Xiaochang Liu: Cornell Systems pushes you to a higher level of systematic thinking

What does being a Cornellian mean to you?
Being a Cornellian means a lot to me as it represents being a part of a prestigious institution that values both academic excellence and practical applications. The Systems Engineering program also has a diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty and various courses of choices, especially while taking systems core courses about systems analysis and management. I’ve also taken many courses associated with data and machine learning fields. I hope both technical and managemental fields can facilitate my career path in the future.

Who inspired or influenced you during your time at Cornell?
During my time at Cornell, I was inspired and influenced by many professors and industry professionals who taught me valuable skills and knowledge in my field of study. Specifically, I have taken the series of optimization and machine learning courses by Professor Fengqi You, which enhanced my CS 5780 ML algorithm course taken before with more hands-on applications in the real data in the industries. In addition, Professor Christopher Batten, who taught ECE 5745, Complex ASIC Design, had a significant impact on me by challenging me to think critically and creatively in my approach to chip design projects. Also, both professors invited the industrial professionals from world-renown companies to share their experiences with us.

What will you miss the most about Cornell?
It is my second time studying in the U.S. after I had two and half years working with the Kirin Chip Design Department at Huawei. I was missing the close-knit community, the beautiful campus and free and open-minded study environment. Here Cornell did not let me down: the same supportive network of friends and faculty made my time at Cornell enjoyable and memorable, and the campus's natural beauty provided a serene and calming environment for learning and personal growth, while Systems students have opportunities of all kinds of fields of study and research.

What surprised you most about your Cornell experience?
What surprised me the most about my Cornell experience was the breadth and depth of opportunities available to me as a student. Whether it was research, internships or extracurricular activities, there was always something new and exciting to explore, and I was continually challenged to expand my horizon on fields of study from ECE to Systems and push me from the view of bottom technical design to the higher level of systematic thinking of a product/project definition or development.

What accomplishment as a Cornell student makes you most proud?
The accomplishment as a Cornell student that makes me most proud is my successful completion of the M.Eng. program in System Engineering, specializing in optimization and machine learning branch courses. This program challenged me to develop and apply advanced analytical and computational skills to real-world problems, and I feel well-equipped to make meaningful contributions in my future career.

What moments, big or small, made your Big Red experience special?
There were many moments, big and small, that made my Big Red experience special. Some of the most memorable include participating in hackathons, attending guest lectures by industry leaders and working on team projects with classmates from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.

What are your plans “Post Cornell”?
Post Cornell, my plans are to leverage my education and professional experience to pursue a challenging and rewarding career in the semiconductor industry. I have been offered job opportunities with ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company), TSMC, Horizon Robotics and Cambricon, and I am excited to explore these options and find the best fit for my skills and interests. Sometime in the future, I would also like to share my industrial experience back to the campus and bring job opportunities to Cornellians!