HELLO, MY NAME IS
 

Zean Chen

CS Senior at
University of Michigan

I have a strong passion for AI and traditional Chinese musical instruments. I aim to revolutionize how people learn about history and music using my skills in big data, AI, large-scale models, and machine learning.

 

Education Background

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
B.S.E in Computer Science

Ann Arbor, MI
Aug 2003-May 2025(Expected)

Core Courses: Web System, Intro to Machine Learning, Conversational Artificial Intelligence, Software Development, Computer Security, Research Experience of Machine Learning, Intro to Operating System
Overall GPA: 3.897/4.0

University of Michigan – Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute
B.E. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Shanghai, China
Sept 2021-Aug 2025(Expected)

Core Courses: Intro to Engineering, Intro to Computers and Programming, Intro to Circuits, Intro to Signals and Systems, Honors Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics, Programming & Elem Data Structures, Physics, Physics Lab 

Overall GPA: 3.624/4.0

 

Research & Project Experience

 

Moral Reasoning in LLMs for Multilingual Contexts | Python, NLP, LLM

Sep 2024 – Present
Supervisor: Prof David Jurgens, PI for the Blablablab University of Michigan 
 
    • Reviewed Literature concerning topics, including NLP,LLM,AI & culture,etc
    • Evaluated the existing dataset for moral reasoning related to LLMs
    • Tested and selected appropriate tools for dataset translation
The Iteration of Educational Platform | Python, JavaScript, WSGI

Jun 2024 – Present

Teaching Platform of COMPFOR 111: Computing’s Impact on Justice: From Text to the Web
Supervisor: Prof Mark Guzdial, University of Michigan

    • Built a web gateway for a Flask and REACT web application

    • Deployed the project on the Apache server using WSGI

    • Tested the application and fixed the bugs related to it

National Undergraduate Innovation Program, UM-SJTU JI

Nov 2022 – Apr 2024

Mechanics-analysis of the Evolution of COVID-19: Statistics and Transition
Research Assistant, Supervisor: Professor Lipo Wang

    • Developed a Python program based on cellular automata to simulate the propagation of COVID-19

    • Improved and modified the epidemic transition model in the essay in a mechanical way

    • Verified the correctness of the model based on the simulation using the Python program

 

National UnderThe Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling
(MCM/ICM) Competition

Feb 2022

Equity in Outer Space: Asteroid Mining for All Mankind

    • Designed the mathematical model to evaluate global equity of asteroid mining

    • Collected the data concerning from multiple websites with web scraper based on Beautiful Soup

    • Calculated the Relative Deprivation Index using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

    • Predicted the future of asteroid mining using Fuzzy Comprehension Evaluation Method (FCE), z-score and Jensen-Shannon divergence

    • The project result indicated that asteroid mining would have negative effects on global equity

 

Course Project: EECS 449 Conversational AI

Faker – A fake News Detector | Python, Open AI API, LanceDB

Aug 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Developed a web application to determine whether the news user prompts was fake or not
    • Connected the backend with database and incorporated OpenAI API into the web
    • Implemented the feature to extract information from images to let images be a valid input modality

 

SilverFocs | Elm, JavaScript

May 2022 – Aug 2022

Course Project of “Introduction to Engineering”

    • Led a 4-member group, distributed tasks and organized workflow for the team

    • Designed and implemented two browser games using Elm

 

Internship Experience

FelixSphere

May 2024 – Aug 2024

Engineer Intern

    • Built the internal control system with next.js, tailwind css, and Java Springboot for the web platform

    • Setup the Amazon S3 buckets for the web platform

    • Collected and processed the data about the categories of Saas products for the web platform with Python script and web scraper

    • Utilized next.js and tailwind css to develop the frontend web page for the discovery system

    • Cooperated with UX designers, product managers, and other engineers to work on the implementation of features

    • Tested and debugged the features of the website as the quality-assurance engineer

Current Status: The platform is already in use and has more than 10 companies as paid customers
Link: https://felixsphere.com/

 

 

Seattle Votech School 

Jun 2024 – Aug 2024

Software Development Intern
The Code Refactoring and Improvement of School Website

    • Built the backend system for the website of the school under Laravel PHP framework

    • Refactored the frontend system based on REACT and added new features to accommodate the backend system

    • Connected the school website with Gibbon system and implemented the synchronization mechanism of these two systems

    • Maintained and improved the school website based on user feedback

Current Status: The new website has been launched to production environment and is using by the students, teachers, and staff in the school
Link: https://seattlevt.org/

 

Extracurricular Experience

Teaching Assistant, “Chinese History in Global Perspective”, UM-SJTU JI

Feb 2023 – May 2023

Volunteer, Callback Research for “Cloud Class”, UM-SJTU JI

Jun 2022 – Aug 2022

Volunteer, Public Relations Department in the Student Council, UM-SJTU JI

Oct 2021 – Aug 2023

 

Awards & Honors

TUniversity Honors, University of Michigan

May 2024

Dean’s List, University of Michigan

Dec 2023 – Apr 2024

Outstanding Summer Volunteer Project (First Prize), Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Nov 2022

Finalist Award for 2022 MCM/ICM (Top 2%)

May 2022

Outstanding Volunteer for Student Council, UM-SJTU JI

Dec 2021

 

Python (Flask, NumPy, Sklearn, PyTorch),
90%
C/C++
90%
JavaScript/TypeScript (REACT.js, next.js)
90%
HTML5
90%
ELM
90%
PHP (Laravel)
90%
SQL
90%


Hobby

 

The Ruan, a Chinese stringed instrument named after Ruan Xian from the Western Jin Dynasty, has an 1800-year history. Sadly, its ancient scores and original production techniques were lost. Current methods and pieces were developed by recent-century musicians and craftsmen.

This mirrors human history: numerous aspects have faded into oblivion, while the swift progress of the last hundred years has somewhat overshadowed our historical roots.

I started learning the Ruan at seven and earned the top amateur certificate at fifteen. To me, it’s a friend, not just an instrument, listening rather than being played. I hope you find such a companion in your instruments.

 

My Performance at the age of ten: “Dance of the Golden Snake”

My Favourite Musician’s Performance: Feng Man-tian  “Lost and Seek”