For logistics and administrative questions, please email cs61c(at)berkeley.edu. Append berkeley.edu to all emails.
ddgarcia@cs.berkeley.edu • https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~ddgarcia/
Office Hours: M1-2pm in 777 Soda (Except 9/23, 10/21, 11/25)
I grew up in The Bronx, NY (“You got a problem with dat?” – that’s how they talked in my old neighborhood, no joke) until I was 9. The Bronx is one of the 5 Boroughs of New York City, if you didn’t know. I moved to Westchester (suburb of New York) for a year and then upstate to a small town near Cooperstown, NY (where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located). I graduated from Cooperstown Central High, went on to MIT where I got a double major in CS and EE and graduated in 5 years. Then I came to Cal as a grad student, did a MS in Game Theory in 1995 and a PhD in Graphics in 2000, got bitten by the teaching bug and joined the faculty (in the teaching track) in 2000.
I started with Basic in high school in 1985. At MIT I learned Scheme (in the class CS61A was modeled after, taught by the authors of SICP) and C. When I got to Berkeley, I learned Tcl/Tk, Java, Python, Unix, Matlab, Mathematica, html & perl. My current favorite language is Python, definitely.
With two little ones, I no longer have time for hobbies. Their hobbies are my hobbies, i.e., going to parks, playgrounds, museums, and biking around. I’ve gotten more into photography and videography, because that’s something I can do with them.
However, before I had kids my hobbies were: puzzles, games, golf, basketball, ultimate, animation, juggling, programming, classic comedy sketches, movies, genealogy, and sharing jokes.
I can juggle 5 balls, ride a unicycle (poorly), spin things on my finger, play the harmonica and congas badly (partly because I can’t read music), recite entire Monty Python sketches, hit a golf ball 275 yds (though I have yet to break 90!), do an L hang, and wiggle my ears.
In high school, I tied the school record in the 200m dash (23.2 s) and I was the fastest rapid calculator in central NY (~100 high schools). My high school basketball team went to the state final four game, and our team was recently inducted to our high school athletic hall of fame! In 2012 I was chosen as an ACM Distinguished Educator. In 2007 I lived in Melbourne (Australia) for 5 months, and I also climbed half-dome a decade ago. I’ve seen a bit of the world (Australia, New Zealand, China, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Brazil, Qatar, Greece, Spain) but have lots of travel ahead of me.
In addition to this class, I’m also teaching CS10 and CNM190 (Advanced Digital Animation) a year-long course that teaches students how to make Pixar-quality short films. I supervise three awesome DeCals: GamesCrafters, UCBUGG and iOS Programming. I’m on the undergraduate study and chairing the awards committee, and I do EECS and L&S faculty advising. I’m on more advisory boards than I can count, and I’m the local faculty champion for our CSTA chapter. I have three awesome grad students. I’ve got a 2-hour commute each way (1 hr on BART and time to drop-off or pick-up my little ones from school). Finally, and most importantly, I’ve got a wonderful wife, and a son and daughter with whom I try to spend as much time as possible. Phew!
mlustig@eecs.berkeley.edu • https://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~mlustig
Office Hours: M 9-10 am, Cory 506, with exceptions.
I grew up in Israel, in Ashkelon, a small town on the coast 30miles south of Tel Aviv. I served in the army for 4.25 years as an office in an infantry unit. I went to college at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and got a BSc. in Electrical Engineering. A project I did (with my partner Yuval Cassuto— now prof. at the Technion) during my undergraduate studies (programming assembly on a Digital signal processor) won the world-wide Texas Instruments competition, winning $100K. This, and research I’ve done at the CS department at the Technion, were sufficient to get me into grad school at Stanford (But not Cal, or MIT). I did my graduate studies in the area of MRI, combining optimization, signal processing, and math to speed up MRI acquisitions. After graduation I applied only to Cal, surprisingly got the job, and joined the faculty in 2010. I still work in the area I love the most— the application of engineering, computation and math to Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
I programmed basic on TI 99/4A 16kb personal computer, but did not do much programming till I enter undergraduate studies. I speak C, Matlab, Python and C++.
Varies. I’m an amateur radio operator. I swim. I ride my electric unicycle. I hike. I camp. I Kayak.
I have a talent to get people annoyed quite easily. I am funny to some people, and not funny to others…. many more from the latter part of the population.
I’m a professor at BERKELEY! Still can’t believe that.
Family. Research. administration. graduate students. MY NEW MRI machine. travel. grant writing. I also teach a sophomore seminar on amateur radio.
skaminsky115@ • https://skaminsky115.github.io/
Office Hours: M 10-11am Soda 283E&H
Hi! I’m a fourth year EECS Major and this is my third time being a TA for 61C. In my spare time, I like to ride motorcycles, go to movies with friends, eat avocado toast at acme bread company, and pet dogs and cats. Lets have fun this semester :)
hersh.godse@ • http://hershgod.se
Office Hours: W 1-2pm Soda 283E&H
Hey everyone! I’m Hersh, one of your head TAs this semester. I’m from Portland, OR, and love computer architecture, teaching, basketball (go Blazers), and Netflix :) Looking forward to meeting you all over the semester!
In my discussion, I prioritize covering all relevant concepts in depth over getting through the full worksheet. I’ll have the week’s discussion on my iPad, projected up onto the screen, and mark up the discussion in front of everyone as we progress through it. I’ll usually give a mini-lecture beforehand covering all relevant topics based on how much they’ve been presented in lecture, and then go through select discussion worksheet problems with the section (short time to work on some problems, then review/solution explanation together, repeat). This is a good section for the ‘average’ 61c student - I don’t expect much prior student knowledge on the topics, but hope for some basic high-level familiarity.
sruthiv123@ • https://sruthiveeragandham.github.io/teaching
Office Hours: Tu 11-12pm Soda 283H W 9-10am Soda 283E & H Th 12-1pm Soda 283E & H
My family lived in Munster, Indiana for several years before settling in the Bay Area. In high school, I took a class at Berkeley where we read about how insanely effective fecal transplants are as a treatment for C. difficile; this convinced me to study microbiology, and I was lucky enough to land here!
My first exposure to programming was using R for data analysis in Bio 1B. Since then, I’ve also learned a bit of Python, Java, Verilog, and C.
