Victoria Zhang

Year in School
Freshman

Major

Research Interests

Research Mentor

Research/Engagement Experience

Interests

Project Title

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
Cliche as it was, it was in the simple print("Hello world!") of my first Python class. It was exciting in itself to take that first step in realizing 'wow, I made that happen with something I wrote,' but it was made especially memorable by my teacher's immense passion for the subject. I still remember his wild expression as he burst into an almost theatrical frenzy, telling us, "you are saying hello to this world. And that is a large, brave step." In his passion, I began to see (and I still see) computer science as fun puzzles to crack--whether they be in making silly games, cracking complicated algorithms, or now, doing research.

What social interests matter to me?

Why did you choose Illinois?
I could say the top-ranking CS program, the strong research community, and incredibly academic diversity in CS and beyond, and it would all be true. But in reality, the Teamoji corn dog on Green Street was so good when I visited that I knew I had to choose Illinois.

What are your passions outside of computing?
Playing tennis, listening to music (especially orchestra/classical, despite being terrible at violin), and reading and writing stories.

What has been one of your favorite experiences at Illinois that you would like to share with prospective students? (For Continuing UIUC Students)

What has been one of your favorite experiences as a CS STAR? (For Returning CS STARS)

What is my most impactful college experience?

These are a few of my favorite things!
Midnight discussions on everything and nothing. Breathing in the crisp autumn air on the walk home. The rhythmic tapping of my keyboard on rainy nights. The twinkle in my friend’s eye when explaining to me a new math theory. Unexpected stories. Fountain pens. Music boxes. The first snow.

Research Description

Biography
Hi! I'm Victoria, a freshman in CS + Physics from the northern Virginia/DC area. As my major implies, I'm an incredible geek for anything quantum-related, or more broadly, applications of science in machine learning and computer algorithms. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, curling up with a good book to read, or occasionally, playing Valorant (badly). In previous research experiences, I have explored anything from AI applications to spatial transcriptomics to quantum metaheuristic optimization to simulating physical calculations, and I'm excited to see where CS STARS takes me next!