MIT.
what do you do at MIT?
I am an MEng in 6-3 (Computer Science and Engineering), advised by Daniel Sanchez; I graduated with a double major in 21W (Writing) and 6-3 in Spring 2023. My HASS concentration was in Spanish.
I do a lot of things around MIT, including extracurriculars and classes; here are some lists of what I am currently doing and what I have done.
current side projects
- Blogging for MIT Admissions (since September 2020)
- Learning how to bootstrap Python using an unholy combination of Go, Rust, C, and Python itself (since October 2023)
- Writing a new full-length play, tentatively titled Jay v. Jay, which will receive a professional staged reading in May 2024! (since July 2023)
- Serving as a TA for 6.190[6.0004], Introduction to Low-level Programming in C and Assembly (since January 2024)
- Assisting with vocal direction (and playing percussion) for Next Act’s 2024 production of Legally Blonde (since February 2024)
things i have done
I have written and translated the following plays:
| Play | Length | Production Notes |
| Hold Me, But Not Too Close | 60 minutes | Original play, two roles Professional staged reading, MIT Playwright’s Lab, Spring 2022 Directed by Taneisha Duggan |
| Remembering Her | 90 minutes | Original jukebox musical, large cast Full student production, Next Act, Spring 2023 Directed by three students, including myself |
| A Doll’s House | 30 minutes | Translation of a Chinese work by Zhang Xian (张献) Partial staged reading, MIT, Fall 2023 (world premiere of the piece in any language) Directed by me |
Outside of playwriting, I primarily serve as an orchestra director for musicals. Thus far, I have conducted the following shows:
- Heathers, MTG (IAP 2023) - 7-person band, pop/rock score
- The Addams Family, MTG (Spring 2023) - co-position, 15-person band, mixed styles
- tick… tick… boom!, KAST (IAP 2024) - piano-conductor, 4-person band, pop/rock score
I have been a member of the MIT Chamber Chorus for five semesters; during undergrad, I was also a member of the MIT Concert Choir for four semesters. I was a member of the MIT Asymptones acapella group for all four years of undergrad, where I served as publicity director (Spring 2020, Spring 2023), music director (Spring 2022, Fall 2022), and arranged the following songs:
- “Proud Corazón” (from Coco, Fall 2021, reprised Spring 2022)
- “Dear Theodosia” (from Hamilton, Spring 2022)
- “Would You Be So Kind” (opb. dodie, Fall 2022, reprised Spring 2023/Fall 2023)
- “Tomorrow will be fine.” (opb. sodagreen, Spring 2023)
Additional experiences include:
| Position | Organization | Show | Semester |
| Vocal Director | MTG | The Addams Family (auditions only) |
Spring 2023 |
| Next Act | Remembering Her | Spring 2023 | |
| Subtitles | Wuming Theatre Club | Bus Stop / 车站 | Fall 2023 |
| Violinist | Musical Theatre Guild (MTG) | A Chorus Line | Fall 2019 |
| MTG | Pippin | IAP 2022 | |
| MTG | Best of All Possible Worlds (a cabaret night) |
Fall 2023 | |
| Actor | Next Act | Drowsy Chaperone (Underling) |
Spring 2022 |
I’ve been on the academic staff for the following courses:
| Position | # | Course | Semester |
| Teaching Assistant | CC.802 | Physics II | Spring 2021 |
| 6.191 | Computation Structures | Fall 2023 | |
| Lab Assistant | 6.0001/2 | Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science in Python | Fall 2021 |
| 6.190 | Introduction to Low-level Programming in C and Assembly | Spring 2023 | |
| Grader | 6.006 | Introduction to Algorithms | Fall 2021 |
| CC.802 | Physics II | Spring 2022 |
I’ve also taught classes for middle- and high-school students at a number of Educational Studies Program (ESP) programs, such as Splash, Spark, and Summer HSSP. These classes have been:
| Class | Description | Taught |
| A Brief History of in rem Cases in the United States | A class about absurd cases which fall under in rem jurisdiction; e.g. United States v. Forty Barrels & Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola | Splash 2019 |
| Did We Start the Fire? History from 1949-1989 as Told by Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire” | A six-session class about every lyric in the song “We Didn’t Start The Fire” | Summer HSSP 2020 |
| Streets! | A class about everything to do with streets, including traffic signs, highway systems, etc. | Splash 2020 |
| Everything You Never Wanted to Know About South Dakota | A class introducing all of the content you might ever need to know about my home state of South Dakota | Splash 2019, Splash for MIT 2020, Firestorm 2020, Firehose 2021 |
| Something, Definitely | A survey course of short introductions to a variety of mildly obscure subjects | Spark 2021 |
| 2.97 Seconds Per Pokemon!? | A class where we asked people to name ever Pokémon | Spark 2023 |
I’m currently studying computer architectures for FPGA routing under Prof. Daniel Sanchez.
