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Decoding social media: an exploration of programming and platforms.

This is a Computer science Subject Spotlight with Dr Razvan-Ioan Dinita from Anglia Ruskin University. An interactive, cinematic course taster experience to allow students to gain insights into what it's like to study Computer science.

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In this Subject Spotlight, Dr Razvan-Ioan Dinita presents the fascinating topic: Decoding Social Media: An Exploration of Programming and Platforms. He begins by offering an introduction to what programming actually is, and thinking about the building blocks behind it. Razvan then considers how to program a platform like Facebook, including the ethical considerations of building such a vast social media platform, and a deeper dive into the tech behind it. Razvan then presents TikTok as a case study for considering software architecture, what makes it so successful, and finally an analysis of the data and a journey through the backend. You will then complete a matching activity based on everything you have learnt.

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About Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University is an innovative global university with students from 185 countries at our campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough. These students are at the heart of our University, and we're delighted that our final-year undergraduates are positive about their educational experience. Our community is also incredibly important to us, and we're proud of the role we play in our cities and the wider region – including the positive effect on jobs and the local economy.We’ve been named one of the top 350 institutions in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, for the sixth successive year – and one of the top 40 universities in the UK. We're also listed in the top 15% for social inclusion in The Times Good University Guide 2022.

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Meet the academics

Dr Razvan-Ioan Dinita

Dr Razvan-Ioan Dinita is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing and Information Science within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Razvan has many years programming experience, with knowledge ranging from server/backend to client/frontend languages, and a keen interest in general software engineering, web and app development, security, and cloud computing from a software perspective. Razvan has received his degree in Computer Science and Internet Technology, and a PhD in Cloud Computing, from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. He is currently Senior Lecturer of Computer Science and Cloud Computing and the Course Leader for the Computer Science undergraduate courses. His research is focused on Web and Cloud Computing Software and Security. He has published works in this field and has delivered a number of international talks on Software Approaches to Cloud Computing Optimisation. Razvan is an active Member of the IEEE and IES. He has been involved in several knowledge exchange programs (KEEP and KEEP+) with a range of companies. Razvan also has extensive understanding, and is a highly versatile user of HTML/CSS, JavaScript/TypeScript, web MVC frameworks, PHP, MySQL, NoSQL (MongoDB), Java, Scala, C#, C/C++, Bash, and Git version control. Using this knowledge, he's recently developed a modular PHP MVC framework from the ground up, featuring dynamic modules, an HTML5 templating system, and SQL and NoSQL support. Razvan is interested in generating external income through EU projects, delivery of short training courses, knowledge transfer schemes, and consultancy contracts in the areas of Web Frameworks, General Software Engineering and Security, and Cloud Computing Security and Optimisation.

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Learn from some of the UK's finest and most decorated academics as they give you a genuine, insightful, and engaging experience of studying their courses at their universities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Subject Spotlight?

Subject Spotlights fuse education and entertainment to bring you the new way of researching your university options.

Entirely free and available on-demand, you can choose to engage with the content in the way that best suits you - whether that's in bite-sized chunks or in binge-sessions!

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Get a real, representative impression of what pursuing a subject at university is actually like, so that you can make the right decision for you.

Stand out from the competition by completing a Subject Spotlight to gain the most relevant references and evidence for your personal statement.

Who is this Spotlight for?

This subject spotlight is made for students aged 16 and above, that are considering applying to University, particularly to study the subject in the title, or similar areas.

How should I talk about completing a Subject Spotlight on my UCAS application?

Completing a Subject Spotlight shows the university you're applying to that you've taken time outside of school to engage with relevant content.

The easiest way to include it would be to briefly mention one or two things you learned from it and how/why those learnings have furthered your desire to study the subject. We don't want to prescribe an answer because it's your personal statement but this is a good starting point!