cv

General

Name Adam Cheong
Goal Identify and solve the most important problems of our times, with a focus on biomechanics harnessing physical AI for the betterment of humankind.
Email adam@cheong.net
Phone (650) 593-8322
Url https://adamcheong.com
Summary High school senior with a strong interest in biomechanical engineering and robotics; founding intern of a venture-backed robotics startup in San Francisco; winner of multiple STEM awards and a Masason Scholar.

Education

  • 2023.08 - 2027.06

    San Francisco, California

    High School
    Proof School
    For Kids Who Love Math
    • 12th: Classic Literature: History of English
    • 12th: Internet Architecture & Web Development
    • 12th: Applied Chemistry
    • 12th: Neuroscience
    • 12th: Matrix Calculus and Tensors
    • 12th: Multivariable Calculus
    • 12th: Graphs, Surfaces and Knots
    • 12th: Complex Analysis
    • 12th: World History: Collapse
    • 11th: Classic Literature: The Essay
    • 11th: Medicinal Chemistry
    • 11th: Anatomy & Physiology
    • 11th: Quantum Mechanics
    • 11th: Axiomatic Set Theory
    • 11th: Linear Topology
    • 11th: Linear Algebra A & B
    • 11th: US History & the American Essay
    • 10th: Literary Arts: Graphic Narrative
    • 10th: Generating Functions
    • 10th: Calculus A, B, C & D
    • 10th: Physics: Mechanics
    • 10th: Chemistry
    • 10th: Latin 2
    • 9th: Latin 1
    • 9th: Biology
    • 9th: Advanced Literature
    • 9th: Exponents/Log/Trig A & B
    • 9th: Euclidean Geometry 3
    • 9th: Number Theory 2
    • 9th: Graph Theory 1
    • 9th: Studio Art: Paper
  • 2017.08 - 2023.06

    Portola Valley, California

    Elementary to Middle School
    Woodland School
    3rd to 8th Grade
    • Capstone Project: Hydroponics
    • Mathcounts, AMC 8, and STEM Fairs

Experience

  • 2023.07 - 2027.06

    San Francisco, California

    Robotics Intern
    Watney Robotics
    Use Onshape CAD tool to build server rack peripherals; prototype wire harness; assemble robot arms and controllers that allow humans from halfway around the world to teleoperate a robot; train machine learning models.
    • CAD Modeling with Onshape
    • Wire Harness Prototyping
    • Robot Arm Controller Assembly
    • ML Models Training

Volunteering

  • 2026.11 - 2027.05

    Berkeley, California

    Pre-College Student Ambassador
    UC Berkeley
    Provide guidance and support to prospective students; present UC Berkeley's Pre-College Program at:
    • Outreach & Recruitment Events
    • Info Sessions
    • Alumni & Counselor Panels
  • 2026.02 - 2026.02

    San Francisco, California

    Student Volunteer
    Gathering 4 Gartner
    Assist with running the 16th Gathering for Gartner (G4G16) Conference in San Francisco.
    • Presentations
    • Performances
    • Original Papers
    • Exhibits
  • 2022.07 - 2022.07

    Portola Valley, California

    Camp Counselor
    Woodland Summer Adventures
    Supervised students and gained first hand experience teaching small groups of students a new skill.
    • Leadership Development
    • Safety Training
    • CPR, AED & Basic First Aid Certified

Awards

  • 2026.09
    National Merit Commended Scholar
    National Merit Scholarship Corporation
    A high-achieving high school student recognized for academic potential based on their high PSAT/NMSQT scores, earning a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
  • 2026.07
    AP Scholar with Distinction
    Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, Statistics, Calculus BC, Physics C: Mechanics, Chemistry, and Biology
    Recognizes exemplary college-level achievement, having attained a score of 4 or 5 on six AP exams taken.
  • 2025.09
    Ellison Scholar (Semi-Finalist)
    Ellison Institute of Technology
    2026 cohort selected through a highly competitive process and will contribute to the mission of EIT to discover, develop and deploy science and technology in pursuit of solving some of humanity’s most challenging and enduring problems.
  • 2025.07
    Masason Scholar
    Masason Foundation
    9th generation cohort of 32 youths with high aspirations and exceptional talents selected to develop their skills, and contributing to the future of humankind.
  • 2025.07
    AP Scholar with Honor
    Calculus BC, Physics C: Mechanics, Chemistry, and Biology
    Recognizes exemplary college-level achievement, having attained a score of 5 on four AP exams taken.

Contests

  • 2026.03
    Honorable Merit
    USA Biolympiad (USABO)
    The most prestigious biology education and testing program for US high school students, participated by approximately 10,000 talented students annually.
  • 2025.12
    AIME Qualifier
    Mathematical Association of America
    The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is a challenging competition offered to those who excelled on the AMC 12. The AIME is a 15 question, 3-hour examination.
  • 2025.04
    Cum Laude (Honorable Mention)
    National Latin Examination
    Annual recognition of student accomplishment in Latin language learning and the study of Greco-Roman culture.
  • 2025.03
    Honorable Mention
    USA Biolympiad (USABO)
    The most prestigious biology education and testing program for US high school students, participated by approximately 10,000 talented students annually.
  • 2024.04
    Maxima Cum Laude (Silver Recognition)
    National Latin Examination
    Annual recognition of student accomplishment in Latin language learning and the study of Greco-Roman culture.

