resume.json

{
  "basics": {
    "name": "Mingi Kang",
    "label": "Undergraduate Researcher",
    "image": "",
    "email": "mkang2@bowdoin.edu",
    "phone": "(818) 795-2054",
    "url": "https://mingikang31.github.io/",
    "summary": "Undergraduate researcher in computer science, focusing on computer vision and deep learning.",
    "location": {
      "address": "2141 Smith Union",
      "postalCode": "04011",
      "city": "Brunswick",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "region": "ME"
    },
    "profiles": [
      {
        "network": "GitHub",
        "username": "mingikang31",
        "url": "https://github.com/mingikang31"
      }
    ]
  },
  "work": [
    {
      "name": "Independent Deep Learning Research Group",
      "position": "Undergraduate Research Assistant (Advisor: Prof Jeova Farias)",
      "startDate": "2025-08",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "summary": "Developed ZiLU activation function that generalizes ReLU, GELU, and SiLU with learnable parameters for fine-grained control.",
      "highlights": [
        "Implemented modular GPT2 architecture allowing plug-and-play activation function swapping, training on OpenWebText.",
        "Demonstrated 1-2% improvements on image classification on CIFAR-10/100 with VGG19 and ResNet34 compared to baseline activations."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Senior Honors Thesis in Computer Science",
      "position": "Honors Candidate (Advisor: Prof Jeova Farias)",
      "startDate": "2025-08",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "summary": "Finalizing ConvNN, a unified framework bridging convolution and attention through k-nearest neighbor selection (Paper Under Review).",
      "highlights": [
        "Architected hybrid branching layers combining spatial (Conv2d) and feature-based (ConvNN) aggregation, achieving 4-8% accuracy improvements.",
        "Demonstrated effective and robust performance across CNN and Transformer through systematic ablation studies on neighbor selection strategies."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Computational Imaging Group, Washington University in St. Louis",
      "position": "McKelvey Summer Engineering Fellow (Advisor: Prof Ulugbek S. Kamilov)",
      "startDate": "2025-05",
      "endDate": "2025-08",
      "summary": "Redesigned deep unfolding U-Net architecture for parallel qMRI reconstruction, achieving 4x parameter reduction while maintaining reconstruction quality.",
      "highlights": [
        "Maintained 37 dB PSNR, 0.923 SSIM on 4x accelerated scans.",
        "Developed normalization techniques (ACS region-specific and coil-instance) for undersampled k-space preprocessing, validated on patient dataset."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Independent Deep Learning Research Group",
      "position": "Undergraduate Research Assistant (Advisor: Prof Jeova Farias)",
      "startDate": "2025-01",
      "endDate": "2025-05",
      "summary": "Developed Convolutional Nearest Neighbor Attention (ConvNN-Attention), reducing computational cost by 18% (GFLOPS) with accuracy improvement (2.4%).",
      "highlights": [
        "Efficient attention mechanism using hard k-NN and convolutional aggregation.",
        "Implemented modular PyTorch layers compatible with standard Transformer and Vision Transformer architectures."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Christenfeld Summer Research Fellowship",
      "position": "Research Fellow (Advisor: Prof Jeova Farias)",
      "startDate": "2024-01",
      "endDate": "2024-08",
      "summary": "Developed Convolutional Nearest Neighbors (ConvNN) algorithm integrating norm-based k-NN pixel selection into standard convolutional operations.",
      "highlights": [
        "Built modular PyTorch implementation (1D/2D) with configurable sampling strategies (random, spatial), pixel-shuffling, and positional encoding."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Lexicon Lab, Bowdoin College",
      "position": "Undergraduate Research Assistant (Advisor: Prof Abhilasha Kumar)",
      "startDate": "2022-12",
      "endDate": "2024-05",
      "summary": "Investigated lexical retrieval processes in prelingually deaf cochlear implant users through computational cognitive modeling.",
      "highlights": [
        "Contributed to published CogSci 2024 conference proceedings paper (second author).",
        "Extended Python package 'Forager' with joint semantic embeddings (word2vec, speech2vec) for quantitative analysis."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bowdoin College Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching",
      "position": "Quantitative Tutor",
      "startDate": "2025-08",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "summary": "Provide one-on-one tutoring in computer science, mathematics, and economics.",
      "highlights": [
        "Subjects: Algorithms, AI, Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Micro/Macroeconomics.",
        "Support students in debugging code, understanding theoretical concepts, and developing problem solving strategies."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bowdoin College Mathematics Department",
      "position": "Learning Assistant (Teaching Assistant) for Statistics and Data Science",