During undergrad, I participated in the following UROPs:
| Project | Advisor(s) | Term |
| Studying optimal path planning for ocean vehicles with energy collection, using partial-differential equations | Pierre Lermusiaux | Fall 2019 |
| Studying pre-historic artifacts displaying abstract patterning for linguistic understanding | Shigeru Miyagawa, Christine Ortiz, Ellan Spero | Summer 2020 |
| Using Referring Expression Generation to Model Literary Style | Nick Montfort | Spring 2021 |
| Studying the political and technical possibilites and ramifications for social media regulation (SuperUROP) | Aleksandr Madry | Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 |
During my undergrad, I took on a number of different roles in student government, and dorm government in particular. I was elected to the following positions:
| Position | Organization | Responsibilities | Term |
| VP of Relations | Next House | Running Next House on a day-to-day basis; assisting the president; maintaining the community after COVID | 2021 |
| President | Next House | Leading Next Exec; working with the house team and representing Next House to external organizations, such as the UA and DormCon | 2022 |
| Judicial Committee Chair | Dormitory Council (DormCon) | Intepreting the Constitution; running elections; providing input on DormCon decisions | Fall 2021 - Spring 2022 |
| Vice President | DormCon | Running DormCon meetings; working with MIT administration on dorm issues, especially the Dean of Student Life | Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 |
I was appointed to the following committees:
| Position | Organization | Responsibilities | Term |
| CPW Committee | Next House | Planning welcoming activities for MIT Campus Preview Weekend; adapting the program to be virtual in two weeks | Spring 2020 |
| REX Committee (Co-chair) |
Next House | Planning welcoming activities for Residence Exploration; creating a new program to support first-year communities during COVID | Summer 2020 |
| GRA Hiring Committee | Next House | Reading applications and intervewing candidates for Graduate Resident Advisor positions | Spring 2021 - Summer 2021 |
| REX Committee | Next House | Planning welcoming activities for Residence Exploration; running the first large gatherings of undergraduates post-COVID | Summer 2021 |
| Thanksgiving Committee | Next House | Organizing a large (hundred-person) Thanksgiving dinner for residents who stay on campus over break | 2019, 2021, 2022 |
| Undergraduate Advisory Group | Schwarzman College of Computing (CoC) | Providing feedback to the leadership of the newly-formed Schwarzman CoC | Fall 2021 - Spring 2022 |
I did a number of other things during my time at MIT!
- Mystery Hunt (2020 - 2024): I hunt with a team that has a different name every Mystery Hunt, but which was most recently named ; I organized the team for the 2024 hunt!
- Quizbowl (2019 - 2023): An activity where college teams compete to answer more questions in all sorts of academic fields.
- Team Member: I participated in a number of regional quizbowl tournaments throughout my time at MIT, trailing off over the period.
- Vice President (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021): I was responsible for running social events for and generally providing input on decisions made by the quizbowl team; I was also responsible for directing one college tournament.
- THINK (2019 - 2021): A high school research proposal competition, which funds six proposals each year and mentors them through project completion, including a trip to MIT!
- Team Member: I helped judge and mentor projects in the competition.
- DevOps Member: I helped support the website needs for THINK, in both the main website and the application website.
