Tristan Trouwen
Tell us a bit about yourself.
“I'm Tristan, a master's student in Computer Science at the Eindhoven University of Technology. My interests lie in algorithms and machine learning — two topics I can perfectly combine during my internship at d-Matrix where I am optimizing a compiler.”
Why did you apply for Internships in the Valley?
“Joining the Internship in the Valley program prepared me for life in the Valley. In addition, the program provided many opportunities for meeting other Dutchies in the Valley, which made settling in a lot easier.”
Tell us about d-Matrix and your role within the company.
“d-Matrix is a series A deep tech startup. They were actually named one of the 13 most promising AI startups by Business Insider! They are developing an AI compute platform for inference on AI models by developing a custom chip together with a software suite. My role was in the software architecture where I optimized the compiler. I used my algorithmic knowledge obtained from my master’s at Eindhoven University to improve upon an existing algorithm, allowing the platform to become faster and more power-efficient.”
What were some take-homes from your internship experience?
“I was part of a very intercultural team. I learned a lot about different communication styles from different cultural backgrounds and how to effectively work with each individual. I also immensely improved my knowledge of chip architecture and compilers. My biggest work culture shock was how close you really are to the heart of tech. I was impressed to see major tech companies coming into the office to discuss progress and how genuinely interested they are in your work.”
Now that you’ve completed your internship, do you have any tips for future interns?
“Be proactive and start searching and applying early for internship. You will receive a lot of rejections but remember to not give up. Make sure your resume is well-written according to the standard within your industry for the US.”
Your Yosemite photos are beautiful! What did you do there?
“I went to Yosemite over a weekend with some friends. We rented a car to drive out there and reserved a cabin in the woods. On the first day, we went up to Glacier Point, which is the most famous peak, and were rewarded with a great view of Half Dome (the huge dome-shaped rock in the back). There was also a little river in the valley that we jumped into for a quick cooldown after our hike. The following day, we climbed to the summit of Mount Hoffman which has an altitude of 3,309 meters.”
What are some other places you’ve visited and would recommend in California?
Santa Cruz has some of the most beautiful beaches. However, if you want to go for a swim, NorCal is not very ideal because the water is extremely cold due to a cold water current. We once braved it and took a quick dip and were lucky enough to have some seals joining us. There were also very cute colored houses and great seafood restaurants in Santa Cruz.
Bay trail is a nice trail along the Bay which was the perfect place for a jog after a long day at work.
Chinatown in San Francisco has some of the best Chinese food I have ever eaten. It’s mostly Cantonese food and the dim sum was great.
“My role at d-Matrix was in software architecture where I used my algorithmic knowledge for optimizing the compiler.”
