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Hands-on microscope assembly
STUDENT · RESEARCHER · BUILDER
Hello, I'm Eric.
I study how materials behave, build tools to see the unseen, and bring what I learn into my community.
Discover moreSCIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
Bazhong, Sichuan · June 2026
Bazhong, Sichuan · June 2026
About Me
I'm Tianqi (Eric) Hu, a student at Manlius Pebble Hill School in Syracuse, New York, graduating in 2027.
At Cornell's J² Lab, I study conductive polymers and helium behavior in tungsten through molecular simulations. Independently, I built a computational microscope and am exploring how shear-stiffening polymers behave in soccer knee pad prototypes.
Outside research, I teach, organize community soccer, and make space for philosophical questions. These projects take me between the computer, the classroom, and the field.
SCHOOLManlius Pebble Hill
HOME BASESyracuse, New York
RESEARCH FOCUSComputational materials
& optical imaging
& optical imaging
RESEARCH LAB
J² Lab for Engineering
Living Materials Cornell University
Living Materials Cornell University
Research
Molecular simulations, computational imaging, and materials prototypes.
POLYMER RESEARCH / PAPER & FIGURES
Research figures: Wang, Hu & Yeo · arXiv:2510.26916
3D MICROSCOPE / PAPER & FIGURES
Research figures: Tianqi Hu (2025) · CC BY-NC 4.0
Science fair recognition 2025 · Central New York Science & Engineering Fair
Community
Teaching in Sichuan, organizing community soccer, and leading philosophical discussions.
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH · JUNE 2024 & JUNE 2026A microscope becomes
A microscope becomes
a teaching tool.
I brought prototype imaging systems into Tuxing School in Bazhong, Sichuan, connecting my optical imaging work to hands-on STEM lessons.
Alongside teaching students, I trained local teachers to operate the MATLAB-equipped systems.
100+students taught
4microscope prototypes
7laptops deployed
4teachers trained
$6,000 in sponsorship secured
A place to keep playing.
I founded a community soccer club for 45+ adults aged 55 and over, organizing weekly low-impact training and refereeing weekend scrimmages.
Founder & lead organizer · Syracuse, NY
Questions beyond the syllabus.
I founded a club that grew to 20+ members and designed a syllabus on classical Greek philosophy. Four months of biweekly discussions with Cornell PhD candidates helped refine the frameworks behind it.
I also hosted school-wide debates, including an “Apocalypse Debate,” and extended philosophical discussion into the Manlius community.
Beyond Research
Tennis, Model United Nations, soccer, and Spanish Club.
VARSITY TENNIS
Every point is a shared effort.
Team captain in Grade 11 and a starter in Grade 10. My team won the NYSPHSAA Section III championship, and I received first-team recognition.
MODEL UNITED NATIONSMaking a case.
Making a case.
Hearing another.
A senior delegate since December 2023, I have received Best Delegate at Central NY MUN and Best New Delegate at MPHMUN.
At MPHMUN XXV, I represented Nigeria in the ECOFIN committee.
VARSITY SOCCER
Finding my place in midfield.
I have played central defensive midfielder in the varsity starting lineup since Grade 9.
SPANISH CLUB
Language through community.
As secretary and a four-year member of my school's largest cultural club, I manage communications, coordinate event logistics, and help organize Hispanic heritage activities.
TOOLS I WORK WITH
PythonMATLABC++LAMMPSOVITOData visualization
Education
Manlius Pebble Hill School
Syracuse, New York · GPA 3.94/4 · SAT 1570
Johns Hopkins University
Introduction to Astronomy · 1 college credit · Grade A
With Gratitude
To my teachers, classmates, and teammates: thank you for teaching me, challenging me, and sharing so much of this journey. I am grateful for the conversations, the encouragement, and the chance to learn alongside you, in the classroom and on the field.
To Professor Jingjie Yeo: thank you for welcoming me into the J² Lab as a high school student. Your guidance over the past few years has helped me turn my interest in materials into research I could take part in. I am grateful for your patience, for taking my questions seriously, and for giving me the opportunity to keep learning beyond my school classes.
To my parents, and especially my mother, Jian Tang: thank you for supporting me as I grow and explore. You have given me room to follow my interests, try unfamiliar things, and find my own direction. Your care and encouragement have meant so much along the way.
Get in Touch
For conversations about research, projects, or community work.