A'Kaia Phelps

About Me

Hi! I’m A’Kaia.
A third-year Computer Science student at Loyola Marymount University passionate about building impactful software. At LMU, I work on computational biology research, building tools to uncover patterns in gene regulatory networks and optimized CI/CD pipelines to improve build and release processes. I also interned at Microsoft Xbox, where I built internal tools for game developers. With a strong mix of technical skills, creativity, and collaboration, I’m excited to keep building technology that makes a difference.

3+ Years Studying Computer Science
5+ Projects Completed
2 Industry Internships

Experience & Education

Software and Program Manager Intern

Microsft | May 2024 - August 2024

I interned at Microsoft Xbox as a Software and Program Manager Intern, where I built internal tools for game developers and helped release processes. Collaborating across engineering and product teams.

Research Assistant

GRNsight | 2024 - Present

-Collaborated with the LMU Bioinformatics and Biomathematics Groups on GRNsight, a web application for gene regulatory network visualization.
- Maintained and debugged file export/import functionality, enabling support for Excel workbooks, Simple Interaction Format (SIF) files, and GraphML XML files.
- Utilized JavaScript, Node.js, Express, and D3.js to enhance web functionality and data visualization.
- Migrated GRNsight’s CI/CD pipeline from Travis CI to GitHub Actions, automating builds, unit tests, and linting to improve development efficiency and maintainability.
- Researched and addressed compatibility issues resulting from dependency updates, including transitions from CommonJS to ES Modules and the migration from ESLint 8 to ESLint 9, ensuring the project adhered to modern JavaScript and Node.js standards.
- Documented dependency updates ( Express, Cytoscape, Sequelize, Moment.js, Webpack, Mocha, and Coveralls) providing clear context and upgrade pathways for future developers.
- Investigated and resolved module loading conflicts related to Chai.should(), balancing best practices for imports with the project’s evolving module system (CommonJS vs. ESM). Proposed long-term solutions for test framework modernization.

IT Technician

University/Institution | 20XX - 20XX

• Assists and provides solutions regarding various technology-related issues. Consists of hardware and software problems, troubleshooting technical issues, and providing guidance on the use of educational technology tools. • Works closely with educators, administrators, and IT professionals to ensure that students have access to the technology resources and support they need to succeed.

Beyond Coding

Climbing!

Hiking!

Cooking!