Is lying in bed scrolling through Twitter and watching Bon Appetit videos a hobby?
After many viewings of Mamma Mia, I know quite a few of ABBA’s greatest hits by heart.
At the beginning of this summer, I took a roadtrip (and boattrip!) from Berkeley to Fairbanks, AK.
I’m taking lots of classes, some scary (Chem 3BL) and some exciting (CS 161!). I’m also a facilitator for an amazing Girls Who Code club, and this is my last semester at Cal, so I’m looking for a job :)
alicelyu@ • https://github.com/limslarmo
Office Hours: Tu 9-10am Soda 326 & 283H Th 9-10am Soda 326 & 283H
I grew up in a small town to the northeast of China. Cal had actually been too far away even as a dream. I applied for and got admitted to a community college in the South Bay first, which encouraged me to dream more and eventually became a Cal transfer.
Python and Java from 61a and 61b. Have had experience with C/C++ from multiple events. Did some JS this summer in my internship. I enjoy golang a lot because, 1, the implementation of concurrency mechanism is so clean and intuitive, 2, it gets rid of some of the legacy programming headaches for which I had my share of complaints.
I take many pictures of beautiful/joyful moments in my life. Mostly using my phone. https://www.instagram.com/limslarmo/
I’m not always the best cook but I make really nice plate arrangements.
Been to Yosemite for five times during my two community college years.
EECS classes, a couple of open-source projects, getting over the depressing fact that about every single one of my friends is going to graduate school doing cool research while I’m gonna seek my luck in the industry.
allan15@
Office Hours: M 3-5pm Sodad 283E&H
I grew up in Buffalo, NY and moved to Roseville, CA when I was 13.
I started programming with CS 61A, and my favorite language is probably Python. Most things I’ve done are with Java though, so it’s definitely grown on me at least a little bit.
I enjoy running, music, tennis, and teaching : ) I’d like to get into surfing in the future. Also cooking.
This is a hard question. I’m going to have to pass on this one.
A monkey once bit me on the neck but other than that nothing really.
I’m taking CS 186 and EE 120. I might do some other stuff too but not sure yet. ¯\(ツ)/¯
adandamudi@
Office Hours: Th 12-1pm Soda 283E&H Th 3-4 pm Soda 326
Hi everyone! I’m Anusha and I’m studying CS and statistics. This will be my ninth semester at Cal and my second time TAing for this class. Things I enjoy: music, photography, board games, and of course 61C! Excited to get to know all of you this semester!
I grew up in the Bay Area pretty much all my life, the majority of which I spent in San Jose. I then came to Cal to study CS.
I started by learning Java in the senior year of high school. I learned Python, Scheme, C, R, and a little bit of HTML once at Cal.
My hobbies include photography, playing board games, gardening, and hiking.
I can break wood, sing well (at least in my head), and enjoy organizing things.
I haven’t been much of an international traveller (only been to a couple of other countries), but I’ve visited some incredible places not too far away from here. The Grand Canyon and Crater Lake are some of my favorites!
In addition to helping teach CS61C this semester, I’m taking a statistics class on linear modeling and am involved with research in the RISELab.
avekan33@
Office Hours: Th 2-4pm Soda 283E&H
I spent the first 11 years of my life hopping around Alabama and Georgia, living in Augusta, Auburn, and Atlanta. Right before my 12th birthday, my family moved to San Francisco, California, which quickly became my favorite place on the planet. The summer after my freshman year of high school, I received a scholarship to attend an engineering summer camp, where I built a messenger bag that gives its wearer navigation directions. This experience convinced me to pursue EE, and now, many hours (literally, years) of work later, I can happily say that I’ve learned most of the things that mystified me during that first design experience.
I have passing familiarity with many programming languages, but, these days, I use Python and Bash (and sigh MATLAB) quite a bit for scripting purposes. I tend to treat C like a wild animal, in the sense that I give it a lot of respect and don’t take it for granted when it does what I ask it to (it has mauled me many times). Also, I write a lot of Verilog code for research, but Verilog is a hardware description language, not a programming language, so I suppose that doesn’t really count.
I recently got my black belt in aikido, which I have practiced for 9 years (including many interruptions during college). I also like reading fantasy/science-fiction novels; two of my favorite authors are Will Wight and Jeff Wheeler. Since 2009, as an extended exercise in personal character development, I have supported Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, devotedly watching my team go through lows like being hammered 5-1 by a 10-man, already-relegated Newcastle United on the last day of the 2015-16 season and highs like reaching its first-ever UEFA Champions League Final, last season.
I am relatively good at learning languages, and have a respectable degree of literacy in Hindi and Italian (and English), although I am yet to adequately master my mother tongue, Kannada.
I liked geography a lot as a kid, and even managed to finish fourth in the California State National Geographic Bee in eighth grade.
In addition to being a TA for this class, I’ll be taking EE C128 (Feedback Control Systems) and EE 147 (MEMS) this semester. On top of that, I’ll be continuing research I’ve been doing in Michel Maharbiz’s lab on communication systems for medically-implanted sensor chips.
avinashnandakumar@ • https://avinashnandakumar.github.io/avinash/
Office Hours: M 3-5pm Soda 283E&H
I grew up in Camarillo, California which is a small city 20 minutes north of Malibu in social. I knew I wanted to do some sort of engineering throughout high school but I didn’t even know what computer science was all about until I got here. I was deciding between UCLA and Berkeley my senior year and chose Berkeley after being lured in by the abundance of opportunities in the EECS department.
I’ve been programming for two to three years. I stared with Python in 61A and then learned Java, C, C++, and RISC-V. I also have experience in Javascript, HTML, CSS through Angular and web development.
I love being active, especially playing basketball or any sports. I love to hike, explore, and travel to new places and discover beautiful landscapes and view points. You’ll also always find me hanging out with my friends, chilling in our apartment.
I can stand on my tippy toes for an incredibly long period of time (which I get made fun of by my friends all the time). I also used to play the guitar and piano and am good at video editing and photography.
I’ve climbed the tallest single standing sand dune in North America this past summer in Boise, Idaho.
