Women's
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Electrical Engineering & Computer
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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WTP-EECS Staff:
Summer 2008
Instructors| Residential Tutors|Residential Coordinator |Residential Assistants
Three female MS/PhD students in the MIT Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science design and teach the
Women's Technology Program classes in Computer Science, Electrical
Engineering, and Discrete Math.
Meg Aycinena
Computer Science Instructor
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
I'm a fifth-year PhD student in the Computer
Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL). I'm interested
in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and object recognition,
and my research focuses on using grammars (like from language) to represent
object classes in images. I grew up on the San Francisco peninsula
and did my undergraduate degree at Stanford. When I started college,
I didn't think I wanted to do computer science, so I was very surprised
to discover how fascinating it can be! I hope you will all make a similar
discovery this summer. When I'm not doing research, I love to spend
time with my friends and family, read books (especially history), sing,
and wander around Boston.
Shirin Farrahi
Electrical Engineering Instructor
Hometown: Vancouver, BC, Canada
I am a first-year PhD student in the Micromechanics Group in the MIT Research Laboratory for Electronics. My research aims to help understand how the human cochlea works. I work with lasers, microscopes, and mice to take images of innear ear structures. For me, the most exciting thing about electrical engineering has been the varied and exciting opportunities it has opened up for me. I am looking forward to presenting some of these to you this summer. In my spare time, I like to play the violin and run.
Laura Zager
Discrete Math Instructor
Hometown: Sayre , PA
I'm a fifth-year PhD student in the Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems, where I study mathematical models of how infectious diseases spread through networks of people. It might sound strange for a student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science to be studying epidemiology, but that's what I love about MIT - you're really encouraged to tackle problems which have applications in lots of different fields! This will be my second year teaching math for WTP, and I can't wait to have even more fun than last year and pulling examples of amazing math from lots of disciplines. Outside of the lab, I take glass-blowing lessons at MIT's very own glass lab, spent lots of time walking around Boston and Cambridge, and relax with family and friends.
Residential Tutors are female MIT undergraduates, MEng students, or recent MIT graduates. They assist the WTP-EECS Instructors in the classroom, and also live in the dormitory with the high school students, chaperoning residential life, creating fun activities and field trips, and helping with homework.
Gina Angelosando
Electrical
Engineering Tutor
MIT
Class of 2008
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown:
North Attleboro, MA
Hi! I just finished my MIT Bachelor's degree
in Mechanical Engineering. I
started college wanting to study bioengineering, but found out I really
like controls and robotics. In the fall I'm heading off across
the country for grad school. I was born and raised in Massachusetts
and I love to cook, bake, watch movies and go to the beach.
Lauren Biscombe
Computer Science Tutor
MIT
Class of 2009
Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Hometown:
Norristown , PA
I'm a rising senior in Civil Engineering and can't believe how fast time has gone. I like traveling and have recently gone to the big island of Hawaii and Paris. I'd like to go to a Spanish-speaking country in the future para practicar mi español. I'm interested in structures (bridges, buildings) and soils and am on MIT's Steel Bridge team. This will be my third time participating in WTP- I was a student in 2004 and an RA in 2006. In my free time I like going to the gym, watching Will Smith movies (and other movies too!), reading, and spending time outside.
Danielle Braun
Discrete Math Tutor
MIT Class of 2007
Major: Applied Math
Hometown:
Santa Cruz , CA
Hi! I was a math tutor at WTP three years ago and am really excited about being back this summer. I really love math and graduated last June with a degree in applied math. I love math so much that I am starting a Ph.D. program in Biostatistics this fall. I also love Boston, and the summer is a perfect time to really explore the city. When I am not studying or working on problem sets, I love to cook, swim, and snowboard.
Hilda Buss
Computer Science Tutor
MIT Class of 2011
Major: EECS or ChemEng
Hometown: Andover, MA
Hi! I'm a rising sophomore who did WTP in 2006 and is
excited to come back for another summer. I'm still try to decide between
course 6
(EECS) and 10 (Chemical Engineering) for my major.
I like crew, crafts, and food. I'm also amused by the fact that I can
use my WTP2006 profile picture for this. Can't wait to meet you guys!
Lauren Cipicchio
Discrete Math Tutor
MIT Class of 2010
Major: Mathematics with Computer Science
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Hey! I am so excited for this summer. This is my second year being
a math tutor for WTP. I am a Mathematics with Computer Science
major. I enjoy diving, photography, spending time with my sisters
of Alpha Chi Omega and cooking (I have a lot of new recipes to
try this summer!). Yeah WTP!!
