Visual Art

Joshua Metz-King

“I have a passion for goldsmithing, foraging, mycology, botany, marine biology and gemology. The oldest known jewelry, found in a South African cave around 100,000 years ago, consisted of small shell beads. Gold has held religious and aesthetic significance across cultures, representing divine connection and wealth, from the tomb of Ur to Mayan temples. Describing jewelry as the union of natural wonder and human creativity, I find a profound sense of sacredness in the process, from alloying gold to setting gemstones. It is humbling to realize that my passion is part of a practice that has spanned 100,000 years. Goldsmithing is a process, and thus is my art.”

Engineering

Nate Long

“During my tenure in Browning’s Rock Band, one issue that consistently plagued our performances was the woeful quality of the sound system in the school gym. It was disorganized, erratic, and uncontrollable. Determined to rectify this situation, I aimed to create a fully functional and outstanding sound system. The initial phase involved inventorying available materials and assessing the required work. Based on that, I recommended necessary equipment for Browning to acquire. After achieving mastery of the soundboard through persistent effort, I successfully implemented a durable channel system to effectively manage the sound. I then strategically positioned the sound gear, fine-tuning the layouts to perfection. The culmination of my efforts resulted in the creation of an impeccable sound system that resonated flawlessly during numerous coffeehouses and other performances.”

Humanities

Yushi Liu

“My dissertation delves into a short novel that comprises letters and diary entries penned by the fictional protagonist and unreliable narrator, P. Within these pages, P unwittingly chronicles his gradual descent into insanity as he seeks to navigate both the fictional society around him and, more importantly, his own restless mind. A sardonic parody of 21st century humanity, I seek to pull no punches in the dark and grisly humor of P’s letters, mounting a multi-dimensional critique of modern society in the process. As the novel progresses, a greater divide will begin to grow between P’s letters and his diary entries, then between his society and his ego, and eventually, between his physical and his metaphysical.”

Data Science

Washieu Anan

“This project entailed building an autonomous driving vehicle, akin to Tesla's technology, where a mathematical model guides it from one location to another using various sensors. The rise in popularity of self-driving cars corresponds to the expansion of datasets required for accurate predictions and the continuous advancements in sophisticated software. Consequently, it becomes crucial to develop systems that can be readily deployed across various platforms and methodologies. My project primarily focuses on the mathematical aspects involved in guiding a vehicle along a generated trajectory, allowing for dynamic updates as it moves from one point to another.”