In addition to teaching this class, I will be taking CS162 and EE149 along with being a coordinator for Computer Science Mentors.
bjin@
Office Hours: W 1-2pm Soda 283E&H F 10-11am Soda 326& 283E&H
Baihong is currently a 6th year PhD in EECS. He is interested in developing data-driven techniques for analyzing cyber–physical systems, with a particular focus on the fault detection, diagnosis, and prognosis for energy systems.
I grew up in Shenzhen, a young and vibrant city in southern China. I later attended Peking University, China and received a B.S. degree in microelectronics. After that, I came to Cal to pursue a doctorate degree in EECS.
I started programming in C/C++ in my first year in college, and later I did most programming in MATLAB & Python. In Fall 2018, I taught C/C++/Python in the CS9 course.
In my spare time, I play soccer and ping pong.
I can ride bikes without holding on to the handle bars. It’s so much fun!
Getting admitted to Cal EECS and doing a PhD here is so far the most remarkable and exciting thing in my life. Go Bears!
In addition to this class, I am devoting my time to finishing up my dissertation. I am also taking a cool class about information theory this semester.
charleshong@ • https://charleshong3.github.io
Office Hours: F 9-10 am Soda 326/411, F10-11 am Soda 326/283E/283H
I lived mostly in Portland, OR and Pleasanton, CA before coming to Cal. I’ve lived mostly in suburbs and would say my path to Cal was pretty uneventful. I did have some hobbies, like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but when I wasn’t doing schoolwork, I mostly played StarCraft and later League of Legends with friends. Playing PC games got me interested in building computers, and that led to a fascination with computer hardware that brought me here to Cal!
I was lucky enough to start programming in high school in AP comp sci, where I learned Java. This was the extent of my knowledge until I came to Berkeley, where classes, clubs, and eventually internships forced me to learn Python (a lot of Python) and C, the two languages I know best now, and introduced me to the wide variety of languages that exist from frontend programming in HTML/JavaScript to digital design in Verilog and Chisel. To be honest, I don’t program much outside of academics and work - I prefer reading about computer architecture. :)
The games I play most these days are League and Smash (I enjoy both Melee and Ultimate). I also try to spend as much of my free time sleeping as is possible.
I didn’t know this before coming to college, but apparently I’m pretty good at cleaning bathrooms, at least compared to the average.
Nothing comes to mind.
I’m part of a student org called Pioneers in Engineering (PiE)! We run a robotics competition for high schoolers and oversee all aspects of it, from software to electrical/mechanical kit components to mentorship to business. It’s been a really fulfilling and fun experience the two years I’ve been a part of PiE. Check out the club and learn how to join at pioneers.berkeley.edu.
chenyu.shi@
Office Hours: M 9-10am Soda326&283H W 10-11am Soda 283H Th 3-4pm Soda 326 & 283E&H
Hey everyone, my name is Chenyu and I am a junior studying computer science and philosophy originally from Ningbo, China. I enjoy teaching and spending time outside in all kinds of ways. I spent accumulatively more than 30 nights outdoors this past year and my goal this year is to beat that. Can’t wait to meet you all this fall and I hope you have a great time in this class.
I grew up in Ningbo, China, and I moved to the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) area six years ago. Originally I didn’t think I was going to go to Cal. Most of my high school friends from Maryland are planning to stay in the East Coast, so I always thought that’s where I will end up, but I became interested in computer science after an intro class in high school and applied to the top four programs including Cal. I didn’t think I was getting in because I didn’t do anything cs related outside of the intro class, but here I am. At Cal I started teaching 61a spring of my freshman year after being encouraged by my TA to try teaching and haven’t stopped teaching since. Besides teaching, I did some biodiversity work for two years which got me to go outside more and learn about the ecosystems in California.
I learned Python from 61A, Java from 61B, C from 61C. Pretty standard Berkeley stuff you know. Had to learn R and Matlab for an internship last summer, which is when I realized with enough background from the 61 series, you just need to print out a cheat sheet to get the ball rolling to code in a language.
I lift with friends to distress. Also I am training to be a better rock climber and mountain climber. Hiking and climbing became a passion since the end of my freshman year, and I just like to spend time outside with friends whenever possible.
I can bat hang and love doing it. (It’s a climbing move where you hang upside down on your toes). Technically everyone can do it, but since I am double jointed and have fat joints, I can do it easier than other people. I can also spin books/laptops/dictionary as long as it’s not heavy enough to break my finger.
I climbed Mt Shasta with friends this summer. The climbing condition and view were remarkably good, but my time was very average. I touched a moon rock at the NASA headquarter in D.C last year, although enough people touched it I probably only touched someone else’s dead skin cells.
20 hr ta for 61c is gonna be my biggest commitment this semester. I am also taking cs194, cs161, philos 100, philos176. With my remaining bit of free time, I will try to sit in on some lab meetings to prepare for research next semester, and go on some fun backpacking/climbing trips with my hiking club and climbing club.
daniel_zh_li@
Office Hours: Tu 12-1pm Soda 283 E&H F 5-6pm Soda 326
Hello! I’m Daniel and I’m from Fullerton, California. I love eating and watching/playing basketball. Come talk to me about how the Lakers are winning the championship this year
biancolin@ • https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~biancolin
Office Hours: Tu 9-10am Soda 326&283H 10-11am Soda 283H W 9-10am Soda 283E&H 12-1pm Soda 283E
I grew up in Toronto, Canada and went to the TOPS program in high school. After that, I moved downtown to do my undergraduate degree in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto. I graduated in 2014 and have been working on a Ph.D in computer architecture, advised by Krste Asanovic and Jonathan Bachrach, here at Cal since!
I’ve been programming for about 13 years now. My first language was pascal, but i quickly got into embedded systems programming from there (mostly C and C++). I picked up [System]Verilog, Perl, and TCL working at Altera (now Intel) for a year. In my research, I write mostly C and C++, Python (which i now use over Perl), and Scala, which is the host language for Chisel: a hardware construction language designed by our research group here at Cal (which i use over Verilog, when the gods are kind).
I like to ski (downhill & XC), ride road and mountain bikes, and backpack, but rock climbing has been my main preoccupation while i’ve been at Cal. I also love to cook, especially Japanese and Italian, when i can find the time.
