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Summer 2004

Instructors

Kunal Agrawal

Math Instructor

I am a graduate student in Computer Science working in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL). I'm interested in parallel computing algorithms and systems. I was born in India and completed my undergraduate degree in Electronics Engineering from Bombay University. I then did a Masters in Computer Science from National University of Singapore. I love reading all kinds of books, though my favourite is fiction. I also enjoy cooking, watching movies and listening to music (though I can't play any instrument myself and envy people who can).

Karen Ann Brennan
Computer Science Instructor

I am really looking forward to adventuring in computer science with you this summer! I was introduced to CS five years ago while I was a

piano performance undergraduate. I was captivated by CS and had always loved math. Thus, I decided to leave music behind for the combined computer science and mathematics undergraduate program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. I am currently a first year graduate student working in the Computational Structures Group in CSAIL. I think MIT is fantastic because it allows me to work with what makes me really happy: patterns, puzzles, and problems. I hope that you'll enjoy your time here as much as I do.

Yajun Fang

Electrical Engineering Instructor

I am a Ph.D. student in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at MIT. My research interest is automatic driving environment understanding for intelligent vehicles, which involves computer vision and image/video processing. I am strongly interested in watching how advanced technology can change our daily life and I would like to explore the fascination and the beauty of EECS with so many girls in WTP who share the similar interest. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, swimming, dancing, and listening to music.

Tutors - 2004


Joelle Brichard — Math Tutor

(Junior, Mathematics & Physics, Minor in Music)
Hometown: Quebec City, Canada

I am very happy to be tutoring again this summer. Last year was awesome and I expect this year to be even better. I love to tutor. I have been a Teaching Assistant in freshmen classes for the past year and a half and it always is a blast. I also love math. I hope to help you discover than math is more than calculus and can be a really fun game! In my spare time, I workout, play in the orchestra, dance and spend time with my friends.

Lindy Briggs — Math Tutor

(Sophomore, Computer Science)
Hometown: Londonderry, NH

I hope you're ready for a fun time at WTP this summer, because I sure am. I just finished my second year here at MIT, and I'm working on a degree in computer science with a minor in biology. I've always loved computer programming and I'm hoping to help you see some of the exciting possibilities that lie in the field of computer science. Hobbies include scuba diving and karate, and if I'm not out and walking around Boston, you will likely find me reading, drawing, or perhaps making clay dragons.

Christina Chestnut — EE Tutor

(Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering & Music)
Hometown: Pelham Manor, NY

I'm really excited about teaching in the WTP this summer. Even though I'm coming from a very different background from the other EE tutors, being a Mechanical Engineering major and all, I have much experience when it comes to lab work, since I spent the last semester designing and manufacturing in one of the machine shops here. I can learn as much from you as you can from me this summer. Outside of classes and required things, I'm one of the captains of the Women's Rugby team here. If you've never heard of rugby or know anything about it, ask me, because it's the best sport ever. I also play the harp, and I should have it with me this summer, so if you want a demo, let me know!

Teal Guidici -- Math Tutor

(Junior, Math)
Hometown: Bremerton, WA

I'm really excited about being a math tutor for WTP this summer! I'm in the math department, with an emphasis in my studies on theory. I feel very un-mitish, in that I have not yet taken a computer class, and the only languages I know are spoken ones - but maybe I'll pick up some programming skills this summer! Art is a passion in my life equal to math. I play the harp and piano, I love theatre (acting, directing, writing, watching...), and I love making things - knitting, drawing, bookmaking, etc. I also like cooking, going to church, and reading :). This term I've been studying abroad in Prague, learning a little czech, and visiting a few places here and there around Europe. Stuff I miss from home? root beer and the sunday comics...

Joia Hertz — Math Tutor

(Junior, Math)
Hometown: Burke, VA

I'm overly psyched about this summer! Two things I know I love are math and teaching, so I couldn't be any happier. I'm also obsessed with the color blue, but they dont make jobs involving colors. Along with math, I also take Mechanical Engineering, EECS, Drama, and soon Cognitive Science classes. So feel free to ask about any of the first three. In my non-academic time I enjoy solving puzzles (you'll often see me with a GAMES magazine), playing games, cross-stitching, square dancing, reading, and wasting time on the computer in various silly ways.

