Coursework

• ML and Data Processing Courses: Natural Language Processing, Reinforcement Learning, Machine Learning, Signal Processing
• Software Engineering Courses: Software Analysis, Security Testing, Embedded Systems, Cloud Computing
• Theory Courses: Cyber-Physical Systems Safety, Cryptography

Thesis

• Technical Project: A Data-Driven Recommender for Gamified Classroom Designs
• Research Project: The Underlying Reason for Mixed Results in Gamification Studies
• Summary: Educators are exploring gamification as a strategy to motivate and engage students in classrooms and improve their grades. Despite some promising findings, most research studies yield inconclusive results and product vendors propagate misinformation. I construct a data-driven recommender tool that aggregates multiple papers to compensate for the lack of rigorous and empirical experimental design.

 Thesis Portfolio  Source Code

Coursework

• CS Core Courses: Software Engineering, Data Structures, Algorithms, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture, Theory of Computation, Discrete Math
• CS Electives: Web Development, Databases, Cybersecurity, Networks, Programming Languages, Game Design, Python for Scientists and Engineers
• Math Courses: Linear Algebra, Statistics, Probability, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus

Java Game Engine

• Category: Game Development, Computer Graphics
• Summary: I implemented the OpenGL rendering pipeline, physics and collision algorithms, and entity-component-system scene organization from self-study of online documentation and similar libraries. I also combined Java and Kotlin source code, using each language to its strengths, and organized my project into multiple modules. This project gave me valuable experience with Git version control, Gradle build system, JUnit testing framework, and IDE debugger. Throughout development, I actively improved my knowledge of object-oriented programming, event-driven architecture, and software design patterns (which is evident as some of the early code contains technical debt—whoops!).

 Source Code Active Development

Whistleblower Website

• Category: Web Development
• Summary: A "whistleblower" app that allows student athletes to report physical and mental health concerns, created for my Software Engineering course semester-long project. Full-stack website integrating Django web framework, Bootstrap library, PostgreSQL database, AWS cloud storage, and OAuth SSO. I served as team's software architect and responded to a mid-semester requirements change using the agile deveopment method. I also assisted my team's dev-ops manager in deploying project to Heroku and executing GitHub continuous integration actions.

 Source Code

HoosThere

• Category: Web Development
• Summary: A mock social network website for UVA students (aka "Hoos") created for my Web Development course semester-long project. Uses a PHP front-controller that manages the back-end and database through asynchronous REST API calls. The front-end was created with with BootStrap, LESS, jQuery, and AJAX, and the current user's session is stored in the browser cookie.

 Source Code

Encyclosaurus

• Category: Web Development
• Summary: A full-stack online dinosaur encyclopedia with a rock formation locator created for my Databases course final project. Users may log in and suggest changes to articles, and admins can approve or reject changes. We implemented role-based access control, read-only views, and stored procedures without using the framework ORM. Our group also won the second-best class project (who says dinosaurs aren't cool anymore?).

 Source Code Link TBA

Personal Portfolio Website

• Category: Web Development
• Summary: You're looking at it right now! This is a simple static website that should read like a CV.

 Source Code Active Development

Cube Game

• Category: Embedded Systems, Game Design
• Summary: Video game developed for the ARM Cortex-M microprocessor, created for my Embedded Systems course final projcet. The app runs on a multi-threaded RTOS using semaphores and FIFOs for deadlock prevention and synchronization and interrupts for event handling. Our group implemented drivers for UART communication, and joystick input, LCD display, and sound buzzer following the data sheet. I also wrote a function to generate pseudorandom numbers, play sound effects and loop background music.

 Source Code Link TBA Report Included

Software Analysis Research Project

• Category: Software Testing
• Summary: The final research project for my Software Analysis course. Null safety is an important topic in Java, since Java is a highly object-oriented language and contains no good built-in features to communicate nullability. I analyzed true and false positive warnings produced by NullAway and JSpecify, two static analysis tools for Java compared to out-of-the-box IDE features. I concluded that, with proper annotation, the analyzer uncovered genuine null-pointer faults and minimized new false positives while also better documenting developer intent.

