Elizabeth Pao

Status: Aspiring Software & Machine Learning Engineer
Hi there, I'm Liz and I'm super passionate about creating technology with a purpose.

I just graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Computer Science and roughly 2 years of work experience.

Check out my projects and let's connect!
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Experience

Software Engineer Intern @ Universal Health Services Inc.
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Responsibilities:
  • Built a HIPAA-compliant full-stack application in .NET (C#) and SQL Server to manage facility and patient-related healthcare data across 1,000+ clinical users for a Fortune 500 enterprise
  • Secured strict access controls for protected health information (PHI) across hospitals and outpatient clinics
  • Developed responsive frontend interfaces (JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap) supporting real-time clinical workflows, facility operations, and medical staff coordination
Tech Stack
  • .NET
  • C#
  • HMTL
  • CSS
  • MS SQL
Undergraduate Researcher @ Penn State
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Responsibilities:
  • Designed and implemented a smart, data-driven traffic light system to optimize traffic flow via Raspberry Pi, Python (Pandas, Numpy), and IoT technologies, reducing simulated traffic congestion by 35%
  • Led a successful funding initiative by developing a technical proposal and project roadmap with LaTeX
  • Awarded 2nd at EURECA 2024 and presented at the Eastern Regional Undergraduate Research Symposium
Tech Stack
  • Python
  • Numpy
  • LaTeX
  • Pandas
  • Raspberry Pi
Autonomous Programmer @ Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
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Responsibilities:
  • Led development of an autonomous ground vehicle using MATLAB, Python, and sensors to navigate a maze
  • Awarded a Boeing scholarship to attend a competitive drone and robotics program
  • Collaborated on a multi-agent system with an aerial drone for a simulated fire rescue mission; team won first place
Tech Stack
  • Python
  • MatLab
  • Drones
  • Electronic sensors

Projects

Live Multi-Client Chat Application
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Responsibilities:
  • Led a team of 4, organizing regular meetings, delegating tasks, and coordinating integration between frontend and backend
  • Designed and implemented a TCP-based multi-client architecture with a C backend server handling socket connections and multithreaded communication
  • Built the Java-based frontend using Swing and AWT to facilitate user interaction, including name entry and message input.
Tech Stack
  • C
  • Linux
  • Java (Swing/AWT)
  • Sockets
  • Multithreading
Computer Vision for Food
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Responsibilities:
  • Developed a full stack computer vision application that enables users to upload and classify food images, linking a Material UI React frontend to a Node.js backend with secure RESTful routes and MongoDB
  • Integrated a fine-tuned PyTorch CNN model trained on the Food-101 dataset deployed via AWS Lambda
  • Designed modern React (TypeScript) dashboards with Figma wireframes, visualizing nutritional analytics with a seamless image upload experience
Tech Stack
  • MongoDB
  • Express.js
  • React
  • Node.js
  • Pytorch
  • Typescript
This Portfolio Website
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Responsibilities:
  • Designed portfolio website from start to end via Javascript, HTML, and CSS
  • Crafted visual UI components with clear, intentional designs and interactivity, as well as custom pixel art
Tech Stack
  • Javascript
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • Aseprite

About Me

Hi my name is Elizabeth, but I go by Liz! 👋🏻

Beyond my passion for building meaningful & intentional technology, I think the best way to describe me is a modern Renaissance woman.

Some facts about me:
  • I've worked as a barista for 3 years - and 2 years later, I can honestly say I haven't gone had a day without a coffee in my hand. ☕
  • I am a proud cat mom 🐈‍⬛
  • Art is one of my biggest passions 🎨
  • Born and raised in Pennsylvania
Some of my hobbies:
  • Learning German. I would love to travel to Germany and Switzerland one day. ~ Ich habe zwei Jahre lang Deutsch studiert!
  • Reading a good book at a nice cozy cafe. 📖
  • Pretending I'm Tony Stark while soldering together a bunch of scrapped electronics.
  • Rock climbing! 🪨
  • Creating art - pixel art, sketching, painting... you name it.