STATUS
Now.
✦
"We can go to the bank and take a loan out, but we can't borrow no time" - Central Cee
Last updated October 2026.
Currently…
I'm a sophomore studying electrical engineering at Penn. Outside of classes, I'm usually working on a hardware project, bodybuilding at the gym, playing Studio Ghibli in my orchestra, or going down internet rabbit holes on things like how intricate music boxes are mass manufactured or why GaN transistors outperform silicon in power converters.
Lately, I've become especially interested in energy hardware and power electronics: how we generate electricity, convert it efficiently, and design computing systems that use less of it.
Building…
Right now, I'm building an AC–DC power converter, working across circuit simulation, PCB design, and bench testing. I'm learning a lot about the intricacies of turning ideal simulations into hardware physically existing.
I've also been working on my startup, Calcite Labs, to develop self-sensing concrete to collect data from physical infrastructure. I built a lab in my basement to develop and test the sensing electronics, which was one of my favorite experiences in figuring things out independently.
Learning…
Power electronics, AC–DC conversion, PCB design, analog circuits, and semiconductor devices.
I'm especially interested in understanding hardware from end to end. I don't just want to know how to use a tool or get a circuit working. I want to understand why it works and how I could design it better, or something completely new.
I'm finding that the best way for me to learn is to build something that I have no idea how to do (yet).
Thinking about…
I've been thinking a lot about the meaning of ambition.
I want to invent technologies that accelerates human progress, but I also want to use whatever success I find to create opportunities for others.
My ultimate goal is to help girls access educations and engineering opportunities, especially in communities where those resources are limited. A lot of inspiration for this came from my time in India and my personal experience as a woman in tech and entrepreneurship.
I want more women to feel like they belong in engineering and have the confidence, resources, and freedom to build whatever they would like.
Open to…
Summer 2027 electrical engineering / hardware internships. Especially power electronics, PCB design, digital hardware, and semiconductor engineering.
I'd love to work with a team tackling difficult, ambitious technical problems where I can contribute to real hardware, learn from experienced engineers, and take ownership of meaningful work.
Email → yukiqian@engineering.upenn.edu