My name is Allison Liu. I recently completed a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado Boulder. I am interested in using machine learning and data science to solve research problems with applications to space, sustainability, social justice, or healthcare.

My Master’s thesis “Event Detection in Spatio-Temporal Data Using Singular Value Decompositions” involved applying data transformations to solar image data to understand patterns in data leading up to large solar flares, which can impact radio and satellite communications. In the past, I have used generative adversarial networks (GANs) to produce machine learning-ready datasets with the Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center SWx TREC at CU and the Laboratory for Atmospheric Space Physics (LASP). I have also contributed to algorithms at the forefront of ultrafast physics research with the Kapteyn-Murnane Group (see publications).

In parallel with my career interests, I am passionate about machine learning ethics and increasing diversity in STEM. Specifically, I would love to contribute to making machine learning models more interpretable by humans. Furthermore, I am interested in empowering underrepresented students to feel confident in STEM. Over the past three years, I have volunteered regularly with a group of primary school students (largely of underrepresented minorities) to encourage an interest in STEM, developed and taught machine learning curriculum to high schoolers for a week long summer camp, and created and led programming tutorials for undergraduates in a summer research program.

Outside of programming, I love rock climbing, making pottery, and traveling.