The first time I realized the true power of programming was when I built Levio for my grandmother. From thousands of miles away, I used to watch her hands tremble during Parkinson's therapy sessions, feeling helpless behind a screen. I had been coding for years, but this was the first time the logic and structure of code met something deeply human. As I tested early versions with her, each small success felt like a connection than just working on software. From then on, programming was no longer just about solving problems anymore, it was about creating something meaningful to help people in need. Since then, I've tried to write software with that same intention: to build things that don't just work, but mean something.
Jesse Chen · Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science
I build technology that's thoughtful in design and meaningful in use.
I'm a first-year computer science student at Carnegie Mellon University who's interested in technology that helps people in need and solves real-world problems. I love building projects that turn small ideas into tools that make life a little easier for others and bridge the gap between design, engineering, and the people they serve.
- Current coursework: 15-122 · 15-151 · 21-241
- Workflow: Git · Typst · LaTeX · Notion
- Design with thoughtfulness and empathy so every feature feels purposeful and human-centered.
- Keep learning, refining, and sharing so each project becomes a foundation for the next.
- Create projects that solve real-world needs.
Story
The Human Side of Engineering
Journey
From Human Stories to Working Systems.
Game Creation Society · Core Developer
- Programmed physics and logic systems for an aerial multiplayer game in Unreal Engine 5.
- Developed consistent replicated physics for smooth online interactions.
- Balanced gameplay mechanics for readability and precision through iterative testing.
- Optimized Blueprints and frame performance to improve responsiveness during playtests.
Coding Minds Academy · Instructor
- Taught students core programming paradigms, algorithmic problem-solving, and computational logic.
- Mentored students in competitive programming and algorithmic thinking, translating abstract problems into efficient and optimized code.
- Enhanced learning outcomes by integrating visualization tools that made abstract programming concepts more intuitive.
- Developed custom exercises and mini-projects that illustrated key programming principles.
Levio · Founder & Lead Engineer
- Developed a cross-platform Parkinson's companion app using Dart, Flutter, and Firebase for seamless data sync.
- Implemented reliable state management for tracking symptoms, reminders, and therapy modules.
- Created simple dashboards that helped families understand progress over time.
- Explored lightweight on-device models to give personalized, private feedback without sending data to the cloud.
SoftCom Lab · Research Intern
- Collaborated with Cal Poly Pomona faculty to study AI methods for Parkinson's progression.
- Built data pipelines for preprocessing, normalization, and model evaluation.
- Designed validation processes that aligned with how real users would interact with the models.
- Co-authored a peer-reviewed paper translating movement and voice data into actionable therapeutic insights.
Selected work
Building software that solves meaningful problems.
Levio
Mobile health · Cross-platform- Built Levio, a cross-platform app developed in Flutter and Dart with a Firebase backend to help users manage Parkinson's therapy through symptom tracking, medication schedules, and exercise guidance.
- Designed a structured Firestore schema and efficient data flow for seamless logging, retrieval, and synchronization between mobile clients.
- Implemented authentication, personalized user profiles, and adaptive UI components to create a secure, responsive, and consistent experience across devices.
- Flutter & Dart
- Firebase
- Signal processing
- On-device ML
CMUMaps Data & Software Engineer
Infrastructure · Open data- Processed OpenStreetMap data into structured GeoJSON to power CMU's campus navigation tools.
- Implemented geometry-based anchors for accurate map rendering and label placement.
- Verified building outlines, metadata, and coordinates before deployment to AWS S3.
- Python
- XML Parsing
- Geometry Algorithms
- Data Validation
MyCommunity
Android · Civic tech- Created an Android app that helps Scouts find local service projects and connect with troops.
- Used Firebase and Google Maps to integrate live community data and events.
- Integrated NYT API to provide insight for relevant current events to enable improved troop projects.
- Java
- Firebase
- Google Maps SDK
- REST APIs
Tarocchi
Interactive web · Creative systems- Built an interactive HackCMU project using React and TypeScript with a tarot-inspired visual experience.
- Implemented branching logic through prompt-based storytelling and interactive choices.
- Added parallax visuals and soundscapes for an immersive web experience.
- React & Vite
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- Framer Motion