Pikuma: About

About me

Hello,

My name is Gustavo Pezzi, and I'm the benevolent dictator of this education platform. I'm also a university lecturer in London UK, where I teach computer science and mathematics. My academic path includes institutions such as Pittsburg State University, City University of London, and University of Oxford.

I have received multiple teaching awards during my career as an educator, and I also own some useful scars from 15+ years of industry experience working with 3D programming and software development.

But after all is said and done, I'm just a guy who absolutely loves to teach... and I'm sure it shows.

About Pikuma

Pikuma was created to teach the courses I wish existed when I first started. It's a place for those who enjoy understanding the low-level details of how things work. Here, everything is taught from first principles.

"The late Romans had so many great constructions and buildings, that subsequent generations almost forgot how to make concrete!"

Here, you'll learn the building blocks of computer science and mathematics. You can think of each course as a comprehensive video book on a given topic. But more than just a book, here we get to sit down together, understand every formula, savour every line of code, and write a project to really consolidate your knowledge.

One of my students wrote that "the course felt like going on a great short vacation with an excellent guide." I want Pikuma to be just that; going on a fun vacation to a quiet cabin in the woods with a nerd friend.

Is Pikuma for you?

Pikuma is not about tech career, productivity, or finding a job. Pikuma is about the joy of opening black boxes!

If you're looking for industry-relevant tools or tips on career and employability, then you're probably not in the right place. This is an education platform; not a coding bootcamp.

I noticed that the majority of my students are usually hobbyists or professional programmers already, but beginners are always welcomed to join. I design all the content to be super beginner-friendly, regardless of how scary the topic sounds.

I want to make computer science and math fun, non-intimidating, and accessible to everyone. This is a light-hearted and welcoming platform, with no place for ego.

How is Pikuma different?

It's all about the fundamentals

Like my students say, "Pikuma is no fast-food." You'll learn the low-level details of why and how things work. Each course comes with a set of lectures, videos, quizzes, exercises, and structured activities to consolidate your knowledge on the topics.

No false promises

I don't sell hyped tech buzzwords or make false coding bootcamp promises. I try to focus on concepts that are timeless and that will hold true even after technology is replaced. Also, there are no sales gimmicks here, such as running promotions or offering discount codes.

Actually finish the course

You'll receive a weekly progress reminder to keep you on track and motivate you to finish your course. Let's face it, how many of us purchase courses and never finish them? Unlike other platforms, I want you to complete the course and get full value from it.

Back to the basics

All courses aim to cover important aspects of the standard computer science curriculum:

Linear algebra

From computer graphics to AI, a good understanding of vectors, matrices, and other linear algebra concepts will underpin many of the projects we'll implement together.

Algorithm complexity & data structures

We must understand how algorithms perform while keeping an eye for optimal representation in memory. Well-picked data structures usually mean less headache and faster access.

Discrete mathematics & numerical analysis

Most computer problems live between discrete and continuous mathematics. Often times we need to find numerical algorithms to find approximations to our mathematical solutions.

Trigonometry

Triangles are always hidden in plain sight when we work with graphics & game development. Coding is a great sandbox to develop some intuition around basic trigonometry.

Calculus

Several ideas from calculus, such as derivaties and integrals will appear when working with computer graphics or coding a physics engine.

Compilers & formal languages

Often times we need to parse and interpret some sort of formal language, or simply expose scripting power to our games or apps.

Operating systems & machine architecture

Some projects require us to take a deeper look into how our application communicates with the operating system and, ultimately, the hardware that is in front of us.

Low-level programming

Ultimately, the goal of all courses is a low-level understanding of how and why things work, focusing on the timeless concepts that support computer science.