about tom stine
As a frontend engineer specializing in React, Next.js, TypeScript, React Query, and React Testing Library, I bring a diverse range of experiences to my work. Though I first dabbled in web development during the late 1990s, I didn't commit to coding entirely until 2021, when I left my teaching career.
I began 2022 by joining a small web3 development studio, building frontends for various NFT projects. When the NFT market declined later that year, I moved to Bass Pro Shops as a frontend developer, working on a React and Next.js frontend for their eCommerce site. I'm now a frontend engineer at Remote.
Beyond web development, I have extensive experience teaching a wide range of subjects to learners of all ages. Teaching has always been my passion, and I believe deeply in helping everyone learn.
Effective teaching, contrary to popular belief, isn't primarily about the teacher's mastery of subject matter. Rather, it's about understanding each student's individual needs and helping them take the next step toward acquiring the knowledge and understanding they seek.
In addition to teaching and coding, I spent two decades trading financial assets, including precious metals, bonds, futures, and forex, for my personal accounts.
I have an insatiable thirst for learning, drawn particularly to technology, history, politics, international affairs, psychology, and geography. Maps have always captivated me; my daughter jokes that I seem to have "a map in my head," reflecting the countless hours I spent studying them as a child.
Naturally, I'm a true lifelong learner, eager to engage with any subject that comes my way.
I grew up on a dairy farm in rural Missouri, part of a long line of farmers. While I can repair nearly anything with a hammer, duct tape, WD-40, wire, or twine, milking cows never appealed to me. Instead, I pursued more intellectually stimulating challenges. This varied background has given me a cosmopolitan global perspective, one that values and appreciates the inherent worth of all people, regardless of country, background, orientation, age, or any other factor that contributes to humanity's rich diversity.