About Me

Taha Syed Qazi


Professional Wizard (aka Software Developer)


By day, I'm a code-slinging software developer who transforms caffeine into functional applications. I've mastered the arcane arts of Java, C++, NodeJS, Next, Postgres, TailwindCSS, Angular, React, and whatever Javascript Framework people swear is a complete gamechanger, and I'm fluent in both functional programming and object-oriented design patterns.

During my time as a Software Development Intern at IdeaCentrix, I helped save the planet one methane sensor at a time. I built automated data pipelines that eliminated manual data loads - because who has time for that when there are fantasy books to read? I also created fancy graphs and charts that made gas usage data look almost exciting.

Education & Achievements

Currently pursuing a Computer Science Masters degree at the University of Texas at Dallas (scholarship recipient, thank you very much).
I also have an IBM Full Stack Software Developer Certificate, which is basically like having a black belt in coding. Honestly, taught me a lot more about coding actual projects and how software companies work than one would imagine.

I've given multiple talks on serious topics like gun violence, voter suppression, and climate change. I once helped manage a voter registration drive so successful it received state-level recognition - proving I can convince people to do paperwork, which might be my most impressive skill of all.

Other Not Necessarily Pertinent Info:

Athletic Achievements

I'm surprisingly good at sports for someone who can talk about database optimization for hours. I excel at volleyball, soccer, and table tennis - I even went to Nationals for one of these! (I'll let you guess which one, but hint: it involves a ball and lightning-fast reflexes).

Literary Obsessions

When I'm not coding or rolling natural 20s, I'm probably buried in a Brandon Sanderson novel. The Stormlight Archive series has consumed more of my waking thoughts than I care to admit. If you want to see me geek out completely, just ask me about Kaladin Stormblessed or the cosmere universe.

Movies I Quote Too Often:

  • "Do or Do not. There is no Try." (Star Wars)
  • "My precious..." (Lord of the Rings)
  • "Do not go gentle into that good night." (Interstellar)

TV Shows I've Evangelized To Friends:

  • The Expanse (One of the Best Sci-Fi Shows ever made)
  • Severance (work-life balance taken to dystopian extremes)
  • Ted Lasso (believe!)

Video Games That Have Stolen My Time:

  • Mass Effect (I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite bio on the internet)
  • God of War (DAD OF BOY!)
  • Clair Obscura (for when I need newer gaming references)
*Project Management Disguised as Fantasy Gaming

For the past 3 years, I've been running Dungeons & Dragons campaigns as what's called a "Dungeon Master" (think: interactive storyteller, referee, and world-builder all in one). Currently, I'm managing a 6-person campaign that has been running for about 2 years straight - which is actually quite relevant to my software engineering skills.

Here's why this matters professionally: Imagine coordinating six busy adults with conflicting schedules to consistently meet for 4-6 hour sessions. I craft intricate, interconnected storylines tailored to each player's character while ensuring these separate narrative threads form a cohesive overall experience. This requires extensive planning, real-time adaptation to unexpected player choices, and constant balancing of technical elements (yes, there's math involved).

When players suddenly decide to take a hard-left on something I had prepared for hours and skip a scenario entirely by some creative solution, or spend an hour talking to a background character I created in seconds, I need to improvise entire storylines on the spot - much like adapting to changing project requirements in software development. Each session must reach a satisfying conclusion regardless of where the group takes the story, which is excellent practice for sprint planning and feature delivery in agile environments.

In essence, it's project management with dragons - requiring creativity, technical precision, adaptability, and people skills all at once.

Contact Me

If you need to find me, I'm inhabiting a digital fortress in Wylie, TX. Summon me via:

Note: Response times may vary depending on whether I'm in the middle of a boss battle, D&D session, or Sanderson novel.

What is modern software development except wizardry we understand (I'm using understand loosely here, Lest the Stack Overflow Gods smite me for my arrogance)?

What is a restAPI but sending a pigeon to another wizard's tower with a unique set of spells, to ask for small packets of aid and information ?

What is an LLM but a fantastical mirror mirror on the wall(albeit considerably less reliable as you can conceivably get it to agree with you on everything) ?