Science fairs

Papers

Posters

Projects

  • 2026.08 - 2026.12
    How to Train Your C. Elegans: Inducing Thermotaxis Behavior in a Digitally Simulated Worm
    An OpenWorm simulation of C. elegans, with all of its 302 biological neurons in the connectome surgically replaced by artificial neurons, trained to faithfully reproduce biomechanical behavior such as thermotaxis.
    • Neuroscience
    • OpenWorm
    • C. Elegans
  • 2026.01 - 2026.11
    The Cluck is Ticking: A Color-Changing Biosensor to Indicate Spoiled Meat
    A team project participated by students from 9 Bay Area high schools for the iGEM competition to engineer a biosensor that responds to rising level of cadaverine, an organic compound from decomposing meat, by producing a blue chromoprotein.
    • Biosensor
    • Cadaverine
    • Blue Chromoprotein
  • 2026.01 - 2026.04
    How Cancer Cells Undergoing a Treatment Course Evolve to Survive Multiple Mass Extinctions
    A proposed study (in collaboration with two student researchers) of cancer cells population dynamics driven by tumor growth vs. dose response within a press-pulse framework but with the added complexity of somatic mutation across treatment cycles.
    • Mathematical Oncology
    • Press-Pulse
    • Mass Extinction
  • 2025.01 - 2025.04
    Monte Carlo Simulation of Somatic Twist in Ancient Marine Worms
    Monte Carlo simulation attempt to recreate evolutionary events inside a computer and see how the first digital worm evolves in silico to become the ‘first fish’ with a dorsoventrally inverted body plan after a somatic twist.
    • Computational Biology
    • OpenWorm
    • Sybernetic
  • 2024.01 - 2024.03
    Why Do Vertebrates Have Decussated Corticospinal Tracts?
    A comparative study of morphological models from ancient marine worms to the first fish inside an aquarium.
    • Decussation
    • Corticospinal Tracts
    • Dorsoventral Inversion
  • 2023.01 - 2023.03
    The Cliffhanger Project
    A novel mountain climbing aid that brings a new mechanical advantage to mountaineers by means of a simple lever mechanism — inspired by a physics demo harnessing a setup of three toothpicks to carry a payload hanging off the edge of a table.
    • Mountain Climbing Aid
    • Mechanical Advantage
    • Type 2 Lever

Societies & clubs

BioCurious Lab
(2026—present) Student member of world's largest community lab space for biology, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Biomedical Engineering Society
(2026—present) Student member of a community of 6,000 biomedical engineers, researchers, and educators.
Genetics Society of America
(2025—present) Student member of an international community of 6,000 biologists from 50 countries advancing the field of genetics.
Benchmark Climbing / Dogpatch Boulders / Hyperion Climbing
(2023–present) Member of afterschool climbing club; practice 2 to 3 times a week at indoor bouldering gyms around the Bay Area.
24 Hour Fitness
(2024–present) Member of a neighborhood gym where I workout regularly in the evenings and on weekends.
Clock Tower Music
(2023–present) Taking guitar lessons with a local musician afterschool; practice new songs in the evenings.
Berkeley Math Circle
(2015–2025) Intermediate level II member; attend evening math lectures by professors at UC Berkeley campus every Wednesday.

Courses

Foundations of Data Science
UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholar 2026-06
Data Structures and Programming Methodology
UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholar 2026-06
Relativity: A Crash Course
Proof School Intersession 2026-01
The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholar 2025-06
The Mathematics of Competitive Behavior
Johns Hopkins CTY Program 2024-08
Engineering and Robotics Workshop at MIT Campus
National Geographic Student Travel 2024-07
TCR History Camp
The Concord Review 2024-06
Logic: Principles of Reasoning
Johns Hopkins CTY Program 2023-07

Skills

Hardware
Robot Arm Controller Assembly
Circuit Board Soldering
Wire Harness Prototyping
Software
OnShape
Python
Java
DIY
Hydroponics
3D Printing
Automotive
Investment
Trading Strategies
Trading Tools
Risk Management

Languages

Latin
learning (2 years)
Japanese
limited phrases
Mandarin
limited phrases
Spanish
conversational (6 years)
English
native speaker fluency

Assessments

SAT (11th Grade)
Score: 1550 (760 EBRW, 790 Math)
PSAT (11th Grade)
Score: 1450 (700 EBRW, 750 Math)
SCAT (8th Grade)
CTY High Honors (484 Verbal, 501 Math)
STB (8th Grade)
CTY High Honors (Score: 625)
WISC-V (2nd Grade)
Extremely High (138 Full Scale, 146 Verbal)

References

Dr. Michael Yetman
Director of Science Programs, Proof School
Ryan Gannon
Co-founder and CEO, Watney Robotics, Inc.