Meet Ross Freeman, the student behind NYUDining
We spoke to the CAS freshman about how he developed his app
Did you download the NYUDining app from iTunes yet? The NYUDining app lets you easily pull up dining hall information just with a few taps. Ross Freeman is the CAS freshman behind it, and since, I already knew Ross from high school, I decided to do a quick interview with him:
When did you launch NYUDining?
I originally started working on the app back in September. At first, I considered it more of a coding exercise than anything, and I didn’t intend to ever release it. But after I brought up the idea to a few of my friends, I realized that this might actually be useful to other students and I decided to continue development of it. Version 1.0 officially launched in mid-November and I’ve been constantly updating it ever since.
Could you describe the motivation of designing and creating the app?
When I first came to NYU, I quickly realized that there was no easy way to find information about dining halls on the go; students were forced to navigate NYU’s website to find locations, menus, and hours. I wanted to simplify this complex experience by allowing students to simply open up an app and see where they can grab a bite to eat in a matter of seconds.
How do you hope the app will benefit NYU students?
I want students to spend less time wondering where to eat and more time actually eating.
Will there be any future updates to the app?
Of course! I’m already planning version 2.0, actually. The most notable difference will be the addition of a service to allow students to connect with each other over a meal. This will hopefully alleviate some of the social issues universities with large campuses (like NYU) face. What better way to meet someone then over a meal?
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from East Brunswick, NJ and I am currently a freshman at CAS studying computer science. To be perfectly honest, I can’t exactly say when I became interested in computer science – I had my major planned since 6th grade, so it’s safe to say that I’ve been into it for quite a while! I just love being able to create software to allow people to do things easier, giving them more time to be productive (or watch Netflix).
Are you currently working on any projects you’d like to share with us?
I actually don’t have any other major projects right now. I’m mainly working on a mix of small exercises, version 2.0 of NYUDining, and a project I’m helping someone else with.
What’s your favorite part about creating apps?
I just love watching the product come together. Seeing the app actually work for the first time is probably one of the best feelings ever, especially after dealing with hours of errors! But my favorite part is when I see a completely random person use my app – that’s a reminder that my work is actually useful to other people.
Ross Freeman hard at work
Do you think society will become more and more dependent on apps?
That’s certainly been the trend the past several years and I don’t see any reason for that to change in the future. As more and more technologies are released to the public (wearables, car entertainments systems, etc.), it gives developers greater opportunity to create new apps and experiences. I wouldn’t be surprised if virtually everything we interact with will become ‘smart’ in the next decade – for better or worse.