Hi everyone!

My name is Ru Pan, and I’m a senior studying Computation and Neural Systems (CNS). I’m from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I loved the cold for the beauty and the opportunities to ski, but eventually I grew tired of the half-year frost and darkness. Luckily, I came to Pasadena where it’s sunny (almost) everyday, and there’s three ski resorts within a 90 minute drive of us.

Coming to California, I needed a completely revamped closet full of summer clothes, so I spent lots of time at local flea markets around the LA area. Now, four years later, tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll let you know a market and a specific vendor! The Asian food in LA (and especially the San Gabriel Valley) is just the best in the nation, so I’ve been spending my weekends exploring the local cuisines and weekdays exploring the best tea and coffee shops. 

I also studied abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland the fall term of my senior year, where I was able to immerse myself in a university completely different from Caltech (50,000 undergrads vs. 900). It was such a rewarding experience, and I met so many amazing people from around the world! I also love to travel, and Caltech has been able to provide me with several travel and academic opportunities. Through the Hummel Gray award, my friends and I were able to travel to Sendai, Japan, to attend the DNA29 conference that was hosted by Caltech bioengineering professor Dr. Lulu Qian! I learned so much about the field of DNA computing, and this experience really furthered my passion for the intersection of biology and computer science. I was also able to attend the Grace Hopper Conference in Orlando, Florida, and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers’ Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. These conferences allowed me to network with recruiters and meet other like-minded individuals from every state!

At Caltech, I was a member of AdComm for 3 years, as well as a member of the track and field team. I did a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) my freshman year in a chemical engineering lab. I still do computational research during the school year, but the past two summers because of the flexibility of my major I was able to pivot to internships in software engineering.

I’m excited to join the blogging team and discuss more about how Caltech can provide opportunities for students outside of academics, food/drink in the area, and events for those interested in the arts.