      "startDate": "2025-08",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "summary": "Conduct weekly learning assistant hours supporting 20+ students with R programming and statistical analysis.",
      "highlights": [
        "Guide students through applied projects involving real-world datasets, emphasizing statistical thinking and reproducible analysis."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bowdoin College Computer Science Department",
      "position": "Learning Assistant (Teaching Assistant) for Intro to Computer Science",
      "startDate": "2025-01",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "summary": "Lead weekly learning assistant hours for 40+ students covering Python fundamentals and object-oriented programming.",
      "highlights": [
        "Mentor students on debugging techniques, code organization, and developer best practices."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bowdoin College Career Exploration and Development Group",
      "position": "Sophomore Bootcamp Leader & Pod Leader",
      "startDate": "2025-01",
      "endDate": "2026-01",
      "summary": "Design and deliver workshops on career development for 400+ sophomores.",
      "highlights": [
        "Train and manage a team of 7 senior mentors, overseeing their preparation to deliver specialized workshops.",
        "Mentored 5 student teams in inaugural Sophomore Bootcamp Hackathon on full-stack development."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "education": [
    {
      "institution": "Bowdoin College, ME",
      "location": "Brunswick, ME",
      "url": "https://www.bowdoin.edu/",
      "area": "Computer Science, Minor in Mathematics",
      "studyType": "Bachelor of Arts",
      "startDate": "2022-08",
      "endDate": "Present",
      "score": "3.67/4.00",
      "courses": [
        "Deep Learning for Computer Vision",
        "Operating Systems",
        "Artificial Intelligence",
        "Computer Systems",
        "Algorithms",
        "Data Structures",
        "Data Science",
        "Computational Game Theory",
        "Linear Algebra",
        "Multivariable Calculus",
        "Probability",
        "Statistics",
        "Advanced Probability and Statistics"
      ]
    },
    {
      "institution": "Aquincum Institute of Technology",
      "location": "Budapest, Hungary",
      "url": "https://www.ait-budapest.com/",
      "area": "Computer Science",
      "studyType": "Study Abroad Semester",
      "startDate": "2024-08",
      "endDate": "2024-12",
      "courses": []
    }
  ],
  "awards": [
    {
      "title": "CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher, Honorable Mention",
      "date": "2025-12",
      "awarder": "Computing Research Association",
      "summary": "Prestigious honor recognizes undergraduate students at North American colleges and universities who demonstrate exceptional potential in computing research."
    },
    {
      "title": "John L. Roberts Fall Research Award ($2,463)",
      "date": "2025-10",
      "awarder": "Bowdoin College",
      "summary": "Awarded for senior honors project on Convolutional Nearest Neighbors & Convolutional Nearest Neighbors Attention."
    },
    {
      "title": "Best Poster Presentation in the McKelvey Engineering Summer Research ($100)",
      "date": "2025-07",
      "awarder": "Washington University in St. Louis",
      "summary": "Awarded for excellence in summer research presentation."
    },
    {
      "title": "McKelvey Engineering Summer Research Fellowship ($7,200)",
      "date": "2025-05",
      "awarder": "Washington University in St. Louis",
      "summary": "Awarded to conduct 10-week full time research with the Computational Imaging Group."
    },
    {
      "title": "Allen B. Tucker Computer Science Research Prize ($50)",
      "date": "2025-05",
      "awarder": "Bowdoin College",
      "summary": "Awarded to a computer science student for excellence in summer research."
    },
    {
      "title": "CRA Undergraduate Award ($4,000)",
      "date": "2025-04",
      "awarder": "Last Mile Education",
      "summary": "Awarded for supplemental assistance for summer research in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis."
    },
    {
      "title": "NYC Stem Award ($1,500)",
      "date": "2025-03",
      "awarder": "Last Mile Education",
      "summary": "Awarded merit-based grant for technical equipment and research support."
    },
    {
      "title": "Google AI 2024 Award ($595)",
      "date": "2025-01",
      "awarder": "Last Mile Education",
      "summary": "Awarded for semester research, building on prior work from Bowdoin College Christenfeld Summer Research Fellowship."
    },
    {
      "title": "Christenfeld Summer Research Fellowship ($4,800)",
      "date": "2024-04",
      "awarder": "Bowdoin College",
      "summary": "Awarded to conduct 8-week full time research in computer vision and deep learning under faculty mentorship."
    },
    {
      "title": "NSF Student Faculty Research Fellowship ($1,800)",
      "date": "2024-01",
      "awarder": "Bowdoin College, National Science Foundation",
      "summary": "Awarded for computational cognitive science research focused on modeling search and retrieval within the mental lexicon."