I find riding a bike easier than walking. I can speak enough Japanese to make a fool of myself (S/O J1 students). I have a remarkable ability to sprout malapropisms and butcher idioms (to the delight of my friends).
I once won a 24 hour mountain bike relay with a ugrad friend of mine, Chris McKinnon. It hurt; don’t do it. I also had the pleasure of being lapped by Olympian Derek Zandstra halfway into a XC mountain bike race back when I thought I was fast.
Trying to get that P-H-D.: working on FireSim, the FPGA-accelerated simulation infrastructure we’re developing here at Cal, and it’s hardware compiler Golden Gate (Albert Magyar and I have a paper coming out at ICCAD in November for that).
dineshp@
Office Hours: M 1-2 pm Soda 283E&H W 6-7 pm Soda 326
I was born in the Bay Area, and grew up between here, Seattle, and Hyderabad (in south India). As a high school senior in 2016, I applied to a ton of colleges and by some miracle got in here. I wasn’t convinced until I visited campus for Cal Day, and completely fell in love with the passion and energy I found on campus. Three years later, it’s still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Most of my programming of late has been of the low-level variety, so I spend a lot of time manipulating bits and pointers in C. I’m also very comfortable in Python, and have variously spent time with Java, C++, and C# over the past couple years.
Outside technical work, I write and record music that ends up on my SoundCloud, and occasionally as an album on Bandcamp. I love sports and can frequently be found on the tennis court or practicing with the Cal Cricket team. I also love board games, and I’m slowly trying to build up a collection.
I am largely self-taught in music production, and I’m working on my second album - it’s been about four years in the making, but I’m hoping to finish it soon! I’m also very good at taking too long to write emails - yes, I really did need those 3 hours to get the word choice exactly right.
I’ve been very fortunate to have had incredibly diverse experiences in my life. Living in multiple states and countries exposed me to many cultures, people, and experiences in my childhood - living abroad in particular was one of the experiences that has most profoundly shaped my character.
In addition to my course load this semester, I’m continuing my research in computer architecture with the ADEPT lab. I’ll also be designing flight hardware/software for the Berkeley high-power rocketry team, CalSTAR, and representing Cal as part of our competitive cricket team.
gregoryjerian@ • https://gregoryjerian.com
Office Hours: Tu 2-3pm Soda 283H 3-4pm Soda 283E&H
I grew up in Palo Alto, CA. I lived with my parents for 18 long years before coming to Cal for college.
Like everyone else in 61C, I’ve programmed in Python and Java because I needed to for the prerequisites to this class.
I play a lot of CS:GO, but I’m still in silver. I guess you don’t have to be good at something for it to be your hobby.
I can drink a lot of water. Shoutout to r/hydrohomies
I once made it out of silver to Gold Nova 1, but then I deranked back to silver soon after.
I’ll be taking a handful of the finest classes the EECS department has to offer. Hopefully my mathematical maturity™ will see me through.
jingyi_song@ • https://jennysong99.github.io/jennysong61c/
Office Hours: M 2-3pm Soda 283E&H Th 4-5pm Sodad 326 & Soda 283E&H F 2-3pm Soda 283H
I grew up in Hangzhou, China, then I came to the US for high school in New Jersey, a beautiful place for all four seasons, but now I absolutely love the west coast more. Coming to Cal, I wanted to be an architect, because I think the interweaving of art and science is beautiful, but now I am CS! : )
I learned languages that were taught in 61abc. I know web development and iOS development.
I love crime & psychological thrillers, and that’s how I find behavior science fascinating. Definitely talk to me if you also like it. I also love to run and bake to destress.
I can fall in sleep anywhere at any time.
Sky gliding in Nepal.
Education, research and job hunting.
jerryxu@
Office Hours: Tu/Th 6-7pm Soda 326
Hi there! I’m Jerry and I’m a second year EECS major. Let’s have fun surviving this semester \o/
I grew up in the Bay Area, mostly the southern end. One time, I left high school and went to Cal.
I have unfortunately experienced stacks of JS, Python, Rust, and various web frameworks. I’ve also dabbled with languages used by the 61 series, as well as coffees, minerals, and oddly shaped animals.
I like creating bugs, experiencing sleep, and browsing random Wikipedia articles. I sometimes watch manga and read anime. Occasionally, I (un)spontaneously venture forth into the world.
The main instrument I play is the computer.
I’m sure I have…
Required classes, not-so-required classes, and maybe (un)paid internship hunting.
jieq@
Office Hours: M 9-10am Soda 283E&H F 4-5 pm Soda 283E&H
Hi! I’m Jie and I’m a sophomore majoring in CS. Outside of 61C, I love sleeping, exploring new food places, playing the piano, and hiking up the big C to watch sunsets. CS61C is my favorite class that I have ever taken at Berkeley and I’m so excited to teach it this fall!
I grew up in Beijing, China. I stayed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a year during seventh grade and went to high school in Missouri.
I play the piano and some cello. I also do some creative writing in Chinese.
I got a little sister when I was 13!
jcheng412@
Office Hours: F 5-6pm Soda 326 6-7pm Soda 326&411
I grew up in Edison, New Jersey. I went to John P Stevens High School before coming to Cal.
I’ve been programming for 3 years, and I have some degree of experience with Python, Java, C, HTML, CSS, Javascript, and C++.
I like watching people play video games, and I also like to play video games myself.
I can play the violin and piano.
I passed the Grade 8 ABRSM exam for piano.
Besides my classes (including CS 162, CS W186, GLOBAL 150Q, CS 370), I am also a part of the CSUA.
jyokota@
Office Hours: Tu 6-7pm Soda 326 F 5-7pm Soda 326
Hi, I’m Justin Yokota, a third-year Math/CS double major.
I grew up in Torrance, a suburb adjacent to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. I graduated from Torrance High school, while taking a few math classes at the local community college and teaching Japanese to elementary school students.
I started programming in C# around 7th grade, with a simple math game. Through high school, I wrote about 4 or 5 more video games, ranging from a Rubik’s cube, up to a 2048 clone with working neural network-based AI. Besides that, I’ve learned Python, Scheme, SQL, Java, C, MATLAB, and RISC-V through various courses in Berkeley, and I’ve played around a bit with Brainfuck for fun. Of these, I still use C# for my personal projects, but I sometimes write small snippets of Python when I want a quick calculation.
