Brandon Wang

Hello! Welcome to my (remodeled) academic homepage. I am a undergraduate student (class of 2024) in the Computer Science and Molecular Biology program (Course 6-7) at MIT.

Research and Interests

I am primarily interested in theoretical aspects of distributed systems, including algorithms for distributed computation and coordination, information flow in graphical models, and secure and private communication. In addition, I am interested in robust algorithms for graphical inference, with a view towards analyzing emerging modalities of biological data. While at MIT, I have worked with Mohsen Ghaffari (MIT CSAIL), Yury Polyanskiy (MIT LIDS), and Xiao Wang (Broad Institute).

More broadly, I am interested in developing novel solutions to pressing problems, particularly via the development of new technologies (both computational and social). Some areas I am particularly interested in (besides distributed systems) include prevention and treatment of infectious disease; better methods to understand molecular mechanisms of cells; digital tools to enhance civic participation in democracies; strategies to mitigate climate change; and platforms for social networks that are healthier (both in terms of mental health and in fostering less toxicity).

Contests

In high school I participated in various national and international math and CS olympiads (I was at the USA's IOI training camp in 2017, the IMO training camp in 2017-2019, and on the IMO team in 2019). Nowadays, I help write problems and do various logistical tasks involved with running these competitions.

I believe that contests are a great way to develop problem-solving skills, meet other brilliant people, and explore interests in various fields. On the other hand, I believe that they are primarily a means to an end, and if you are currently a high-schooler doing these contests, I encourage you to also spend some time thinking more about what you want to do in life (if you'd like to talk about this, feel free to reach out!).

I have previously taught classes at the Math Olympiad Program (MOP), primarily in combinatorics and combinatorial optimization. You can find the handouts below:

• Black Magic: Induction as hammer. (PDF)
• Hallucination: Hidden structure in combinatorial processes. (PDF)
• Noodle Bar: Global optima via local structure. (PDF)

I do not offer tutoring. If you are a high schooler interested in math, I recommend reading higher math books. Personal favorites include Spivak's Calculus, Stein and Shakarchi's Analysis series (particularly Fourier and Complex), Howie's Fields and Galois Theory, and Marcus's Number Fields. Axler's Linear Algebra Done Right is also good, but if you are planning on being anything other than an algebraist, consider also reading Treil's Linear Algebra Done Wrong.

Coursework

Here are some of the classes that I have taken/am taking at MIT. Graduate classes are italicized, and personal favorites are underlined.

Spring 2024: Design and Synthesis of Materials (3.023, with R. Macfarlane and A. Gumyusenge), Analysis of Boolean Functions (18.218, with D. Minzer), The Art of the Essay (ENGLISH 185E, with J. Wood), The Making of Modern [European] Politics (GOV 1171, with P. Hall).

Fall 2023: Multiagent Learning (6.S890, with C. Daskalakis and G. Farina), Elliptic Curves (18.783, with A. Sutherland), Global Chinese Cinemas (CMS.S92, with K. Wong).

Spring 2023: Genomics and Evolution of Infectious Disease (1.881/HST.538, with T. Lieberman), Algorithms for Machine Learning (18.408, with A. Moitra), Production Design Visualization (21M.820, with J. Higgason), Contemporary Chinese Society (SOCIOL 1141, with Y. Lei).

Fall 2022: Operating Systems Engineering (6.039, with F. Kaashoek and R. Morris), Distributed Algorithms (6.852/18.437, with M. Ghaffari and N. Lynch), Advanced Algorithms (6.854/18.415, with D. Karger), Environmental Politics (ESPP 78, with S. Jasanoff).

Spring 2022: Biological Circuit Engineering (6.129/20.129, with D. Mishra, J. Niles, R. Weiss), Evolutionary Biology (7.33, with R. Berwick and D. Bartel), Immunology (7.23/20.230, with S. Spranger and M. Birnbaum), Introduction to Chaotic Dynamics (18.118, with S. Dyatlov), Technology and Culture (21A.500/STS.075, with D. Banerjee).

Fall 2021: Thermodynamics of Biological Systems (2.772/20.110, with M. Birnbaum and C. Voigt), Information Theory (6.441, with Y. Polyanskiy), Genetics (7.03, with M. Gehring and P. Reddien), Cell Biology (7.06, with P. Li and S. Lourido), The Long War Against Cancer (STS.049, with R. Scheffler).

Spring 2021: Computational Systems Biology (6.874/20.490, with M. Kellis), Fundamentals of Experimental Molecular Biology (7.002, with V. Cheung, E. Chu, and A. Martin), Biochemistry (7.05, with M. Vander Heiden and M. Yaffe).

Fall 2020: Arithmetic Geometry (18.782, with D. Roe), Globalization (21L.020/WGS.145, with M. Resnick).

Contact

You can contact me at brwa [at] mit [dot] edu.

Trivia

This website's design is inspired by Amber Li and Ankur Moitra's websites. It was mostly made during a bus ride from Boston to New York.