Maysun Hasan
Electrical Engineering
Tutor
MIT Class of 2010
Major: Electrical Engineering
Hometown: New Hyde Park , NY
Hi girls!!! I will be one of your EE tutors this year! I am currently a sophomore majoring in Electrical Engineering. My passion in life is watching movies… and I have watched a lot!! Besides that, I like baking and knitting (I just made a stuffed elephant ^.^ ) I am also learning how to cook o_0. I'm really excited about this summer, and I can't wait to meet all of you.
Sarah Krell
Computer Science Tutor
MIT Class of 2009
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Tamaqua, PA
Hi! I'm a rising senior in Computer Science here at MIT. I attended WTP back in 2004. I also currently have a UROP at the Media Lab, where I've been helping to write applications for cell phones. I love watching scifi (I'm currently watching Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who), as well as reading, board games, puzzles, video games, and cooking.
Megan Pilkington
Discrete Math Tutor
MIT
Class of 2009
Major: Mathematics and Literature
Hometown: Lebanon, PA
I'm a rising senior majoring in mathematics and literature, and I'm really excited about this summer! I can't wait to meet and talk to all of you. I love discussing everything from math problems and books to the ethics of Batman. I also like photography, especially analog. I spend a lot of my free time conducting baking experiments, playing Apples to Apples, wandering around Boston, and, of course, reading.
Yang Ruan
Electrical Engineering
Tutor
MIT
Class of 2008
Major: Electrical Engineering
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
I just finished my Bachelor's
degree in Electrical Engineering, although I didn't know what
Electrical Engineering was until my sophomore year. I work at the Media
Lab for the Smart
Cities Group making a prototype
for a low cost wireless enviromental sensor. This past year I found out
I really like power electronics and will be working for a power electronics
company after WTP. I like good food, I like to draw and dance, and I
have a lot of opinions.
I like
to organize large events that promote sustainable energy or just for entertainment.
I was born in Shanghai but grew up in St. Louis, MO. I have a cat named Charlene,
and some people think I'm missing some screws.
The Residential Coordinator lives in the dorm with the high school students and other residenial staff. She is a current MIT graduate student or a recent graduate of MIT. She coordinates and supervises evening and weekend activities and is a general resource for WTP-EECS students and staff. She is assisted by two Residential Assistants.
Katherine
Klesch
MIT Class
of 2007
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Columbus, OH
I was a CS Tutor for WTP for the past three summers, and I'm very excited to be coming back this year as the Residential Coordinator! While at MIT I was a projectionist for LSC, so I always end up showing lots of movies in the dorm. In my free time I like to read, write, sing, and sew/knit. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and having a fantastic summer!
Residential Assistants live in the dorm and help with evening and weekend activities, but do not have classroom or tutoring responsibilities. These women are MIT students, usually rising sophomores, and all of them attended WTP when they were in high school.
Emma Jeffries
MIT Class of 2011
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
I am just finishing my first year at MIT, and I love
it here. I went to WTP in 2006. That was the first time I
ever programmed anything! Through the summer I couldn't help but
draw parallels between the logic gates and methods I was learning about
in class and everything I knew about the brain, and I had to wonder just
how similar they are or could be. Now I'm planning to major in
EECS and minor in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, so hopefully I'll get
some of my questions answered. When I'm not in class or doing
homework, I'm out on the water as part of MIT's rowing team, practicing in
Dance Troupe, and sleeping. I hope this summer will show you what MIT
is about and you'll come to love it as much as I do.
Kristen Whaley
MIT Class of 2011
Hometown: Westborough, MA
Hi! I'm a rising sophomore and am a WTP alumna. WTP was one of the best things
that ever happened to me, and I can't wait to meet all of you this summer.
I am still uncertain about my major (biological engineering?), but I am currently
working in an Earth and Planetary Sciences laboratory, where I am studying
cyanobacteria from Yellowstone National Park. I am a member of the MIT Women's
Basketball team and I would love to shoot hoops with any of you this summer.
I enjoy going for runs, reading (though I never seem to have the time), hanging
with friends, and watching TV (LOST, 24, House, America's Best Dance Crew,
Grey's Anatomy, etc.). I love arts and crafts, playing board games, shopping,
and food. Please contact me if you have any questions about WTP, and see
you soon!
WTP Director and WTP-EECS Track Coordinator
Cynthia Skier
(MIT alumna: SB 1974, SM 1981)
Hometown: Lexington, MA
I have been the WTP Director since fall 2002. Before that I managed computer software companies and worked in management consulting. I have two children: a daughter pursuing a PhD in history, and a son who is a college sophomore in film production. In my free time I like to sing, read mysteries, and watch old movies, especially film noire, musicals and science fiction. In addition to my WTP responsibilities, I also direct the Industrial Connection Program here in MIT EECS.
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To view WTP-EECS staff from other years, click on the links below: