Sarang's Disgustingly Self-Serving, Ego-Boosting Page of Accomplishments, Awards, Test Scores, and other Random Crap

Sarang's (considerably less self-serving) page of physical features can be found on Sarang's Bio Page.

When finished, this page will contain a hopefully canonical list of my accomplishments along with a few other things. This page is currently not complete-- some employment and skills information is missing, as well as some educational information.

Click on an award for a picture relating to that award.

Test scores are given as my score over the maximum possible. So for example 10/20 means I scored 10 points out a total possible 20 points. Information from sources and documents believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. Ages are in years unless otherwise specified. Some information from personal memory or other people's memory may be less reliable.

Pre-elementary school

Feb 5 1970: Born in Charles F. Kettering Memorial Hospital, Kettering, Ohio, USA.
age 4 months: Got first tooth
age 11 months: Started walking (without support)
age 15 months: Said first words ("mama" and "cookie")
age 2: Started talking in complete sentences (bilingually in Hindi and English)
age 3: Learned how to read time (analog clock)
Sep 1973: Entered Sunny View Nursery School at age 3 (1 year early; remained 1 year ahead through high school graduation)
Feb 5 1974: Received nice Timex watch for 4th birthday from my parents... I think it's still ticking!
May 17 1974: Graduated Sunny View Nursery School (I've elided out an embarrassing nickname)
May 1975: Moved to New Delhi, India
Aug 1975: Entered Modern School in New Delhi
age 5: Could calculate the day-of-week of a given date, without paper, for dates up to 30 years past or future. I have since lost this ability, though can "fake it" using mathematics.
Sep 1976: Modern School Academic Record: 1st in section of 34, 7th in class of 101
Oct 1976: Moved back to Kettering, Ohio, USA

Elementary school

Nov 1976: Entered Oak Creek Elementary School
age 7: Started learning algebra at home
Sep 1978: Took Ohio Survey Tests:
- Verbal Ability: 46/?? (97th %ile)
- Math Ability: 45/?? (99th %ile)
- Total(V+M): 91/?? (99th %ile)
- Reading Achievement: 65/?? (97th %ile)
- English Expression Achievement: 55/?? (99th %ile)
- Math Achievement: 43/?? (95th %ile)
Oct 1978: Entered pilot gifted program (C.A.R.E.- Center for Advanced Research and Enrichment) in Kettering Elementary Schools
Nov 29 1978: Gifted program is featured in a local newspaper (Kettering-Oakwood Times) article. Here's an excerpt:
Five minutes after the puzzle had been distributed, Sarang Gapta [sic] solved it by putting the horses together to create two striding horses that fit easily with the paper jockeys.
"How did you stumble on that?" Mrs. Thompson asked. "By testing the possibilities," answered Sarang.
3rd-5th grade: Took math classes one grade above my own (ie, with students 2 years older than me, since I was already a year ahead)
May 1979: City of Kettering Parks & Recreation Division's Certificate of Award for "Completion of Water Orientation"
Jul 6 1979: Completed American Red Cross Beginner Swimming course. (date on card reads Jul 27 1979; unsure which source is accurate)

Middle school

Aug 1980: Moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Spring 1982: Received a "D" in 2nd quarter of Journalism (a one-semester course), with a semester grade of "C-", my lowest grades ever.
8th grade: Scored 93/105 on Honors Seminar (highest level middle school math class) Final Examination, ranking 6th in APS (Albuquerque Public Schools) district.
May 26 1983: Graduated from Hoover Middle School

High school (specific)

Aug 1983: Entered Eldorado High School
9th grade:
- Enrolled in 10th grade math class, and remained 1 year ahead for rest of high school career.
- Constructed triangle given lengths of three altitudes; teacher (Mr. Humble) had not previously seen this problem solved, despite attempts by University of New Mexico (UNM) students.
- Invited to 2nd round of UNM Math Contest.
- Honor roll
10th grade:
- May 23 1984: Scored 121/21 (576%) on a homework assignment in chemistry, due to extra credit. Highest percentage grade ever achieved.
- High honor roll
- 2nd place UNM (statewide) Math Contest; overall, Eldorado leads contest
- Apr 13 1985: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) local math contest:
  - 3rd place Calculator contest
  - 3rd place 10th grade Number Sense contest
  - 1st place Algebra II contest
  - Eldorado places 1st in contest, defeating all public and private schools
11th grade:
- 5th place UNM Math Contest (1st in Eldorado)
- Apr 12 1986: NCTM local math contest:
  - 2nd place 11th grade Number Sense contest
  - 1st place Calculator contest
  - Eldorado places 2nd in contest, first among public schools
- National Honor Society
- National Spanish Honor Society
- National Merit Letter of Commendation
- Recognized as an Honor Scholar by New Mexico State University (NMSU)
- High Honor Roll
- Who's Who Among American High School Students
12th grade:
- Published in Mountainsong (high school literary magazine)
- Received Superior Performance Rating from Kirtland Air Force Base
- Outstanding Mathematics Student of the Year at Eldorado High School
- 106 on American High School Mathematics Examination (AHSME), highest in New Mexico
- 2nd place among seniors in UNM Math Contest
- Offered membership to MENSA
- New Mexico State Scholar
- Superintendent's Scholar
- 2nd year Who's Who Among American High School Students
- National Honor Society
- National Spanish Honor Society
- High Honor Roll

High School (general)

May 1987: Graduated 9th in class of 659, with a 4.144 GPA
Test scores:
- PSAT/NMSQT (1985):
  - Verbal: 57/80 (93rd %ile)
  - Math: 76/80 (99th %ile)
  - Selection Index: 190 (98th %ile)
- SAT (May 1986):
  - Verbal: 610/800
  - Math: 740/800
  - Total: 1350/1600
- ACT (June 1986):
  - English: 27/33 (96th %ile)
  - Social Studies: 33/34 (99th %ile)
  - Natural Sciences: 34/35 (99th %ile)
  - Math: 36/36 (99th %ile)
  - Composite: 33/?? (99th %ile)
- Advanced Placement Exam (June 1986): Math Calculus AB: 5/5
- Achievement Tests (November 1986):
  - English Composition: 700/800 (95th %ile)
  - Math II: 800/800 (94th %ile)
  - Physics: 730/800 (89th %ile)
- SAT (January 1987):
  - Verbal: 670/800 (98th %ile national college-bound)
  - Math: 780/800 (99th %ile national college-bound)
  - Total: 1450/1600
- Nelson-Denny Tests:
  - Vocabulary: 93rd %ile
  - Comprehension: 93rd %ile
  - Total: 99th %ile
- Watson-Glaser Test: 74/80 (99th %ile)
- Advanced Placement Exams (May 1987) (3=qualified, 4=well qualified, 5=extremely well qualified):
  - American History: 3/5
  - European History: 4/5
  - English Literature and Composition: 5/5
  - Math: Calculus BC: 5/5
Accepted to following universities:
- University of New Mexico
- New Mexico State University
- Whitman College
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech)
Scholarships offered:
- UNM Math Scholarship
- UNM Excel Scholarship
- NMSU Regents' Scholarship

Undergraduate

Aug 21 1987: Moved to Las Cruces, NM, USA
Aug 1987: Earning 49 semester hours of credit through SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement exams, entered New Mexico State University (NMSU) as a second-semester sophomore.
New Mexico State University (1987-1988)
- Dean's Honor Roll
- Dec 1987: Scored 11/120 (403rd place) on Putnam Intercollegiate Mathematics Competition
- Feb 17 1988: Successfully tested out of Economics 201, earning an 'A' on the final exam.
Jun 1988: Moved back to Albuquerque, NM, USA
Aug 1988: After earning 88 semester-hours of credit at NMSU, transferred to University of New Mexico (UNM) with 87 transfer hours, entering as a second-semester junior.
University of New Mexico (1988-1989)
- Dec 1988: Scored 30/120 (459.5th place) on Putnam Competition
- Dec 1988: Member, UNM Putnam Team, ranked 34th/257 (US/Canada)
- Feb 17 1989: Admitted to UNM General Honors Program
- Apr 26 1989: Awarded free membership to Mathematical Association of America (MAA) (Southwestern Section)
University of New Mexico (Fall 1989)
- Aug 1989: Scored 59/?? on Spanish CLEP test (earned 12 credits)
- Sep 22 1989: Invited to join Golden Key National Honor Society
- Oct 1989: Scored 59/?? on Introductory Microeconomics CLEP test (earned 3 credits)
- Oct 1989: Scored 47/?? on American Government CLEP test (failed to earn any credit)
- Nov 1989: Scored 59/?? on General Biology CLEP test (earned 3 credits)
- Nov 1989: Elected to Kappa Mu Epsilon, mathematics honorary
- Dec 1989: Scored 185th place on Putnam Competition
GRE Test Scores
- Verbal: 650/800 (89th %ile)
- Quantitative: 800/800 (98th %ile)
- Analytical: 800/800 (99%th ile)
- Mathematics Subject Test: 960/990 (92nd %ile)
Dec 16 1989: At age 19, earned a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude with honors, in Mathematics, from the University of New Mexico (perfect 4.000 GPA all courses, UNM and NMSU)
1990: Mathematics and Statistics Department Outstanding Graduating Senior
May 1 1990: Granted membership to Phi Beta Kappa

