Mass Academy @ WPI · Class of 2028
Student Researcher & Engineer
Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI Worcester, Massachusetts
Exploring robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and technologies designed to work in complex real-world environments.
RoboticsArtificial IntelligenceAutonomous SystemsHumanitarian Technology
building things that move, think, and help
01 Currently
Studying
Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI Class of 2028, Worcester, MA
Exploring
Multi-agent robotics, autonomous systems, computer vision, and how robotic systems stay reliable when conditions get messy.
Building
Robotic and AI systems for search-and-rescue and disaster response through Rescue Reach.
Seeking
Research opportunities with university laboratories in robotics, autonomy, AI, and related engineering fields.
02 About
I'm curious about what happens when intelligence leaves the screen and enters the physical world.
I'm a student at the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI, where I study mathematics, science, and engineering alongside independent research. I'm drawn to problems where software has to interact with the physical world — computer vision and robotic sensing, autonomous navigation, and coordination between machines that only ever have part of the picture.
Much of my recent work has focused on technology for search-and-rescue and disaster response. Through independent engineering projects, a research internship at USARIEM, robotics competitions, and mentorship, I've become particularly interested in how autonomous systems perceive uncertain environments, coordinate with one another, and make useful decisions under real constraints — limited power, limited communication, limited time.
Outside of engineering I play piano through New England Conservatory Prep and write and perform spoken-word poetry. I've found that both make me a better researcher: they're disciplines about noticing detail, revising honestly, and explaining something clearly to people who weren't in the room when you made it.
Right now I'm looking to deepen my research experience by contributing to university laboratories and technical projects where I can learn from researchers while applying what I know about programming, robotics, experimentation, and engineering design.
03 Selected work
Projects where I've designed, built, tested, and presented something — plus the open questions each one left me with.
Featured project · 2023 — present
Autonomous systems for disaster response
An ongoing engineering and research project asking how robotics, computer vision, sensing, and coordination can improve situational awareness in the first hours after a disaster. It has two halves: a UAV platform that fuses LiDAR point clouds with thermal imagery to detect survivors under debris, and ReachOne, a wearable multi-arm robotic system for the responder who arrives.
Robotics competition
Built and tuned a maze-solving robot for the IEEE MIT Micromouse competition, placing 2nd nationally. It's a compact version of the whole autonomy problem: sense the walls, localize, search the maze, then commit to the fastest route you found.
Industry robotics
Time on collaborative robot arms with mentors at Universal Robots and Robostreet, plus drone build and flight operations with the Saint Anselm team. Both fed directly into how I designed my own hardware.
04 Research interests
The areas I'm reading about, experimenting with, and hoping to study more formally in a lab setting.
Coordination and task allocation across teams of autonomous robots operating with limited information.
Robotic perception, navigation, planning, and decision-making in uncertain environments.
Using visual and sensor information to detect, classify, map, and understand real-world environments.
Engineering systems that support search-and-rescue, disaster response, and other high-impact applications.
Autonomous drones and ground vehicles for sensing, navigation, and field deployment.
Machine learning and decision-making for robots operating outside controlled environments.
05 Technical skills
Listed honestly: some of these I use constantly, others I've worked with on specific projects and am still learning.
Languages: English and Mandarin (fluent), American Sign Language (conversational).
06 Recognition
Statewide recognition for my disaster-response robotics research, after advancing from the regional fair.
Reached the finals at DECA's international competition after qualifying through the state level.
Selected among the Top 300 students nationally in the Society for Science middle-grades research competition.
Autonomous maze-solving robot competition hosted at MIT.
Outstanding Award in the student poster competition for the Rescue Reach sensor-fusion research.
07 Trajectory
Five years of moving from first competitions toward independent research.
First engineering competitions IEEE Top Innovator Award — the first time an idea of mine was judged by engineers.
Independent robotics & science-fair work Started Rescue Reach, built early prototypes, and took the project to regional science fairs.
Thermo Fisher JIC, Top 300 National recognition, plus a Scholastic National Medal for writing the same year.
Research internship & robotics competitions Summer at USARIEM, 2nd nationally at IEEE MIT Micromouse, and drone work at Saint Anselm.
Mass Academy at WPI Started at Mass Academy and expanded the autonomous systems research; MSEF 3rd place and DECA ICDC finalist.
08 Beyond engineering
I don't think the technical and the creative are separate. Both are about paying attention.
I'm seeking research opportunities in robotics, autonomy, computer vision, and intelligent systems — anywhere a motivated high school student could contribute and learn.