- lean0nme (2019 - 2021): An anonymized text support hotline for the MIT community writ large.
- Supporter: I responded to texts on the hotline as they came in.
- Next House Desk (2021 - 2023):
- Worker: I sorted mail and distributed packages at the front desk.
- MIT Science Bowl (2019 - 2023):
- High School Science Bowl Invitational: I volunteered in a number of different roles in Fall 2019 and Fall 2020.
- Northeastern Regional Middle School Science Bowl: I volunteered in a number of different roles in Spring 2020, Spring 2021, and Spring 2023.
classes i am taking this semester
- 6.S984 - Datacenter Computing
- 21M.789 - Playwrights’ Lab
classes i have taken
Classes at MIT are usually 12 units. All classes below are 12 units unless otherwise noted.
This section is organized many different ways:
by category
| # | Course | Term |
| 6.THM | Master of Engineering Program Thesis | Fall 2023 |
| 6.5810 | Operating Systems Engineering | Fall 2023 |
| 6.1220[6.046] | Design and Analysis of Algorithms | Spring 2023 |
| 6.S983[6.888] | Secure Hardware Design | Spring 2023 |
| 6.5830[6.830] | Database Systems | Fall 2022 |
| 6.5900[6.823] | Computer System Architecture | Fall 2022 |
| 6.170 | Software Studio | Fall 2021 |
| 18.404 | Theory of Computation | Fall 2021 |
| # | Course | Term |
| 6.9900 | Teaching Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (24 units) | Fall 2023 |
| 6.UAR | Seminar in Undergraduate Advanced Research (6 units) | Fall 2022, Spring 2023 |
| 6.9830[6.997] | Professional Perspective Internship (1 unit) | Fall 2022 |
| 6.033 | Computer Systems Engineering | Spring 2022 |
| 6.036 | Introduction to Machine Learning | Spring 2022 |
| 6.004 | Computation Structures | Fall 2021 |
| 6.031 | Elements of Software Construction (15 units) | Spring 2021 |
| 6.006 | Introduction to Algorithms | Fall 2020 |
| 6.009 | Fundamentals of Programming | Fall 2020 |
| 6.08 | Embedded Systems | Spring 2020 |
| 6.042 | Math for Computer Science | Fall 2019 |
| 6.0001 | Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python | ASE |
| # | Course | Term |
| 21M.716 | Play Translation and Cultural Transmission | Fall 2023 |
| 21L.486 | Modern Drama | Spring 2023 |
| 21W.ThU | Writing Program Thesis | Spring 2023 |
| ENG CNL | Novel Lab (at Harvard) | Spring 2023 |
| 21W.ThT | Undergraduate Thesis Tutorial (6 units) | IAP 2023 |
| 21W.740 | Writing Autobiography and Biography | Fall 2022 |
| 21M.785 | Playwrights’ Lab | Spring 2022 |
| 21W.771 | Advanced Poetry Workshop | Spring 2022 |
| 21M.780 | Writing the Full-Length Play | Fall 2021 |
| 21W.762 | Poetry Workshop | Spring 2021 |
| 21W.757 | Fiction Workshop | Fall 2020 |
| 21W.765 | Interactive Narrative | Fall 2020 |
| 21W.755 | Reading and Writing Short Stories | Spring 2020 |
| # | Course | Term |
| 7.05 | General Biochemistry | Spring 2022 |
| 7.03 | Genetics | Fall 2021 |
| CC.512 | Organic Chemistry | Spring 2021 |
| 18.03 | Differential Equations | Fall 2020 |
| 18.701 | Algebra I | Fall 2020 |
| 18.100B | Real Analysis | Spring 2020 |
| CC.802 | Physics II | Spring 2020 |
| 18.022 | Calculus | Fall 2019 |
| CC.5111 | Principles of Chemical Science | Fall 2019 |
| 2.UR | Undergraduate Research (3 units) | Fall 2019 |
| 7.012 | Introductory Biology | ASE |
| 8.01 | Physics I | AP Physics C |
| 18.01 | Calculus | AP Calc BC |
| # | Course | Term |
| 21M.405 | Chamber Chorus (6 units) | Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021 |
| CC.012 | Continuing Conversations (3 units) | Fall 2021, Fall 2020 |
| 21M.401 | Concert Choir (6 units) | Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2020, Spring 2020 |
