Stellina Ao
Computer Science BS with Minors in Bioengineering and Math
Teen uses machine learning and AI to improve the lives of stroke survivors
Stellina Ao’s journey at Cal State LA has been marked by exceptional achievements. At just 16 years old, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, double minors in both biomedical engineering and mathematics, and contributions to an impactful research project that could help stroke victims and support future research.
Stellina joined Dr. Deborah Won’s Neural Engineering Technology Laboratory (NETlab) to work on improving the lives not only of stroke survivors, but also those individuals with motor impairments, paraplegia, or amputations. “The device that we’re working on is basically trying to establish a synthetic connection between the brain and an actuator, such as a prosthetic limb,” Stellina explained.
After a year in NETlab, Stellina was rollerblading when she met a neighbor whose brother is a stroke survivor with stroke-induced motor impairments. This first-hand experience so close to home helped her visualize the potential impact of her research. Stellina shared that she understood at a deeper level how “engineering and computer science play a big role in shaping our world; and the responsibility of the engineers and software developers to establish a personal connection to the people their work will impact.”
Stellina’s research is at the intersection of sensorimotor neuroscience, machine learning, and biomedical engineering. Specifically, she is working on software for brain-computer interfaces with an aim to develop a more efficient machine learning algorithm that decodes motor intent from neural activity.
“Stellina leapt forward with implementing new algorithms from papers she had read. I know this ambitious, bold quality of hers will serve her well in becoming a researcher who solves the hardest challenges in the medical world,” said Won, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering who is one of Ao’s faculty mentors.
Stellina’s first love was math, and by sixth grade she was already taking calculus. She developed her interest in computer science and artificial intelligence after taking online and in-person courses that were offered to youth across the United States by Johns Hopkins University.
The summer after sixth grade she enrolled at Cal State LA through the Early Entrance Program. The program accepts gifted students between the ages of 11-15 as full-time students into the University’s Honors College.
“I really like logic puzzles. I enjoy the logic involved in the coding process, which was what drew me to computer science,” Stellina said. “At about 11 or 12, I became really interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence. At the time, I didn’t even know that AI was such a big deal. I thought about how cool it would be to simulate intelligence and consciousness — these really abstract, broad frontiers of science.”
Stellina knew at an early age that she wanted to go into a field that would benefit others, and after she enrolled at Cal State LA, she was able to combine all her interests together.
“Something that is really characteristic of my education at Cal State LA is just how interdisciplinary everything is,” she said. “I have a diverse background in computer science, math, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience. I was able to integrate all these different aspects and cross-pollinate across fields. At Cal State LA, you get a lot of independence and license with your projects and feel like a researcher in your own right; that’s an experience that’s hard to come by as an undergraduate.”
Stellina deeply values the research opportunities she has had at Cal State LA and appreciates how her work can help others in her community. In her Honors Convocation Speech in April 2024, Stellina shared:
“Whether it’s a grandparent in the hospital, a friend with food insecurity, or a neighbor with a phobia of aircrafts, understanding the people your work affects enables you to, above all else, design to preserve human dignity. We are the engineers, designers, and creators of the technologies defining the future. We have a responsibility to the people our work impacts. So, friends, as we train to become full-fledged engineers, I invite you to approach your work with the curiosity of an inventor and the compassion of a healer.”
Stellina will begin her Master of Science in Bioengineering at UCLA in the fall. Her ultimate goal is to conduct research in academia in computational neuroscience.
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