Researcher & Builder
Hello
So… Who am I?
Instead of just listing out my experiences, I would like to present my philosophy, because the principles define me much better than any noun can.
Let us explore who I am through the lenses of these principles.
Three Guiding Principles
There are three guiding principles that I follow:
1. I believe in the power of interdisciplinary knowledge and cooperative thinking
2. I stand by pragmatism when it is needed, but I am a scientist at heart.
3. I endeavor to improve the human condition, or better to help humanity move towards a higher platform.
1A. I Believe in Interdisciplinary Thinking
Since childhood, I’ve been curious about many subjects—math, physics, chemistry, biology, history, and more. Each gave me a different way to understand the world.
I like to think of reality as a cake. Every subject offers a different slice. Some slices have more icing, some more base, but no single slice gives the full picture. Only by combining slices do we see the whole cake.
Though my current research focuses on optimization, causal inference, and machine learning, I continue to explore beyond. I study epistemology, am a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, an amateur astronomer, and once produced the first Chinese drama in Cambridge. My thirst for learning never stops.
Where this passion comes from, I don’t know. Maybe my multicultural upbringing (Canada, USA, UK, China), maybe my parents, who showed me how education changed our lives. But what I do know is:
I love learning.
1B. I Value Teamwork
Because I value different perspectives, I love working with others . Everyone has a unique skill or insight that can unlock problems I can’t solve alone.
While I’ve earned individual awards (like AIME, AMC), I’m prouder of team efforts—like helping fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine by 8 weeks, or co-developing a patented water-filtering nanotech with a 3-person team. Together, we achieved more than we ever could alone.
I learn from other viewpoints and enjoy the variety they bring. After all, it takes many slices to understand the full reality.
I’m a team player—and always will be.
2A. I Balance Science and Practicality
As a mathematician BY TRAINING, I love understanding ideas deeply. But in the real world, we often don’t have the time or resources for full mastery before acting.
When needed, I shift to a practical mindset: find what works, test it rigorously, and move forward. I return to the science later, because I can’t leave questions unanswered.
Still, I believe in constant progress. What’s cutting-edge today may be outdated tomorrow. I aim to explore new ideas early, so I’m ready when change comes.
3. I Want to Help Humanity Move Forward
We live in a time of abundance and innovation—but also of urgent global challenges: climate change, AI risks, biotechnology, and more. Solutions must come within our lifetime.
I can’t solve these alone, but I want to contribute.
My key focus areas are:
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Scalable optimization for complex ML problems
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Applying AI in high-stakes areas like healthcare and policy
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Building trustworthy evaluation tools to ensure real-world impact
My goal is to help build systems that improve lives and lay the foundation for a better future.