William Wang

Image

William Wang graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. At Columbia, he plans to major in applied mathematics with a minor in computer science.

William’s interest in applying computational methods to scientific problems began with research evaluating an automated method for detecting zygapophyseal joint crepitus, a joint sound associated with stiffness and low back pain. He later conducted research at the University of Chicago, where he compiled data and built models informing Monte Carlo simulations investigating radiation dose attenuation from tattoo ink.

His interest in applying analytical methods to scientific problems continued at Northwestern University, where he conducted one of the first studies to quantify compressive-tensile yield asymmetry in additively manufactured 17-4 PH stainless steel, a material used in medical and structural applications for its strength and corrosion resistance. He analyzed tensile and compression data across different heat-treatment conditions to characterize this asymmetry. This work was published as a first-author paper in Materials Science & Engineering A.

Outside of research, William was captain of his high school chess team, led his team to a national championship, and individually placed at nationals. He also competed nationally in saber fencing, earned a national ranking, and captained his high school fencing team to two state championships.

In his free time, William enjoys playing speed chess, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family. At Columbia, he is excited to explore new scientific problems through computation while strengthening his foundation in mathematics.