I am the first Technical Lead for Tufts AI Safety, which was founded in Spring ‘25. We aim to address real challenges with AI systems, from algorithmic bias to alignment problems.
Our goals
- Creating a space for discussion of the risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence, including technical and policy aspects.
- Fostering a supportive, interdisciplinary community of students who are eager to have a positive impact on the trajectory of AI.
Our Values
- Welcome students from all backgrounds and experience levels
- Focus on current, practical challenges in AI development
- Balance technical and policy perspectives
- Support each other's growth and learning
- Build an inclusive, collaborative community
What we offer
- Weekly reading group exploring key ideas in AI Safety (no technical background required)
- ARENA workshops for students to develop skills and confidence to contribute to technical AI safety (little technical background required)
- Regular workshops and talks from experts in the field
- Direct access to Tufts professors doing related research
- Opportunity to build and present risk demonstrations to stakeholders, policymakers, and elected leaders through the Policy Advocacy Network in collaboration with the Center for AI Policy
- Weekend project sprints with real-world impact
- Career guidance and networking opportunities
- Resources for exploring AI Safety career paths
About ARENA
I am running our Tufts-specific ARENA workshops, which include topics like transformer basics, reinforcement learning, and LLM evals. We are running our first iteration during the Fall '25 semester, and to prepare we have been in contact with leaders from AI Safety organizations across the Boston area. It is also important to have facilitators, including myself, that can guide students through the ARENA material, so we have invested time to learn the curriculum ourselves.
Tufts CubeSat is a student-led team dedicated to building a 1U CubeSat (a small cube-shaped satellite) with a Machine Learning payload that will be responsible detecting and identifying space debris as it orbits Earth. My current role on the team is Computational Co-Lead.
My Responsibilities
- Overseeing the Payload subteam. The plan for our CubeSat launch is to do space debris detection and classification using image processing and computer vision. Therefore, computer vision software and algorithms towards that end comprise a majority of the current interaction of this subteam.
- Overseeing software work for Attitude Determination Control Systems (ADCS). ADCS involves mathematics, control theory, programming, sensor integration, and hardware integration.
- Overseeing Command and Data Handling (CDH) operations. This subteam is responsible for programming and executing tasks and commands with the Onboard Computer, data handling and storage of processed sensor data, implementing software to interpret commands received from the ground station, and more.
SPACE RACCOON
The name for our satellite is an admittedly complicated acronym that took months to dream up:
Sensor Payload for Acute Classification and Evaluation of Residual Astronomical Components and Colliding Objects in Orbit Neighborhoods (SPACE RACCOON)
Our CubeSat Launch
We plan to launch our satellite through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CLSI). However, this is a competitive program, and we were required to write large report with nearly 100 pages discussing our plans for the satellite and how our mission aligns with NASA's core objectives. We are currently waiting to hear back about acceptance. If we don't get it this year, we'll simply take what we learned and reapply.
The Lantern is a student-run, interdisciplinary think tank that investigates the social impact of science and technology to advocate for responsible innovation. As an STS-focused organization, The Lantern is in line with both my academic and professional interests, and I am currently a member of the Executive Board.
Problems We're Trying to Solve
- The way of thinking in the technical world is not varied enough for the territory that it has entered. We believe that the question of socially responsible innovation demands dialogue across disciplines.
- Academic and expert discussions are not accessible to the general public. We believe that information should be distributed in a way that is easy to understand for the people who are affected by the decisions.
Our Goals
- To break down critical and complex ideas at the intersection of STS for the general public
- To engage students and organizations in a socially responsible path of science and technology
The Magazine
One of the primary objectives of The Lantern is to design and publish a magazine each academic year, with written submissions centering around STS topics from the Tufts student body. I have had the privelege of contributing to this magazine, and it is a valuable resource that connects student perspectives on technological impact across different disciplines. View the Spring 2024 issue here.
Every Wednesday night in an otherwise-empty basement on the Tufts University campus, a group of students gathers with assorted garbage––buckets, water jugs, trash cans, street signs––to create rhythmic masterpieces. This group is BEATs, Tufts’ oldest and only all-gender street percussion ensemble. I joined in my first semester at Tufts, and by my Sophomore year I had become the BEATs President, a.k.a “Prez”. This was a 1-year position, and one of my first leadership opportunities at Tufts.
My Responsibilities
- Coordinating group performances, including time, transportation, availability, and other logistics.
- Maintaining our focus and preparation for performances, including our end-of-semester show. Given that we are also a very social club and members have plenty of other committments, this was sometimes a challenge.
- Managing auditions at the start of the Fall semester, which included mediating the selection process.
- Managing a $2,000+ budget from Tufts alongside our Treasurer and renegotiating the budget for the following year.
BEATs Names
When I'm at practice or a show, I am "The Boatman", a name that was granted to me upon my entry into the group. Each member has their own BEATs name that reflects their percussive persona and innermost being.