| 21G.784 | Introduction to Latin American Studies (13 units) | Spring 2021 |
| 21M.301 | Harmony and Counterpoint I | Spring 2021 |
| 21G.704 | Spanish IV | Fall 2020 |
| 21G.703 | Spanish III | Spring 2020 |
| CC.011 | Seminar II (3 units) | Spring 2020 |
| CC.110 | Becoming Human: Ancient Greek Perspectives on the Good Life | Fall 2019 |
| 24.93 | The Search for Meaning (2 units) | Fall 2019 |
| CC.A10 | Concourse Seminar (3 units) | Fall 2019 |
| GEN.APCR | AP Elective Credit (45 units) | various |
by semester
- 6.5810 - Operating System Engineering
- 21M.405 - MIT Chamber Chorus (6 units)
- 21M.716 - Play Translation and Cultural Transmission
- 6.9900 - Teaching Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (24 units)
- 6.THM - Master of Engineering Program Thesis
- 6.1220[6.046] - Design and Analysis of Algorithms
- 6.UAR - Seminar in Undergraduate Advanced Research (6 units)
- 21M.405 - Chamber Chorus (6 units)
- 21W.ThU - Writing Program Thesis
- 6.S983[6.888] - Secure Hardware Design
- 21L.486 - Modern Drama
- Harvard ENG CNL: The Novel Lab
- 21W.ThT - Undergraduate Thesis Tutorial (6 units)
- 6.5831[6.814] - Database Systems
- 6.5900[6.823] - Computer System Architecture
- 6.9830[6.997] - Professional Perspective Internship (1 unit)
- 6.UAR - Seminar in Undergraduate Advanced Research (6 units)
- 21M.405 - Chamber Chorus (6 units)
- 21W.740 - Writing Autobiography and Biography
dropped:
- 6.1600[6.053] - Foundations of Computer Security
- 21M.283 - Musicals
- 6.033 - Computer Systems Engineering
- 6.036 - Introduction to Machine Learning
- 7.05 - General Biochemistry
- 21M.405 - Chamber Chorus (6 units)
- 21M.785 - Playwrights’ Lab
- 21W.771 - Advanced Poetry Workshop
dropped:
- 18.704 - Seminar in Algebra
- 21M.405 - Vocal Repertoire and Performance (6 units)
- 6.004 - Computation Structures
- 6.170 - Software Studio (15 units)
- 7.03 - Genetics
- 18.404 - Theory of Computation
- 21M.401 - Concert Choir (6 units)
- 21M.405 - Chamber Chorus (6 units)
- 21M.780 - Writing the Full-Length Play
- CC.012 - Continuing Conversations (3 units)
- 6.031 - Elements of Software Construction (15 units)
- 21G.784 - Introduction to Latin American Studies (13 units)
- 21M.301 - Harmony and Counterpoint I
- 21M.401 - MIT Concert Choir (6 units)
- 21W.762 - Poetry Workshop
- CC.512 - Organic Chemistry
- 6.006 - Introduction to Algorithms
- 6.009 - Fundamentals of Programming
- 18.03 - Differential Equations
- 18.701 - Algebra I
- 21G.704 - Spanish IV
- 21M.401 - MIT Concert Choir (6 units)
- 21W.757 - Fiction Workshop
- 21W.765 - Interactive Narrative
- CC.012 - Continuing Conversations (3 units)
- 6.08 - Embedded Systems
- 18.100B - Real Analysis
- 21G.703 - Spanish III
- 21M.401 - MIT Concert Choir (6 units)
- 21W.755 - Reading and Writing Short Stories
- CC.011 - Seminar II (3 units)
- CC.802 - Physics II
- 2.UR - Undergraduate Research (3 units)
- 6.042 - Math for Computer Science
- 18.022 - Calculus
- 24.93 - The Search for Meaning (2 units)
- CC.110 - Becoming Human: Ancient Greek Perspectives on the Good Life
- CC.5111 - Principles of Chemical Science
- CC.A10 - Concourse Seminar (3 units)
- 6.0001 - Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python, from ASE
- 8.01 - Physics I, from AP Physics C
- 7.012 - Introductory Biology, from ASE
- 18.01 - Calculus, from AP Calc BC
- GEN.APCR - AP Elective Credit, from AP classes in HASS (45 units)
by requirements met
| Calc 1 | AP credit |
| Calc 2 | 18.022 |
| Chem | CC.5111 |
| Physics 1 | AP credit |
| Bio | ASE |
+ denotes double-counted. * denotes CI-H.