Graduate

Jan 1990: Entered UNM Graduate Program, pursuing an MA in Mathematics (GPA: 4.0)
1990-1991: National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowship Honorable Mention
1991: Who's Who Among American Professionals
1992: Who's Who Among American Professionals, platinum edition
Jan 9 1992: At age 21, earned a Master of Science degree in Mathematics from Stanford University. (GPA: 3.7)
Aug 1992 - Oct 1993: Earned 12 hours of graduate credit in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. (GPA: 4.0)

Miscellaneous

June 1986: Co-founder of 192K User Group (for Commodore 64 and 128 users), and Senior Editor of group's biweekly newsletter; group had approximately 16 members at maximum, and lasted about 6 weeks...
May 1992: Won first prize ($50) in Etrade's Stock and Options Game; my alias was "- The Axe -"
Second Quarter 1993: Joke entitled Math Disproved Via Sex accepted by rec.humor.funny
Second Quarter 1993: Joke entitled WYSIWYG accepted by rec.humor.funny
First Quarter 1995: Joke entitled New Intel Spokesman accepted by rec.humor.funny
May, 2000: My "true tale of an induhvidual" made the DNRC Newsletter #30; mine's the one that begins "A bank recently sent a letter...".
Apr 23 2001: My letter is printed on the Star Trek website in the Dear Pelgar column. It's the last letter, signed by "Sarang".
Aug 21 2001: Another letter of mine is printed on the Star Trek website in the Dear Pelgar column. This time, I signed my name as "S'rang, Vulcan Science Institute".
Feb 14 2002: Yet another letter of mine is printed on the Star Trek website in the Dear Pelgar column. I once again signed my name as "S'rang, Vulcan Science Institute".
Sep 12 2003: I appear in another Dear Pelgar column, the 2nd letter signed "Sarang".
Oct 03 2003: I appear in yet another Dear Pelgar column, this time signing my name as "M. Rattler" (6th question).
Oct 17 2003: I appear again in a Dear Pelgar column, again as "Sarang", this time garnering a rare compliment from the grumpy Ferengi columnist.
Jul 2 2004: Yet another appearance in a Dear Pelgar column, again as "Sarang".

Work Experience

Sep 1986 - May 1987: High school mentorship program (5hrs/wk). Worked at Kirtland Air Force Base.
Sep 1989 - Dec 1989: Grader/Tutor, University of New Mexico Mathematics Department. Graded papers and provided assistance in mathematics for students of the university.
Jan 1990 - May 1990: Teaching Assistant, University of New Mexico Mathematics Department. Instructed three sections of calculus recitation, constructed quizzes, helped grade and construct tests.
Aug 1992 - Dec 1992: Teaching Assistant, University of New Mexico Computer Science Department. Instructed one section of recitation for the class 'Introduction to Computer Programming'
Jan 1993 - Oct 1993: Research Assistant, University of New Mexico Computer Science Department. Worked with Dr. Paul Helman in the field of statistical intrusion detection and anomaly detection.
Mar 14 1994 - Aug 12 1994: General computer maintenance/system administrator (15hrs/wk) for 4 IBM-PC's and 1 Unix/Solaris for the Arms Companies, working under acclaimed stock-market technical-analyst Richard W. Arms Jr. Designed spreadsheets to automate formerly manual processes, improved efficiency. Designed and implemented experiments testing the validity of various stock market theories and strategies.
Jul 26 1995 - Sep 27 1996: Programmer II, University of New Mexico Manufacturing Engineering Program (full-time). Wrote several C++ classes, including a complete systems dynamics package; modified commercial product to work with TCL/TK GUI I designed; used gdb, make and SCCS for debugging and source-code control; development on Sparc/Solaris, code also runs on SGI, Linux, other Unix. Managed small (2) team of programmers in designing and implementing GUIs for commercial product and systems dynamics package I wrote; wrote small utilities in TCL/TK. System administration for small (initially 5, but grew to 15) network of machines (PCs, Macs, SGI, Sun/Sparc, Linux). Installed/maintained NIS/NFS/httpd among others. Maintained web pages at http://www-mep.unm.edu (no longer maintained).
Sep 30 1996 - Mar 21 2005: System administrator/computer programmer (full-time and later part-time) for the Asian Technology Information Program (ATIP).
June 2005 - present: Independent contract work

Last modified stardate: 20080621.212940

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