Raymond Yu
Undergraduate Student, University of Washington
ryu5 [AT] cs.washington.edu
My Journey
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
— Alan Kay
My Beginning
Unlike many in tech, my journey didn't start with Codeforces marathons or national math competitions. I grew up in a rural part of Washington, far from the tech-saturated atmosphere of Seattle. My early schooling barely covered the STEM fundamentals, and for a long time, I thought of myself as just average at everything. Strangely, the place I really excelled was sports — specifically track and field. I poured my energy into sprinting, eventually qualifying twice for the U.S. National Junior Olympics.
But when I arrived at the Junior Olympics, I realized how big the gap was. I placed 11th in the nation at best, and year after year, that gap only widened. It was a humbling moment. I began wondering what else I could dedicate myself to — something that could grow with me over time. Technology caught my attention. I loved the idea that you could build something out of nothing.
First Steps into Tech
My high school didn't offer AP Computer Science, so I took the unusual route of taking the course through another high school that was 30 minutes away. I was amazed by what I could do with programming and began experimenting with several projects. By the end of the year, I realized there was little left in my school's curriculum to challenge me.
University of Washington
I made the bold decision to drop out of high school and enroll directly at the University of Washington through the Robinson Center for Young Scholars. There, I found myself surrounded by some of the brightest people I’d ever met. With access to unlimited resources, I explored everything: from neuroscience, to competitive programming, and ultimately to robotics — the field that stuck.
Entering the WEIRD Lab
I joined the WEIRD Lab, where I was immediately thrust into large-scale projects. I knew almost nothing about robotics at the time, but my mentors pushed me to learn fast. I spent countless hours collecting and processing data, building my skills in computer vision, control systems, and AI. Every week brought something new — new hardware challenges, new algorithms to try, and new reasons to be fascinated by the problem of making machines understand the real world.
Allen Institute for AI
My next step was joining the Allen Institute for AI as a student researcher, where I worked on a computer vision project for remote sensing. Our team developed models to detect and track large-scale changes in satellite imagery, with applications in disaster response and environmental monitoring. This project also gave me the opportunity to attend my first conference — fully funded. Thanks, Ranjay!
Sharing Knowledge
Teaching as a TA for Computer Vision (CSE455) became one of my most rewarding experiences. There's something magical about that moment when a concept clicks for a student.
Teaching has made me a better researcher by forcing me to articulate complex ideas clearly and think about problems from different angles.
Today & Tomorrow
Today, I'm working on problems that seemed impossible when I first started my journey. My research focuses on creating robots that can adapt and learn in ways that feel almost human-like in their intelligence and flexibility.
When I'm not in the lab, you'll find me playing tennis, going to the gym, and maybe even doing a little magic.
The Human Side
Research is just one part of who I am. I believe the best ideas come when you step away from the screen and experience the world around you.
Add me on my beli: @yuraymond
Seattle can be nice sometimes! Walking mindlessly can solve your bug faster than constantly going at it.
Mostly about investing right now, but expanding rapidly. Open to recommendations!
