. Gotcher, F. Ahmadi and M. A. S. Masoum, "Analysis of Small Wind Turbine Inspection via Autonomous Drone," 2025 Intermountain Engineering, Technology and Computing (IETC), Orem, UT, USA, 2025, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/IETC64455.2025.11039453.