My hobbies include a variety of games, from single person video games to various board and card games. I also enjoy creating games, including several unique social psychology games, puzzle hunts, math, programming, algorithm design, teaching, problem writing, music, and volleyball.
I’m a fairly good billiards player, can memorize a deck of cards (just which cards are red and which are black, though), and can solve a 7x7x7 Rubik’s cube.
I was one of the winners of the Hog contest in 61A. I’ve also been a head problem writer for the Berkeley Math Tournament for the past year; in this role, I got to go to China as a director of the Berkeley mini Math Tournament-China. I also got to climb Huashan, jaywalk across a frozen river when the ambient temperature was -1 C, and visit quite a few historical sites during that trip.
CS 161, Math 125, Math 185, TAing 61C, tutoring at the SLC, writing content for CSM 70, and leading problem writing for BMT.
kunalkak@
Office Hours: Tu 1-2pm 283E&H Th 1-2pm 283E&H
Hi! I’m a fourth year EECS major and this is my second semester teaching 61C. I love poke, rewatching Friends, and my home state of New Jersey!
luyang_phoebe@
Office Hours: M 12-1pm Soda 283H 1-2pm Soda 283E
I grew up at China (various cities though because I moved a lot). I came to Cal to study Chemistry and Computer Science three years ago.
I’ve been programming for four years. I mostly program in python but I also also know C (would be detrimental if I didn’t lol), Java, and a little bit of other languages.
Turn-based strategy games, learning random, useless things in my free time.
I sing and play the violin pretty well. I can also play a lot of other musical instruments (well enough to not have people banging on my door angrily). I’m a really good cook (been cooking since middle school) and my former roommates ate like kings.
I have traveled in every province in China.
Classes, teaching, research, and orchestra practices.
neil.kulkarni@
Office Hours: W 10-11am Soda 283H 1-2 Soda 283E&H
I’ve lived in a lot of places! Here goes: Decatur IL, Naperville IL, Frisco TX, Dusseldorf Germany, Tucson AZ. Throughout that time, I went to four high schools, and ended up at Cal (go bears!)
I had taken APCS in high school, but honestly just for funsies. I really only started getting into programming in college. My main languages are Python, Java, C, and C++.
Playing tennis, watching tennis, reading about tennis. I also have a mini basketball hoop that I have spent far too many hours playing with.
Eating breakfast foods (oatmeal, sunny side up eggs, bacon, sausage, honey bunches of oats, orange juice), watching Netflix (The Office, Parks & Rec, Arrested Development, etc.)
Last summer I biked 26 miles/day. Then, when my bike got stolen, I ran 6 miles/day.
Not too much! I decided to take a chill semester :)
nikhil.pimpalkhare@
Office Hours: W 12-1pm Soda 283E Th 5-6pm Soda 326
I grew up in Los Altos, California. My path to Cal was Interstate 880.
Before college, pretty much all of my coding experience came from a Python Codecademy course. Since then, I’ve taken all the lower divs, a few upper divs, and interned on an Android team. The languages I know are Python, Java, C, Kotlin, and Go.
I like to rock climb! I’ve been climbing for around a year, and my current main goal is to climb outside more!
Teaching, hopefully.
This summer I got to travel to Peru with my family! They were all going nuts over the llamas, but I’ve seen them dozens of times right on Memorial Glade.
I’m taking CS162, CS188, and EE127. On top of that, I’m in a club called Berkeley Model United Nations, which hosts one of the largest high school debate conferences on the West Coast in March.
rvsearcy1@
Office Hours: M 1-2 Soda 283E Tu 1-2pm Soda 283E&H
I’ve lived in the Bay Area all my life, and grew up in South Bay near Palo Alto. In high school I lead the robotics team and danced on a few teams before getting accepted to Cal
I did a bit of coding in high school, mostly doing Java for robotics and AP CS. Since coming to Cal I’ve learned Python, Java, C, RISC-V, Go and have tinkered with a few other languages
I really like to cook (even though I don’t do it nearly enough) and last semester I was always trying new recipes from cuisines all over the world.
My best talent by far is my dancing ability. I danced on teams all throughout high school and joined a few AFX project teams while I’ve been at Cal. I also have a lot of mechanical engineering skills that I’ve picked up, like CADing, machining, laser cutting, 3D printing
In high school I helped rebuild the robotics team and led the team for two years, doing fundraising, recruiting, design, and manufacturing. At Cal, I worked on a huge project (all of the figures were designed and manufactured by me) which can be seen at various locations on campus
This semester I am on the board of EXP (a dance org), on the board for oSTEM, am a staff member for PiE, and will be either leading or joining an AFX team
rpthornton@
Office Hours: Tu 11-12PM Soda 283H 12-1pm Soda 283E&H
I grew up in suburban St. Charles, IL. I found a love for physics at the nearby Fermi accelerator laboratory, and found out I liked programing while working there. I then decided to head across the country to Cal for those sweet, sweet Silicon Valley connects.
I started from Scratch when I was young, did some Python 2 and Java in late high school, then took the 61 series. I also learned C++ for CS 9F and took a UNIX system administration decal (would recommend). My biggest non-school project was designing the data acquisition software for a small-scale radio telescope.
I play trumpet for the Cal Band and love to rock climb, hike, camp, and spend hours (and hours) playing a single game of Civilization V.
IDK I can do a lot of pull-ups to get “pride” as a reward from Caltopia
I got appendicitis right before the Cheez-It® Bowl, but I wanted a free trip to Arizona so I went anyway.
I’m taking some physics and CS classes along with TAing and also participating in the Cal Band (go bears). I’m also on that young internship grind.
sarah.sun123@
Office Hours: M 7-9pm Soda 411
Hi everyone! I’m Sarah and I’m a fourth year EECS major from Long Island, New York. I have the cutest dog in the world and play lots of Pokemon Go. I’m looking forward to a great semester with you all!
I was born and raised on Long Island, New York! Even though it’s an island, Long Island is actually about 3/4ths the width of California, so it’s pretty big. After I graduated from Ward Melville High School, I came to Cal as an EECS major!
