Quinn (Siyu) Li
University of Pennsylvania
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) — Class of 2027
B.A. in Physics
B.S.E. in Materials Science & Engineering
M.S.E. in Materials Science & Engineering (Accelerated)
Experience
AI Research Intern
ALC Capital · Singapore
- Developed an end-to-end agentic AI workflow to autonomously scrape, process, and answer natural language queries about tech and startup news.
- Engineered a data pipeline using RSS feeds and web scrapers to collect articles from sources like TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and 36Kr.
- Implemented a hybrid Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system, storing article data in PostgreSQL and using Qdrant for vector-based semantic search.
- Utilized LLMs (Gemini, Qwen) and n8n workflow automation to build a RAG engine with query reformatting, relevance ranking, and summarization.
Software & Engineering Intern
PureLi · Princeton, NJ
- Began as a Research Assistant at Princeton's WET Lab in July 2022, building a device for seawater lithium extraction and co-authoring a research abstract (AGU 2022).
- Recruited as an early team member for PureLi, the lab's cleantech spin-off, starting as an IT Specialist and expanding into an engineering role.
- Developed an automated drone flyover system for maintenance inspections of extraction equipment.
- Conducted market/competitive analysis, directed creative projects (video storyboarding), and created/maintained the company website.
Software Consultant
Mego · Remote
- Advised on the development of the 2XL educational AI toy robot, coordinating with leadership (USA), software (Canada), and hardware (China) teams.
- Contributed to robot feature design, selected and fine-tuned AI models for optimal responses, and addressed iOS/Android software-related issues.
Student Researcher
Wu Lab, Penn Physics · Philadelphia, PA
- Characterized quantum antiferromagnets (e.g., CuCrP₂S₆) for potential applications in quantum computing.
- Exfoliated few-layer samples and confirmed thickness via Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
- Analyzed magnetic properties of sample via Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy in a nonlinear optic setup.
President
Wharton China Association & Penn Wharton China Summit · Philadelphia, PA
- Promoted from Head of Business Development Committee (2024) to President; organize the annual Summit event.
- For the 2024 annual hybrid summit, attracted over 80,000 in-person and virtual viewers.
- Secure industry-leading panelists (e.g., Rupert Hoogewerf, Founder of Hurun Rich List) for panels on AI, Finance, and New Energy.
Technical Skills
Programming
Python
Java
JavaScript
HTML/CSS
SQL
AI/Data Tools
LangChain
n8n
Qdrant
PostgreSQL
AWS (EC2, S3, RDS)
Hadoop
Kafka
Software
Adobe Creative Suite
Final Cut Pro
MS Office
ForeFlight
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin)Native
JapaneseJLPT N1
EnglishNative
SpanishLimited Working (AP: 4)
Certifications
FAA Certificated Remote (Drone) Pilot
Student Pilot — 50+ hours of flight time in a Cessna 172
Amateur 6-Dan Go Player