Who am I?
Scientist, Engineer, Hacker, Artist, and more.
Scientist
I value the scientific method, which is "the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavor to construct an accurate (that is, reliable, consistent and non-arbitrary) representation of the world. Recognizing that personal and cultural beliefs influence both our perceptions and our interpretations of natural phenomena, we aim through the use of standard procedures and criteria to minimize those influences when developing a theory." [http://teacher.pas.rochester.edu/PHY_LABS/AppendixE/AppendixE.html]
Formally: I am currently a PhD student (Information and Communication Technology), and employed as a Research Scientist in the Laboratory for Proactive Technologies in Tallinn University of Technology.
Engineer
"Engineering is the discipline, art and profession of acquiring and applying technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective or inventions."
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering]
Formally: I am NOT a certified / licenced / professional engineer (and have not tried to be one so far). What I do have is BSc and MSc in Computer and Systems Engineering, and the specialization of the PhD I am currently pursuing is also in Computer and Systems Engineering. I am currently also a member of IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
Hacker
(NOT to be confused with cyber burglars who should be referred to as crackers).
Hackers solve problems and build things, and they believe in freedom and voluntary mutual help. In a more general sense it doesn't even need to have anything to do with computers, it's more about the attitudes and worldview, no matter what area of life they are applied to.
The hacker attitude:
1. The world is full of fascinating problems waiting to be solved.
2. No problem should ever have to be solved twice. (it does NOT mean that it's not ok to try solving something again and again if inclined to do so, it just means that when some solution exists, it should be accessible to everybody who does not feel like solving it again)
3. Boredom and drudgery are evil.
4. Freedom is good.
5. Attitude is no substitute for competence.
[http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html#attitude]
I might not support these principles always and unconditionally, but in general I find them rather good.
Formally: NO significant reputation of being one, nor have I tried to get it.
Artist
Artist is a person who creates art. Art is a rather ambiguous notion, but considering it to be something that "according to aesthetic principles ... is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance" [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/art] provides, in my opinion, a good enough common-sense understanding.
My creative interests outside the scientific and technological realms have so far been directed mostly towards music and a bit less towards poetry, depictive art and photography. However, so far these have been more like tiny side hobbies with very limited time put into them, so there isn't much to demonstrate for the wider audience. Yet.
By the way, somebody being an artist typically does not, in itself, make me as awestruck and respectful with regard to him/her as it tends to make many of the people who have a background in humanities. While I do have high respect towards people who enthusiastically pursue their interests, I also think that the various fields of human activity are not equally difficult. And even though it is markedly troublesome to compare them, we can get a relatively useful first approximation by asking: what might be the likelihood that an average practitioner of field X would become, if s/he seriously tried to, an above average practitioner of field Y, compared to the likelihood that an average practitioner of the field Y would become, if s/he seriously tried to, an above average practitioner of field X. For example, the likelihood that an average physicist would become, if s/he seriously tried to, an above average oil painter, compared to the likelihood that an average oil painter would become, if s/he seriously tried to, an above average physicist. Note, however, that I do NOT imply that a more difficult endeavor would necessarily be superior to the less difficult one -- goodness and superiority are always context dependent.
Formally: NO significant reputation of being an artist of any kind (except some acknowledgements for participating in some student art exhibition in basic school :), nor have I tried to get it. Yet.
... and more.
There certainly exist additional descriptors that either already are or hopefully will soon be applicable to me, but I'd rather keep this page here concise.
Maybe only one more trait that I aspire to cultivate a lot more than the small amount currently present: being a facilitator (in a broader sense) -- a person who helps people as individuals, as groups, and as societies, to have more joy, happiness, self-confidence, peace, trust, knowledge, understanding and enlightenment.