I first learned Java in high school, and then Python, C, C++, and a little bit of SQL here at Berkeley. Python is my favorite language but I still have a long way to go to mastering any of these languages.
My phone’s default is Pokemon Go! Other than that, I like reading and hanging out with friends.
I’m a pretty fast reader. Otherwise, I don’t really have any talents or skills, but I have an amazing ability to not be able to remember things.
I found out that the rice in my pantry was expired by two years. That was pretty memorable.
Finding a job will be my main problem for the semester. I am also involved in HKN and hopefully will go to the gym occasionally!
sayanpaul@
Office Hours: M 5-7pm Soda 326 Th 2-3pm Soda 283E&H
Hello! I’m a fourth year CS major from near Washington, DC. I spend my free time watching as much TV as possible, following the NBA (go Wizards!), and losing to my friends in Smash Ultimate. Looking forward to a great semester!
s.farhat-sabet@ • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Office Hours: M 12-1 pm Soda 283H W 6-7pm Soda 326 F 10-11am Soda 326&283E&H
lmao if u wanna get to know me, just ask; i promise im nice. nice try stalkers
shloak@
Office Hours: Th 1-2pm Soda 283E&H 4-5pm Soda 326&283E&H
I grew up all across the US, having lived in Colorado, Califronia, Illinois, and finally settling in Redmond, Washington. I came to Cal to study EECS because of the students, professors, programs, and proximity to the silicon valley.
I first learned RobotC for VEX robotics programming and have since mainly worked with Python, C, Java, Ruby, and LOLCODE.
I’m an avid skier and also like playing pickup football and basketball. I’m also a fan of traveling, playing NBA 2K, and cheering on my Seattle Seahawks.
I can poorly play the piano and alto saxophone.
I was a couple seconds away from drowning on a beach in Mexico. I also used to run on the treadmill next to Steve Ballmer.
Trying to get some company to hire me, research work, and taking a few classes.
sukhpreet.pabla18@
Office Hours: T 3-5 Soda 283E&H, T 5-6 Soda 326
I grew up in Morgan Hill, CA (about 1 hour south of here, in South Bay). I went to a small high school called Oakwood High School, graduated in 2016, and I’ve been here ever since :)
I’ve been programming for 5 years, since taking AP Computer Science in junior year of high school. I learned Java in that class, Python in 61A, C and RISC-V in 61C, and Golang while TAing 61C last semester. I also know a little C++ just from self-studying it a little bit.
My hobbies are watching the NBA, working out, re-watching MCU movies, and playing on the PS4 with my high school friends.
According to my friends, I can usually pick up a new video game and get pretty good at it quickly.
I went to the Taekwondo Junior Olympics in 2011 when I was 12 and I placed in the top 10 (out of about 30 people) for the second degree black belt division for my age and weight class. More remarkably, I ate 20 Safeway cookies in 36 hours during dead week last semester (I have a HUGE sweet tooth).
In addition to TAing this class, I’ll be taking 2 technical electives – Stat 133 and Ling 100 – just to finish up my graduation requirements, and I’ll also be recruiting since this is my last semester at Cal.
taejongkim@
Office Hours: T 2-3PM Soda 283H
I was born in Seoul, South Korea, but I’ve lived in the Bay Area since I was very young. I went to elementary through high school in Cupertino before coming here to Cal.
I started programming in middle school, mostly in Python and some Java. Since then, I’ve picked up / played with a number of other languages, namely Golang, Scala, C, C++ and C#. If you’re looking for a fun™ programming language to pick your brain, I suggest Malbolge :)
I enjoy long nighttime walks, often in the company of stray neighborhood cats. I play some video games, some board games (I love Go!), and I’m always down to just chat with people; something that doesn’t happen enough anymore.
For a time before college, I was a fairly competent video game player (TF2, Hearthstone, Overwatch) and I briefly considered going the professional route in that direction.
I guess going over a week without sleep may be considered remarkable! I have met some very memorable people.
I’m currently taking CS 162, CS W186, and EECS 127 (Operating Systems, Databases, and Optimization Models oof). I’ll also be continuing as a CSM mentor for CS61B.
xiling.xia@
Office Hours: M 5-7pm Soda 326 Tu 4-5pm Soda 283E&H
Outside of class, you can catch me watching Stranger Things or playing Smash Ultimate. Looking forward to a great semester with you all!
I grew up in Portland, OR, in the same neighborhood as Hersh. We’ve actually known each other since elementary school!
I’ve TA’ed for CS184 before which is primarily C++. My work experience outside of school is mostly in C and Python, and I’ve used Java previously as well.
I’m currently watching season 2 of Stranger Things, other than that you’ll probably find me playing Smash Ultimate. I also like Tarantino movies, and I’m looking forward to watching the new one that just came out.
I’m a fast reader. On release day for the seventh Harry Potter book, I started reading in the Costco I got the book from and finished the same day, albeit late into the night.
I used to play tennis in high school. My one and only official USTA tournament win was a round robin with only 3 total entrants including me. We beat each other in a rock-paper-scissors cycle, and I barely won by points after the tiebreak.
My course load is pretty light this semester; I’ll be focusing TAing 61C and applying to jobs since I’m graduating soon.
jiyuxin@
Office Hours: M 7-9pm Soda 411
Hi! I’m Yuxin (pronounced Yoo-Sheen). I’m a 4th year CS major and I enjoy singing, traveling, listening to podcasts, and watching samoyed videos on Youtube. I’m super excited to get to know all of you and am looking forward to a great semester! ;)
I grew up in Nanjing, China. It’s a city rich in its history and culture. It was the capital of six dynasties over the course of Chinese history.
I came to Cal for my undergrad education and this is my 4th year here!
My first programming class is CS10 which I took during my first semester at Cal, and I’ve taken CS classes ever since.
I’ve programmed in Snap! (yay CS10), Python, Java, C, SQL, Go, PHP, Hack, React, and a few others.
I enjoy singing, traveling, and listening to podcasts.
I consider myself a good singer.
During my time as an exchange student in Missouri, I entered a singing contest and entered the state level competition. I was among the 2 out of 16 students at my school that got to compete at the state level.