    },
    {
      "title": "QuestBridge National College Match Finalist",
      "date": "2021-09",
      "awarder": "QuestBridge",
      "summary": "Recognized as a finalist for the QuestBridge program, which connects high-achieving students from low-income, first-generation backgrounds with full scholarships to top colleges."
    }
  ],
  "publications": [
    {
      "name": "ZiLU Activation Function for Vision and Language Models",
      "publisher": "In Preparation",
      "publicationDate": "2025",
      "summary": "Mingi Kang, Zai Yang, Jeová Farias Sales Rocha Neto"
    },
    {
      "name": "Attention Via Convolutional Nearest Neighbors",
      "publisher": "Under Review",
      "publicationDate": "2025",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14137",
      "summary": "Mingi Kang, Jeová Farias Sales Rocha Neto. arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.14137"
    },
    {
      "name": "Parallel qMRI Reconstruction from 4x Accelerated Acquisitions",
      "publisher": "Preprint",
      "publicationDate": "2025",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.18232",
      "summary": "Mingi Kang. arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.18232"
    },
    {
      "name": "Structures and process-level lexical interactions in memory search: A case study of individuals with cochlear implants and normal hearing",
      "publisher": "CogSci 2024. Proceedings of the 46th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society",
      "publicationDate": "2024",
      "url": "https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7vn9q9hh",
      "summary": "Abhilasha A. Kumar, Mingi Kang, William G. Kronenberger, Michael N. Jones, David B. Pisoni"
    }
  ],
  "skills": [
    {
      "name": "Programming Languages",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-hashtag",
      "keywords": [
        "Python",
        "R",
        "Java",
        "C",
        "SQL"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "ML & DL",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-cubes",
      "keywords": [
        "PyTorch",
        "TensorFlow",
        "Keras",
        "Scikit-Learn",
        "NumPy",
        "Pandas",
        "SciPy",
        "OpenCV"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Visualization",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-chart-line",
      "keywords": [
        "Matplotlib",
        "Seaborn",
        "ggplot2"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Developer Tools",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-toolbox",
      "keywords": [
        "Git",
        "GitHub",
        "Bash",
        "Overleaf/LaTeX",
        "Markdown"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "HPC",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-server",
      "keywords": [
        "Slurm (sbatch)",
        "IBM LSF (bsub)"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "languages": [
    {
      "language": "English",
      "fluency": "Native",
      "icon": ""
    },
    {
      "language": "Korean",
      "fluency": "Native",
      "icon": ""
    },
    {
      "language": "German",
      "fluency": "Conversational",
      "icon": ""
    }
  ],
  "interests": [
    {
      "name": "Research Interests",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-microscope",
      "keywords": [
        "Computer Vision",
        "Deep Learning",
        "Computational Imaging",
        "Cognitive Science"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "references": [
    {
      "name": "Professor Jeova Farias",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-thumbtack",
      "reference": "Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Bowdoin College."
    },
    {
      "name": "Professor Abhilasha Kumar",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-thumbtack",
      "reference": "Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bowdoin College."
    },
    {
      "name": "Professor Martin Abel",
      "icon": "fa-solid fa-thumbtack",
      "reference": "Assistant Professor of Economics at Bowdoin College."
    }
  ],
  "projects": [
    {
      "name": "Polar Shuttle",
      "summary": "PolarShuttle is a mobile application designed to track real-time shuffle schedulers specifically for Bowdoin College's shuttle service. ",
      "highlights": [
        "Kotlin",
        "Hilt",
        "ORM",
        "ROOM",
        "Google Maps API",
        "ViewModel",
        "Jetpack Compose",
        "Firebase",
        "Coroutines",
        "Android Studio"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/mingikang31/PolarShuttle"
    },
    {
      "name": "SiFT-v1.0",
      "summary": "SiFT: Simple File Transfer is a secure file transfer system designed to allow clients to perform file operations on a server remotely.",
      "highlights": [
        "Cryptography",
        "Key-Pair Generation",
        "RSA Encryption",
        "Python"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/mingikang31/SiFT-v1.0"
    },
    {
      "name": "MealMessenger",
      "summary": "MealMessenger is a service that sends daily Bowdoin dining hall menus via SMS to students.",
      "highlights": [
        "Selenium",
        "BeautifulSoup",
        "Twilio API",
        "Python",
        "Google Gemini",
        "Web Scraping"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/mingikang31/MealMessenger"
    }
  ]
}