Skip to content

About Me

Richard Shan portrait

Hi! I'm Richard Shan, a Fab Academy 2024 alumnus. I am currently studying Computer Science and Linguistics as part of Yale University's class of 2030. I graduated class of 2026 at NCSSM Durham (Rank 1/354).

I have significant experience both in academia and industry. My current research areas include mechanistic interpretability, LLM reasoning, edge AI, and AI alignment. I recently won Regeneron ISEF 2026’s 3rd Grand Award and Special Award for my work on mechanistic optimization of LLM reasoning. I currently work on NLP research for the MITRE Corporation. Previously, I worked on healthcare AI at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

I have learned a lot about digital fabrication during Fab Academy, and have applied my CS skills in the engineering space. I recently won the Regeneron Sponsor Award at HackMIT 2026 for building a drug-discovery engine. I also won HackDuke 2026's Owala Sponsor Award for building a real-time IV detection device. I won 1st Overall and 1st Hardware at SMathHacks 2025 for building an integrated environmental sensing station.

At Yale, I serve as a Board member for Yale AI Alignment, and as an Organizer for YHack. I am involved with the Yale Undergraduate Robotics Association, Yale AI Association, Yale Computer Society, Yale Poker Club, and Yale Superfly.

In my free time, I enjoy playing ultimate frisbee, rock climbing, and studying philology. Feel free to reach out at my LinkedIn. See my personal webpage here.

Many thanks to Charlotte Latin, Fab Foundation, 1517 Fund, and Bowman-Brockman Endowment for support on my final project.

Student Agreement

The Fab Academy is responsible for:

  • Teaching principles and practices of digital fabrication
  • Arranging lectures, recitations, meetings, and events for the class
  • Evaluating and providing feedback on student work
  • Offering clear standards for completing assignments
  • Certifying and archiving student progress
  • Supervising class preparation
  • Reviewing prospective students, instructors, and labs
  • Providing central staff and infrastructure for students, instructors, and labs
  • Fund-raising for costs not covered by student tuition
  • Managing and reporting on the program's finances, results, and impacts
  • Publicizing the program
  • Promoting a respectful environment free of harassment and discrimination
  • Encourage a diverse, accessible, and equitable community

I am a Fab Academy student, responsible for:

  • Attending class lectures and participating in reviews
  • Developing and documenting projects assigned to introduce and demonstrate skills
  • Allowing the Fab Academy to share my work (with attribution) in the class for purposes compatible with its mission
  • Honestly reporting on my work, and appropriately attributing the work of others (both human and machine)
  • Working safely
  • Leaving workspaces in the same (or better) condition than I found them
  • Participating in the upkeep of my lab
  • Ensuring that my tuition for local and central class costs is covered
  • Following locally applicable health and safety guidance
  • Promoting a respectful environment free of harassment and discrimination

Signed by committing this file in my repository,
Richard Shan