Jiaqi (Victoria) Duan
Engineer, Researcher, ArtistAbout me
Master's student in Computer Science & Engineering with a dual background in psychology. Open to Full Stack Engineer or Software Engineer full-time roles starting January 2026.
My work lives at the intersection of architecture and alignment — I build multi-agent systems where large language models don't just generate, they reason, critique, and explain.
When I'm not coding, I enjoy creating in all forms, whether it's cooking, baking, turfing, pottery, drawing, poetry or songwriting. I'm always open to learning new things and expanding my skills, both personally and professionally.
My Projects
Pathways
Apr 2024 - Jan 2025
An AI-driven web application designed to facilitate self-directed learning.
- SolidJS
- TypeScript
- Vite
- Express
- OpenAI APIs
- Langchain
- Pinecone
- Firestore
Yi
Apr 2024 - Present
A SaaS web application providing comprehensive financial and business management solutions.
- React
- TypeScript
- Next.js
- Django
- Django REST Framework
- PostgreSQL
- Redux
My Skills
- TypeScript
- JavaScript (ES6+)
- Python
- Java
- C++
- C
My Experience
Founding Engineer
Ripplet - Remote- Ripplet is a storytelling and healing platform uplifting the voices of immigrants, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and those living between cultures through podcasts, expressive arts, and community-led narratives
- Conducted user interviews, competitive analysis, and product research to identify critical pain points and refine solution offerings
- Designed and developed the company website, delivering a responsive and user-friendly interface
- Built a therapist support platform prototype with an AI-powered chatbot and dashboards, enabling secure session notes, evidence-based guidance, and progress tracking
- Multi-agent Systems
- Ollama
- OpenAI API
- Next.js
- Google Gemini
- Anthropic Claude
- LlamaIndex
- Hugging Face Products
- LangChain
- Redux
- Node.js
- Prompt Engineering
- Software Development
- React.js
- Python (Programming Language)
- TailwindCSS
- PostgreSQL
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Django REST Framework
Mentor
BobaTalks- Support international students and newcomers to tech in figuring out their path, from deciding on graduate school to exploring career directions and navigating challenges abroad
- Mentorship
- International Students
- Career Guidance
- Graduate School Advice
Individual Tutor and Grader - Deep Learning Course
UC Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA- Held in-person and remote office hours twice weekly to clarify deep learning concepts, and guided students in applying machine learning principles, including model training/testing, loss functions, gradient descent, and regularization techniques
- Graded coding assignments and quizzes, providing constructive feedback on topics such as CNNs, RNNs, attention models, and transformers
- Deep Learning
- Neural Networks
- Machine Learning
- Reinforcement Learning
- Python Programming
- Communication
Graduate Student
UC Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA- Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering
- Machine Learning
- Foundations of Deep Learning
- Projects in Artificial Intelligence
- Artificial Intelligence in Games
- Advanced Computer Security
- Computer Security and Network
- VLSI Digital System Design
- Analysis of Algorithms
- Programming Languages - Coq
- Formal Methods
- Research and Teaching in Computer Science and Engineering
Full Stack Engineer & Dev Lead - AI Pathways Team
Tech4Good Lab - Santa Cruz, CA- Led a cross-functional team of AI researchers, web developers, and UI/UX designers to build Pathways, an AI-powered self-directed learning platform that helps anyone learn—from coding to cooking—through personalized recommendations and interactive guidance, refined through multiple user studies, including pilots with university students.
- Prompt Engineering
- LLMLingua/LongLLMLingua
- Pinecone
- OpenAI ChatCompletion API
- OpenAI Assistant API
- OpenAI Embeddings API
- User Research
- Leadership
- Mentorship
Coding Instructor
Code For Fun - Sunnyvale, CA- Taught K–12 students fundamental programming concepts, including logic, problem-solving, and introductory data structures & algorithms
- Led large-scale Code Day workshops for up to 300 students and taught in small (1–8) and medium-to-large (8–25) class settings
- Developed project-based curricula and delivered engaging lessons in: Game Development, Robotics, Web Development, Mobile App Development, Block-based Programming and Text-based Programming
- Teaching
- Public Speaking
- Game Development
- Web Development
- Mobile App Development
- Block Programming
- Python
- Lua (Roblox)
- JavaScript
- HTML
- CSS
- Scratch
Undergraduate Student
UC Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science and Engineering
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology
- Data Structure and Algorithm
- Analysis of Algorithms
- Computational Models
- Embedded Systems and C Programming
- Computer Systems and Assembly Language
- Computer Architecture
- Principles of Computer Systems Design
- Programming in Python
- Programming Abstractions: Python
- Foundations of Programming Languages (Haskell)
- Computer Graphics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Applied Machine Learning
- Natural Language Processing
- Technical Writing for Computer Science and Engineering
- Statistics
- Applied Discrete Mathematics
- Abnormal Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Lifespan Developmental Psychopathology
- Children's Thinking
- Human Learning and Memory
- Research Methods in Psychology
Grader & Tutor for Python
UC Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA- Graded Python programming assignments using automated grading scripts to ensure accuracy and consistency across submissions
- Assisted students in understanding course concepts and debugging code during office hours and online forums
- Rehired by the same professor for eight consecutive quarters based on performance and reliability
- Tutoring
- Python
- Communication
- Problem Solving
Backend Developer Intern
WayOps - Remote- Contributed to a smart parking management system by reorganizing large-scale datasets for efficiency, improving query speed, and database scalability to support real-time parking availability insights.
- Collaboration
- SQL
- PostgreSQL
- Database Optimization
- Data Modeling
- Relational Databases
- Scalability & Performance Tuning
- Azure Data Studio
Animal Care Volunteer
Humane Society at Silicon Valley - Sunnyvale, CA- Provided compassionate, hands-on care to dogs, cats, and rabbits, enriching their lives and preparing them for adoption into loving homes
- Focused on ensuring the well-being and comfort of the animals
- Compassion and Empathy
- Responsibility
- Reliability
- Time Management
Co-founder & President - Pop Music Club
De Anza College - Cupertino, CA- Co-founded and led a music club with over 200 members, serving as president for two years
- Managed bands and organized events, including annual concerts and club days
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Planning and organizing events
Teaching Assistant - C++ Programming Courses (Beginning to Advanced)
De Anza College - Cupertino, CA- Assisted in teaching C++ programming courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels
- Held office hours to help students with coding problems and concepts
- Graded assignments and provided feedback to students
- Teaching
- C++
- Student Support
CIS Lab Tutor
De Anza College - Cupertino, CA- Worked as a lab tutor for Computer Information Systems (CIS) courses, providing hands-on assistance to students during lab sessions.
- Helped students understand course material, debug code, and complete lab assignments.
- Collaborated with instructors to identify common student challenges and develop effective teaching strategies.
- Teaching
- C++
- Student Support
Community College Student
De Anza College - Cupertino, CA- Completed required coursework for a Computer Science degree before transferring to UC Santa Cruz
- C++
- Java
- Python
- Assembly Language
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Pre-Calculus
- Calculus
- Discrete Mathematics
Contact me
Please contact me directly at jd.victoria.work@gmail.com or through this forum