About

Hi, I'm Zijie. I am a first-year Ph.D. student at MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department, advised by Prof. Andrew W. Lo. Previously I received my master’s degree from Harvard Biostatistics Department. Now I'm a graduate student both from Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Laboratory of Financial Engineering (LFE). My current research interests mainly focus on applied machine learning and computational finance.


Email: zijzhao@csail.mit.edu
Office: The Stata Center, 32 Varssar Street.
[Google scholar] [Github]

Education

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sep 2020 – Present
    Ph.D. in Computer Science     Overall GPA: 5.00/5.00
  • Harvard University Sep 2018 – May 2020
    M.S. in Biostatistics (Computational Biology)     Overall GPA: 3.89/4.00
  • Nanjing University Aug 2014 – Jun 2018
    National Talent Training Program in Basic Science     Graduated with honors
    B.S. in Biology, Minor in Finance     Overall GPA: 3.77/4.00

Work Experience

WeChat Headquarter, Data Scientist Intern Jun - Sep 2020

  • Developed a quantitative pipeline to qualify users’ social media pressures using their nonconfidential behavior data.
  • Recognized user’s stressors by text classifiers with 90.45% average accuracy using CNN / Bert / LSTM+Attention models.

    • Research Highlights

    Benchmarking Synaptic Cleft Segmentation in EM Connectomics

    Zhao Z, Lin Z, Pfister H. Nov 2019 – May 2020

  • Improved the current configuration system of Pytorch Connectomics to serialize experimental configurations for better model reproducibility.
  • Conducted detailed benchmark experiments using the improved codebase on the public CREMI challenge.

    • Improving the Univariate Flagging Algorithm (UFA): An Interpretable Approach for Predictive Modeling

    Zhao Z, Roy W. Feb – Dec 2019

  • Improved current UFA algorithm performance by assigning features different weights using Higher criticism thresholding.
  • Extended UFA framework for feature selection and categorical data.

    • Expanding Numerical Linear Algebra Capabilities of Classes Defined by JAMA Package

    Zhao Z, Zhang L, Banerjee S. (UCLA-CSST Research Program) Jul – Sep 2017

  • Developed a new Java package JAMAJni with classes of JAMA package for numerical computation; invoked native methods via JNI (Java-Native-Interface) to call standard libraries (Blas/Lapack).

    • Teaching

    I have been involved in the teaching activities for three semesters at Harvard. It's always such a great thing to help students learn new methods and techniques.

  • CS 205: Computing Foundations for Computational Science Teaching Fellow, Spring 2020
    (Mainly for senior Harvard College students and graduate students.)
  • API 222: Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics Course Assistant, Spring & Fall 2019
    (Mainly for Harvard Kennedy School graduate students.)

    • Honors & Awards

  • International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM) Oct 2016
            Gold Medal | Best Energy Project Award
  • China Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling (CUMCM) Nov 2016
            3rd Prize
  • Citi Financial Innovation Application Competition Nov 2016
            Best Financial Innovation Award | 3rd Prize
  • American Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM) Apr 2016
            Meritorious Winner
  • China National Biology Olympiad (CNBO) Aug 2013
            Silver Medal (Best achievement of Guizhou Province so far.)


  • Xuxin International Study Scholarship Jul 2018
  • Nanjing University Top-Grade Scholarship Dec 2017
            (Select 12 students each year, highest honor for undergrad students.)
  • UCLA Cross-disciplinary Scholars in Science & Technology (CSST) Fellowship Feb 2017
  • Xiexin Scholarship Nov 2015, 2016
  • Top-Grade Scholarship in National Talent Training Program Nov 2015
            (Highest honor for undergrad students in the National Talent Training Program.)

    • Miscellaneous

    I have a younger sister, Jiani Zhao, who majored in English Literature, now enjoying her work in Shanghai, China.

    Outside of my academic life, I am a world traveler with my family 🌎, ACGer (Anime, Comic and Games), painter 🎨, and even an EDM (Electronic dance music) producer 🎧. Last but not least, I'm a food blogger on Instagram, welcome to follow me! :)