Ivy Morgan — CS Tutor

(Junior, Computer Science)
Hometown: New Haven, CT

Hey, I'm really looking forward to being a CS tutor this summer. I'm a junior here at MIT, majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. I call New Haven, CT home (nope, I didn't want to go to Yale :-P). I've always loved problem solving, and find CS a very fufilling way to do that. I hope you guys will find it as interesting as I do. My hobbies vary from year to year; I got an acoustic guitar recently, so you'll probably see me spending alot of my free time trying to learn how to play it. I guess that's all for now, see you in a couple of weeks.

Sanghamitra "Sasen" Sen — EE Tutor

(Junior, Electrical Engineering)
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL

I like building stuff. The best thing about engineering classes is that you get to build stuff for credit! I'm really psyched to be an helping you guys build stuff this summer. When I'm not building stuff in lab, I'm building stuff at home, where "stuff" is defined as: a. Things for my room (I built my own loft), b. Food (ever tried constructing Minas Tirith out of devil's food cake? You need a lot of white icing...) c. Puzzles (MIT Mystery Hunt is the source of my obsession), d. Clothing (mostly involving interesting materials, like chainmail or shiny/fuzzy things). The rest of my time goes to community service, ushering movies, ringing handbells, and playing games. Note that sleep is not listed here. Sleep is for the weak!... and the weekend. Click here to view my homepage.


Meena Shah — EE Tutor

(Senior, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science)
Hometown: Hanover, MD

I am finishing my undergraduate degree in EECS and plan to continue graduate studies at the University of British Columbia in fall 2004. My main interest is image processing and machine vision; think cool music videos and robots. Last summer I was workingon a music video for Three Doors Down, which might sound impressive, but I never met the band. I like to make movies in my spare time. I play ice hockey, captain of MIT's varsity team for the last two years. Ask me to show you a cross-check, I can! Outside of school, I enjoy the local music scene and wandering around aimlessly in Boston and Cambridge, especially when the weather is nice.

Residential Assistants - 2004

Christy Graham

(Freshman, Math and Management)
Hometown: Coral Springs, FL

I'm really excited about WTP 2004. I was a student in WTP's class of 2002, which was one of my most memorable summers. Participating in WTP convinced me to attend MIT after high school. I have just completed my first year of study here, and I plan to major in Math and Management. Beyond academics, I love doing tons of community service, exploring Boston, and hanging out with my friends.

Alisha Schor

(Freshman, Mechanical Engineering)
Hometown: San Diego, CA

Hey...I'm a just finishing up my freshman year at MIT and am super excited about being part of WTP this summer. I am originally from San Diego, CA, and I was a student in WTP in its inaugural year, and it was definitely one of the best summers of my life (second only to the summer AFTER my senior year, but who isn't stoked once they graduate?). I am a mechanical engineering major because I love building things, but I'm also sickeningly obsessed with computers. I run varsity cross country and track for MIT, as well as write sports articles for MIT's newspaper, The Tech. Other than that, I like to be crafty and play games and just generally be active.

Directors - 2004

Katy Thorn

Residential Director

I am a 2nd year grad sutdent in Electrical Engineering, and very excited about being the Residential Director this summer! In February, I completed my Master's in the Harvard-MIT Laboratory for Computational Physiology. My research involved using a large database of patient records to analyze patterns of drug use in an intensive care unit, focusing on intravenous drugs which affect the cardiovascular system. Since completing my Master's, I have been doing work in a behavioral neuroscience laboratory - recording and analyzing neronal firing patterns as rats learn and perform a simple decision-making task. I received my undergraduate degree in EE from Georgia Tech in August, 2002. My hometown is Granbury, TX. Outside of class and research, I enjoy playing the violin and viola, reading, cooking and practicing taekwondo.

 

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