I’m currently a junior level undergraduate at UC Berkeley studying mathematics, with an additional intended major of Cognitive Science.
I have ADHD, which has shaped every aspect of my life. Having suffered from insomnia (more likely a delayed sleep phase) for my entire life, the endurance sports I did as a child helped me stay regulated: Sleeping better and feeling better. As an adult, this is even more true. I’m academically at my best when I’m getting consistent significant exercise.
ADHD has also significantly shaped how I learn. I’m intensely passionate education, and in particular how little learning can actually occur in the modern college classroom when it’s drowned out by points, curves, regrade requests, and all of the legalese defining the rules of the game college students must play for academic success. I believe that in modern college courses, a student can competently learn and develop passion for the subject taught, and yet not receive an A grade, because of how complicated and points-accumulated-driven courses are. When the metric becomes the target, it ceases to be a good metric.
On campus, I serve as a member of the Student Learning Center’s Strategic Learning Program’s Neurodivergent Student Advisory Board. Through my project Circle of Willis, I work one-on-one with a small number of students facing academic barriers to bridge the gap between learning success and traditional academic success. This semester, I also spoke to the UC Berkeley Chancellor and his Board of Visitors on student success during an hour long luncheon, along with three other students.
Right now, I have a number of races coming up:
On October 24th, I’ll be racing the Norcal Backyard Ultra Mini in Granite Bay. On January 9th, I’ll be racing the No Hands 50k, and on February 6th, the Golden Gate 50k. On July 24th of 2027, I’ll be racing the Lost Sierra 100k, my A race for the year.
In various stages of planning are:
Some sort of ultra hosted informally for myself and a few of my friends on my birthday. I’ll be turning 30, so maybe 30 miles for 30 years? I’m considering some sort of 12 hour race-style format where friends can join in throughout the day. I am heavily inspired by Spike Camp, which I hope to some day attend!
My long term project is to summit all of the peaks on the Crystal Range in Desolation Wilderness, unsupported, and make it back to my starting point in under 24 hours.
Secondary projects in this area include the classic 7 Peaks loop in Desolation, and completing the Pyramid to Price Traverse proper, including the annoying class-4 section a bit north of Pyramid that currently scares the living crap out of me.