About

My dad and I getting dinner with some friends we met in Ha Noi, Viet Nam

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Personal

I am passionate about learning new things, questioning my perceptions of the world, and building meaningful connections.

Things that excite me include trying new foods, traveling, playing with my cat, working on creative projects, and spending time laughing with friends and family.

My Story

I was born and raised in Pickerington, Ohio.

I grew up doing things like Taekwondo and volleyball, and have always found joy in starting my own side projects. In high school, I also started a math tutoring business and made animated educational videos.

I moved to Chicago for school in 2019 and fell in love with the city. I’m so grateful to call this place home.

I majored in Statistics at Loyola University Chicago and met some of my best friends, including my partner Stephen.

Stephen and I celebrating our graduation in 2022
Stephen and I celebrating our graduation in 2022

I started my Master’s program in 2022 and started working on my thesis, which was focused on CT-to-MRI translation.

This project furthered my love for data science by allowing me to learn about fields outside my own and by showing me the impact this work can have on healthcare as a whole.

Upcoming Life Transitions:

Although a year ago I was set on going into industry after completing my degree, I have gained clarity on my goals and next steps through conversations with mentors and experts in my desired field.

In the coming months, I’ll be moving out of Rogers Park and preparing to pursue my PhD in Computer Science at the University of Chicago.

Hobbies

I strongly believe in the importance of having hobbies and other interests outside of work, as they allow us to utilize different parts of our brain and further enrich our lives. Some of my favorite hobbies include embroidery or other crafty and creative mediums, as these allow me to work with my hands and let my mind wander.

I also love reading books, specifically contemporary, literary, or historical fiction, as well as memoirs, essays, philosophy, and psychology.

Recently, I have enjoyed taking boxing classes and attending stand-up comedy shows as well.

One of my recent embroidery projects
One of my recent embroidery projects

Short Professional Summary

For a full professional summary please see my CV.

EXPERIENCE

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Aug. 2022-May. 2024
    • Loyola University Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant, Oct. 2021—Aug. 2022.
    • Loyola University Chicago
  • Python Tutor, Jan. 2022—May. 2022.
    • Loyola University Chicago
  • Data Science Intern, Sep. 2021-May. 2022.
    • Office of the Director of National Intelligence
  • AI Research Associate, Sep. 2020-Jun. 2021.
    • U.S. Department of State

EDUCATION

  • M.S. Data Science Student, 2022—2024
    • Loyola University Chicago
  • B.S. Statistics, Honors Summa Cum Laude, 2019-2022
    • Loyola University Chicago

HONORS

  • Best Paper Presentation in the Sciences, Loyola University Chicago Interdisciplinary Research Symposium, 2024.
  • Defense of M.S. Thesis with Distinction, Loyola University Chicago, 2024.
  • Father Rust. S.J. Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in mathematics and statistics courses, Department of Mathematics & Statistics at Loyola Unviersity Chicago, 2022.
  • Departmental Honors, Department of Mathematics & Statistics at Loyola Unviersity Chicago, 2022.
  • Presidential Scholar, Loyola University Chicago, 2019-2022.