 Source Code Report Included

Security Testing Research Project

• Category: Software Testing, Cybersecurity
• Summary: The final research project for my Security Testing course. Fuzz4All (Xia et al., 2024) is a universal fuzzer that uses LLMs to generate fuzzing inputs for any programming language, formal language, or complex grammar. I extend the study to use more recent models and reproduce the paper's experiments and figures. I discovered newer models (especially reasoning LLMs) achieved up to 35% less coverage than the baseline due to producing too few outputs to sufficiently cover enough paths.

 Source Code Report Included  Original Paper

Game Design Projects

• Category: Game Development
• Summary: I designed, prototyped, created, and playtested multiple games for my Game Design course. The first two were individual "Game Jams" for PICO-8 and Unity Engine, where I worked on input, collision, art, and sound. The last one was a group final project, where each member contributed equally.

 Source Code 1  Source Code 2  Source Code 3 Link TBA

Summer Camp Instructor (2)

• Employer: Tsinghua International School
• Location: Beijing, China
• Dates: Jun–Jul 2023 & 2024
• Summary: I taught introductory Python programming to students in grades 3–8 through interactive lectures and creative projects. I structured lesson plans and prepared class materials by myself, and adapted to students' linguistic preferences by instructing in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

 Website

Summer Camp Instructor (1)

• Employer: International Ivy
• Location: Morris & Essex County, NJ
• Dates: Jun–Aug 2022
• Summary: I taught engaging, hands-on STEM classes for students ages 8–14, including graphic design, engineering, and video game map-making, in small groups. I encouraged students to further pursue STEM learning and promoted critical thinking and teamwork through creative projects. I also received the "Best Instructor" award one week.

 Website

Private Tutor

• Employer: Self-Employed
• Location: Remote
• Dates: Oct 2018–May 2025
• Summary: I assisted younger students with math and science coursework and standardized testing, helping them earn entry into top-100 colleges in the US. I also cultivated friendships with my students, some of whom I still contact today. Throughout my time, I strengthened my ability to summarize complex topics from various subjects and break them down into main ideas.

UVA University Singers

• Dates: Fall 2021–Spring 2026
• Summary: USingers is the University of Virginia's flagship choral ensemble. We sing classical and contemporary choral works, both a capella and with orchestra. Our main performances include the Family Weekend Concert, Fall Concert, Family Holiday Concert, and Spring Concert. We also perform at Convocation, UVA basketball games, and Lighting of the Lawn.
• Major Works: All-Night Vigil, Sergei Rachmaninoff; Considering Matthew Shepard, Craig Hella Johnson; Passion According To St. Luke, Ēriks Ešenvalds; Requiem, W. A. Mozart; Mass in D Minor, Antonín Dvořák
• Tours: Blue Ridge to Big Apple (Summer 2023), Ballad of the Baltics (Summer 2025)

 Website

Newark Academy Voices

• Dates: Fall 2017–Spring 2021
• Summary: Academy Voices is Newark Academy's audition choral ensemble. We perform at the Fall Concert, Spring Concert, and Cabaret.
• Positions: Bass Co-Section Leader (Fall 2019–Spring 2021)
• Major Works: Carmina Burana, Carl Orff

 Website

New Jersey Youth Chorus

• Dates: Fall 2014–Spring 2021
• Summary: NJYC is a community choir for middle- and high-school children. We perform in the Fall and Spring concerts, as well as for charity events, such as at the Goryeb Children's Hospital.
• Major Works: Carmen, Georges Bizet; Coronation Mass, W. A. Mozart; Chichester Psalms, Leonard Bernstein
• Tours Salzburg and Vienna, Austria (Summer 2018)

 Website