One memorable experience for me is, during junior year in high school, I decided to join an exchange student program and lived on a farm in Missouri for a year. My host parents were farmers. Every day after school, I would do chores such as feeding cows with my host mom. I also bottle-fed a baby calf who had lost her mother. It was truly an amazing year.
61C! Also, my classes: Data 100, CS 186, Ling 220A.
zpatel@
Office Hours: T 2-6pm Soda 347
I grew up in Kentfield, CA which is only about 30 minutes West of Berkeley. I grew up around many Cal alumni and as soon as I decided on doing CS, I knew Berkeley was the place for me - being from the Bay Area makes going to school here convenient while still being a new experience culturally.
The first “real” programming language I learned was Visual Basic 6. My favorite programming language is Python, but I’m also experienced with Java and C, and have written a query or two in SQL in my day.
I enjoy playing CS:GO, reading fiction novels and arguing with people on the internet. I also like collecting random things and working on computers.
I’m really good at lounging. I’ve mastered the art of watching youtube videos on the couch in a variety of positions and finding some way to make it comfortable.
I’ve caught every single Pokemon.
Working on an honors thesis and doing research for the first time, finding a big boy job and running the alumni events for my fraternity.
aatifjiwani@
I grew up in Highlands Ranch, CO and stayed in the same area for 18 years. Since 6th grade, I’ve always wanted to indulge myself in computer science, and 8th grade is when I realized Cal was my best shot at developing my personal passion.
Oof, there are a lot. I started with static websites using just HTML/CSS and then building web applications using popular frameworks (Ruby, JS). I got lowkey bored of web dev so I started diving into iOS development and built two POC apps for iPhones (check out my Github). Now, recently, I’ve started exploring the world of computer vision, and by using Python, I’m trying to get started on building my own classification project. But above all, my favorite language is Java because it’s extremely structured and you can’t accidentally redefine a function (…cough python cough)
Skiing, programming (lolz), and rap festivals (yeet)
I think my biggest talent is using creativity to solve a problem.
Post graduation and before starting my freshman year, I won 8th place Nationally for an FBLA competition in Coding and Programming. It was my first ever prize in something computer science related, so it felt good knowing the path I’ve chosen is correct.
I’m a CSM Mentor but also I’m trying to get involved in Machine Learning research. and…….recruiting
andrewwanx10@
I’m from the Bay Area (Alameda, to be specific), so I’ve basically lived here my whole life.
Mostly Python, Java, and Ruby for classes. I also work with web development stuff (Javascript with React) and I hate it.
I like playing video games, watching anime and k-pop/k-variety shows. I want to get back into modding video games, but that’s a lot of time commitment.
I used to be top #150 US in the catch the beat game mode of a rhythm game called osu!
I traveled a lot this summer, working in Singapore and visiting New York with my family and also going to Head in the Clouds and KCON in Los Angeles.
Taking an L in CS 189 and Stat 135 and learning Korean in 1A. I sometimes work with Pioneers in Engineering and hopefully I’ll be doing Machine Learning/data science research with a Haas professor.
danielfan@
Hi! My name is Daniel and I’m a second year EECS major from Washington, home of overpriced coffee and tech monopolies. I’ll be learning to dance in AFX in my free time, so feel free to say hi if you see me around. Looking forward to a fun semester!
I grew up in Camas, Washington. It’s basically a typical suburban neighborhood, so I would usually hang out with my friends in Portland, which is right across the river.
Only did a trivial amount of programming before college. I’ve taken 61ABC so I know Python, Scheme, Java, Golang, C, RISC-V, and a smattering of HTML/CSS.
I am an avid reader of sci-fi/fantasy! I also like working out/running as well as figure skating once in a while. I just joined AFX this semester and quit League for like the fifth time (but for real this time b/c I literally can’t get my account back :D).
I can do a really bad kip-up. I am also extremely skilled at making instant noodles.
I randomly got handed a free iPad the other day at an info session at the Woz. I don’t actually have a use for it so if you want to buy a (still plastic wrapped) brand new iPad with 128GB for like 10% of Amazon’s price, let me know!
AFX, CSM, PIE, and uh, let’s just say EECS126 is not a good time for me :(
kevin_svetlitski@
pewnocolypse@
I grew up in Ohio and Texas. In my high school they offered AP Computer Science and after a couple of weeks in the class, me and my lab partner fell in love with making computers understand our instructions and decided to participate in a lot of Java programming competitions. I actually didn’t know many colleges(other than the really famous Ivy leagues) so I just searched for top CS schools and decided to go here.
Since AP CS was in Java I’ve been programming in Java since freshman year in high school(I’m currently a Junior at Berkeley)
Recently learning how to draw, finding recipes that aren’t super time consuming yet tasty & healthy(I know what a hard combo). I also like playing basketball!
I’m pretty amazing at lazer tag
I won at a talent show for dancing to a BTS song; it brought out a side of me most people didn’t know and I was surprised by the positive reaction to it all
peterren@
I was born in Chicago and lived in the western suburbs (go Hinsdale!) up until I left for college. I initially didn’t want to go to Cal and almost didn’t apply, but whoops here I am.
What is programming???? (aka mostly Python scripts for research)
I love hiking/nature, biology, basketball, playing smash, watching TV shows, and talking too much :’)
I played piano and clarinet growing up and wish I had time to play more in college :’(.
Somehow I won a male pageant in high school… Don’t ask…
Aside from the usual classes, I am a part of a structural biology lab on campus (hopefully I can make progress in my project) and a part of BEAM (Berkeley Engineers and Mentors woot woot!) I’m also committed to attempting to maybe living a healthier lifestyle :D
vsushanth@
tsrivatsav@
vincentt@
Hello, I am a third year EECS major from Elk Grove, California (The little bit south of the state capitol). My first CS class was CS 61A so most of you probably can code better than me. Feel free to reach out to me for anything at all.
I was born in Chicago and moved over to Elk Grove, California when I was young (why? not really sure), a place so flat that when I came to Cal, I got dizzy walking up the hill (Also could just be me being out of shape). I originally started as a Bioengineering Major, intended Premed, and changed to EECS (Complete 180 on that one).
My first programming class was CS 61A, so I’m relatively new at programming. As for languages, I can program in English.