| Humanities | CC.110* |
| Arts | 21W.755+ |
| Social Sciences | 21G.784+* |
| Concentration | 21G.703 |
| 21G.704 | |
| 21G.784+* | |
| Electives | 21M.301+ |
| 21M.401+ (x2) |
| RESTs | 6.042+ |
| CC.512+ | |
| LAB | 6.08+ |
* denotes CI-M. + denotes double-counted.
| Nine Classes | 21W.755+ |
| 21W.765* | |
| 21W.762* | |
| 21M.780 | |
| 21M.785* | |
| 21W.771* | |
| 21W.740 | |
| ENG CNL | |
| 21L.486 | |
| CI-M | 21W.757* |
| 21W.ThT | 21W.ThT |
| 21W.ThU | 21W.ThU* |
6-3
Italics denotes classes tentatively scheduled for next semester. * denotes CI-M. + denotes double-counted.
| Introductory | 6.08+ |
| Programming Skills | 6.0001 |
| Discrete Math | 6.120+ |
| Foundation | see below |
| 6.004 | 6.004 |
| 6.006 | 6.006 |
| 6.009 | 6.009 |
| Header | see below |
| 6.031 | 6.031 |
| 6.033 | 6.033* |
| 6.034/6.036 | 6.036 |
| 6.045/6.046 | 6.1220[6.046] |
| CI-M | 6.UAR* / 6.UAR* |
| AUS2 | 6.170+ |
| AUS2 | 6.5830[6.830] |
| II | 6.170+ |
| EECS | 6.S983[6.888] |
| AAGS | 6.5400[6.840] |
| AAGS | 6.5900[6.823] |
| AAGS | 6.5810 |
| AAGS | |
| Math Elective | 18.03 |
| Math Elective | 18.100B |
| 6.THM | 6.THM |
| 6.997 | 6.9830[6.997] |
by personal tier-ranking
| S | 6.004, 21L.486, 21M.405, 21M.780, 21W.762, 21W.771, CC.512 |
| A | 6.08, 6.S983[6.888], 6.5810, 7.05, 18.404, 21M.401, 21M.785, 21W.740, 21W.765, 21W.ThT, 21W.ThU, CC.012, Harvard ENG CNL |
| B | 6.009, 6.1220[6.046], 6.5830[6.830], 6.5900[6.823], 7.03, 18.100B, 18.701, 21M.716, 21W.757, CC.110 |
| C | 6.006, 6.031, 6.033, 6.036, 6.UAR, 21G.703, 21M.301, 21W.755, CC.5111 |
| D | 6.042, 6.170, 18.022, 21G.704, 21G.784, CC.011, CC.802 |
| F | 18.03, CC.A10 |
exams I have aced
- 18.022 Exam 1
- 6.042 Exam 2
- CC.5111 Exam 2, Exam 3
- 6.009 Quiz 1, Quiz 2
- CC.512 Exam 4
- 18.404 Midterm
- 6.036 Final
- 6.5830 Quiz 2
honorable mentions (1 pt/1 question away)
- 6.042 Final
- 6.006 Final
- 7.03 Exam 2
- 7.05 Exam 3
- 6.1220 Exam 2
classes I have finished with over 100% of the points
- 6.042
- 18.100B
- 18.03
- 6.036
- 6.S983