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Basics

Name Emily Zhao
Email guzhaoemily@gmail.com

Education

Work

  • 2025.05 - Present

    Durham, North Carolina

    Machine Learning Intern
    Athena AI Institute, NSF REU
    • NIH milestone: developing a RL based hierarchical controller for adaptive DBS
    • Under the guidance of Visrut Sudhakar and Dr. Miroslav Pajic
  • 2024.06 - 2024.12

    Mounds View, Minnesota

    Product Engineering Intern
    Cardiac Rhythm Management, Medtronic
    • Universal core Longevity Estimator algorithm (Python) for next-gen implantable cardiac devices
    • Hardware characterization with IC Design and Firmware
  • 2023.06 - 2023.08

    Mounds View, Minnesota

    Hardware Product Engineering Intern
    Cardiac Rhythm Management, Medtronic
    • Bluetooth field testing and data analysis method to identify interference patterns in operating rooms
    • Predictive algorithm for Bluetooth-Wi-Fi coexistence
  • 2021.06 - 2022.08

    Mounds View, Minnesota

    Instructor
    Summer Orchestra Program, Mounds View Public Schools
    • Taught 4th-6th grade students violin, viola, cello, and bass

Extracurriculars

  • 2025.05 - Present

    Durham, North Carolina

    Assistant Program Director
    Duke FEMMES+
    • Source funding and help streamline operations for umbrella organization of 6 programs serving 400+ volunteers and participants
  • 2024.08 - Present

    Durham, North Carolina

    Director
    Hackathon, Duke FEMMES+
    • Coordinate annual STEM hackathon for 100+ high school students (Tracks: Python & AI, data visualization, game development, and cybersecurity)
  • 2024.05 - Present

    Durham, North Carolina

    President
    Duke Conversations
    • Lead the redesign and strategic expansion of Duke Conversations, advancing our mission to connect faculty and students through weekly intimate dinner discussions with administration and professors

Awards

  • 2025.02.02
    Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge National Champion
    Atlantic Council
    Crafted/defended policy briefs on cyber threats, national security, and geopolitical escalations in a fast-paced crisis simulation. 1st at Cyber 9/12 Austin 2025, will be attending Black Hat USA 2025!

Languages

English
Mandarin Chinese

Interests

General
Software Engineering
Machine Learning
Product Management
National Security

Projects