Sleeping, Eating, probably more sleeping. On the side, I like to play piano (albeit, I’m really rusty) and video games (not very good at that either).
The inexplicable ability to cause catastrophic failure and (by trial and error), hopefully fix it.
Not sure, hopefully I would have something to fill out in the next couple of years.
I extended my internship to part time, remote so probably that, research and teaching; maybe a bit overclocked but hopefully can manage.
ytuo@
anthonyfzhou@
This is my short bio.
I grew up in Illinois and then I came to Berkeley!!
I have vague and murky knowledge of python and go and am mildly sufficient in Java. Shoutouts to C though what a stand up language.
I like league of legends, dancing, TFT, and playing Yugioh.
I am a talentless heathen.
YOOOL I TOP 16ed YUGIOH NATIONALS peep my deck profile on YouTube.
Codeology, AFX dance, staying at home playing league
howardho2021@
Hi, I am Howard Ho, a junior.
I am a Chinese-Australian-American born in Hong Kong. I had my elementary and middle school education in Australia, and high school education in L.A. prior to joining the big family of UC Berkeley.
I love programming in Python, C, Golang, Java, RISC-V Assembly etc. and have done this both for classes and for leisure.
I play piano and love playing both classical and jazz music.
I played in the school jazz band and also took national classical piano exams (AMEB).
I think getting an ACT composite score of 36 in my first sitting at the age of 14 is still the most remarkable achievement and memorable moment for now.
I would say being a member of UPE and working as an AI will definitely make me busy for this semester and give me a good chance to get involved in the community.
kpzhu@
maristio@
Hi everyone! I’m Melvin. I came to Berkeley as a junior transfer from Pasadena, LA and right now I am a senior studying EECS. I enjoy music, watching anime and dramas in my free time. This is my first time AI-ing for this class so hopefully I can be helpful to you all!
robertquitt@
I’m an academic intern here to help you! I will give you a nickel if I can’t answer your questions about Git, Vim, or Unix.
I grew up in sunny San Diego, CA! I lived in a pretty quiet suburban neighborhood. I lived in the area my whole life until I applied to Cal and got in. I am really excited to be here now!
I started off with Scratch programming in middle school. In high school, I learned Python for game development and really enjoyed it. I continued with Python for CTFs (capture the flag) competitions. I took APCS where I learned Java. I did some C in high school for my robotics team, for programming our controllers. Once I came to Cal, I learned much more about programming, learning more Python, Unix, Java, C++ through classes, research, and CSUA. I have been working at a few companies over the summer where I learned a lot more about C++, PHP, Javascript, Bash, Perl, and Python.
Right now, I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, and playing CS:GO. When I have more free time, i.e. I’m not in school, I enjoy reading, watching anime, and making memes.
I can read a map and compass, I can make a lot of weird noises with my vocal tract, I can do some funny dance moves including from Fortnite and TF2. I can recite a copypasta about GNU plus Linux. I can peel an orange in one piece. I can do the flower tongue thingy. I can tie a lot of different knots.
I won a math competition in 5th grade where I won a laptop. I went to world championships with my FTC team. I won the 61A Hog contest in my freshman year.
I’m President of the Computer Science Undergraduate Association, I sing bass for Intermission Orchestra, I am on the outreach committee for Asian American Christian Fellowship, I am a mentor in UCB IEEE.
timothyl@ • https://timothylee.us
I spent my early elementary school days in Fremont, California before moving to Beijing, China for several years. I then came back to Cupertino, California for part of my middle and high school career.
I’ve mostly used C, Java, and Python. I also do research work which uses R for statistical computing.
I enjoy badminton, cooking, and board games. Ask me if you’re curious on what else I like!
I remain relatively calm when everything is falling apart.
Good question.
Classes, research, and a quest to find a summer internship.
vsrin@
viancu@
I grew up around the Bay Area, I have lived in Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Belmont, Redwood City, and San Ramon in that order. I decided to go to Cal because it is the largest, best-known university close to where I currently live in San Ramon.
I didn’t really start coding until college. Python and Javascript are what I work in most often.
I enjoy BBQing, taking walks, and driving. Basically, I tend to use my hobbies as opportunities to have introspective thoughts.
xhe22@ • https://github.com/AlanHe-Xiaoyu
I grew up in Shanghai, China, and lived there until 9th grade, where I went to Pottstown, PA, for high school for 4 years. Now I’m here in Cali and I’m not planning to leave looool
I haven’t done much before college, but I knew basic Java and Python. Now that I’ve completed the 61 suite, they are pretty much what I’ve done in terms of programming
Reading, League TFT, eating, traveling, listening to music :)))
Ah I’m quite good at listening to others
I (and my team!) just got into the final round of the Daher Aviathon competition.
Reader for 70 and 126, 4 upper-div technicals, CS 370
zjaved@
I say I grew up in Chicago but I actually grew up in the suburbs (Barrington, Illinois if anyone even knows what that is). I have an aunt who lives 15 minutes away from Berkeley so I’ve visited Berkeley and the Bay Area before coming for college. I was lucky enough to get into Cal since it was my dream school for the latter half of high school and decided to come here!
I did AP Computer Science in high school and really hated it but found my way back to CS after taking Data 8 my first semester here. I’ve programmed in Java, Python, C, Go, SQL, HTML/CSS, and of course everyone in CS61C’s favorite: RISC-V assembly.
I love to go to the gym. I also like hanging out and doing new things with friends and family.
I used to do karate growing up. I also have a knack for space and can identify some basic constellations and planets!
I got snowed into the airport last year trying to come back to Cal after Thanksgiving break and went through a series of 4 cancelled flights.
I’m taking EECS 127, CS 188, and CS 162 while trying to stay sane.
miracle_song@
I grew up in Hefei, a small city in China. Now I’m studying here as an international student and this is my second semester in CAL.
I started with qBasic in primary school and then I learned Pascal in junior high school. After coming to university, I began to do some real programming in C++ and Python. Now I’m learning OCaml and it’s like a totally different way of programming.
Playing baksetball and watching all kinds of ball games.
The skill of clearing any puzzle game.
I’ve met some really good friends this semester and they are like the best friends I have here.
A graduate course. I have to say it’s really difficult :(