Hi! I'm Christiana.

In everything I do, I approach challenges with a systems-thinking mindset—balancing analytical precision with the ability to think big picture. I thrive in interdisciplinary environments, where I can collaborate with experts from diverse fields to discuss complex problems. I place great value on understanding the people I work with, learning what drives them, and ensuring we align on a shared vision.

As a student researcher and teammate, I prioritize asking the right questions and never settle for incomplete explanations. My goal is to develop solutions that are functionally refined and well thought out. I am also deeply interested in understanding the compromises that must be made during the design process—how to allocate time and resources effectively, as well as managing both the project and team dynamics. I excel at identifying the best person for each task and am skilled at initiating networking to overcome knowledge gaps and collaborate across disciplines.

Click to access my full resume/CV

R E C E N T R E S E A R C H W O R K

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA DEVICE DEVELOPMENT

Advised by Prof. Ellen Roche

NEWEST PROJECT: ACOUSTIC OPTIMIZATION OF PUMP BOX

My research scholarship is fully sponsored by the MechE Research and Innovation Scholars Program. I am currently participating in the Advanced Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (SuperUROP) working on my thesis-qualifying project:

Acoustics, Design, and User-Interface Optimized Redesign of a Pump Enclosure for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Device Clinical Studies

Work in progress. See my approved proposal here.

SUBPROJECT: ORAL DEVICE DESIGN

Patent pending design work.

High level overview: Assessed key issues in an existing research device and developed three new designs to improve functionality. Learned advanced CAD techniques to repair and optimize complex oral scan-derived meshes.

SUBPROJECT: SMART PUMP BOX REDESIGN

Recently my team decided to switch from a one pump design to a two pump design. This drastically changed the original pump box layout. Much of my work with this project involved completely redesigning the internal layout of the pump box including electronic PCB components, saliva accumulation pods, and most importantly, suspending the pumps in isolation so they did not produce noise through vibration against other subcomponents.

Here, I designed the suspension mechanism for the two pumps above the PCB board, effectively handling the dynamics of the pump and preventing rattling against other components.

FRONT VIEW

TOP VIEW

SIDE VIEW

SUBPROJECT: SALIVA ACCUMULATION POD REDESIGN FOR IMPROVED MANUFACTURING

Problem: Original manufacturing process of custom saliva accumulation cup pods was tedious and subject to manufacturing error and leakage due to use of gluing and complex tubing interfaces (see process below).

Solution: Through my redesign, I eliminated the complexity of the design and made the entire cup lid one solid piece (see above) saving our team time and improving efficacy drastically in the mass manufacturing of these pods, which are disposed of after each clinical study participant trial.

MY DESIGN

SUBPROJECT: WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

I created the website and investor-facing materials to bring awareness of our product to specifically potential business partners and new clinical study participants.

MY INTERNSHIP AT SMITHGROUP INTEGRATED DESIGN

Left Picture: Air Duct Design Schematic I worked on!

PROJECT: HEATING, COOLING, AND PRESSURE CALCUATIONS

MY INTERNSHIP AT MAGLEV AERO

Some of the (non-NDA) work I did at Maglev Aero, a startup specializing in efficient and ultraquiet eVTOL flights using magnetic levitation technology!

LEM Sensor Installation

Blade Block Spacer Design

Rotor Deflection Analysis

Torque Calculation Program

Other Technical Projects

Robotic Self Feeding Device

Worked on a 10-person team with one co-designer to develop autonomous lightweight feeding system.

Smarter Safety Glasses

Engineering Design and Development Capstone Project

MIT Momentum 2025 Competition

Award-winning design concept, "Autonomous Patrol of Firefighting Robots" under the 2025 Momentum Challenge, "Wildfire Prevention"

Undergraduate Research @ the Hu Lab: Biosensing Chip Housing

Custom design, toleranced for perfect fit microfluidic chip alignment and stabilization.

Civil Engineering & Architecture (PLTW)

Constrained design practiceThese two assignments were focused on creating scaled sketches made to comply with specific design constraints (ex., fixed area, materials, or client specifications).Left: Curtain wall designRight: Green roof design proposal

Residence Drawing

(Client: C. Melchin)

This drawing was created using Revit. This design was translated from a drawn-to-scale sketch (see portfolio). The Revit sketch shows multiple views of the residence, as well as a detailed floor plan.

C R E A T I V E W O R K

MIT Gala 2025

[a luminous ice-blue silk dress with flowing opalescent organza, adorned with crystal, silver, and pearl embellishments + a dreamy cascading ocean wave train, paired with silky cream pants in Vietnamese áo dài style]

MIT Gala 2024

My dress, featured at the 2024 MIT Gala fashion show, designed and fabricated by me.

Design inspired by Korean traditional Hanbok.

Diane von Fürstenberg Showcase

I was selected to represent the MIT Morningside Academy of Design and present my fashion design work to Diane von Fürstenberg, Belgian fashion designer and creator of the wrap dress.

Electric Guitar Making Class (IAP 2025)

Built a functional electric guitar from start to finish, utilizing various woodworking hand tools and machinery, including a drill press, bandsaw, wood router, and completing the wood finishing process, along with wiring electronics components

C O M M U N I T Y

At AmpSurf events, I support Adaptive Surf Therapy for individuals with disabilities by ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for participants, including those on the austistic spectrum, limb loss, and paraplegia.

I designed the panels for Historic New England's Eustis Estate exhibition, "Music and Motion: The Chesnut Family Legacy"

For 11 years, I volunteered at the annual Summer Olympic Game in a variety of athletic events including sailing and track + field. I took on various roles including volunteer registration, meal services, and assistant coaching.

P E R F O R M A N C E

All Easterns Treble Chorus (NAFME)

MIT Latin Dance Performance Team

All States Performance 2022 (MMEA)

"Lost in Time" Original Composition Performance (2023)

F I L M M A K E R & A N I M A T O R I N Q U I R I E S

I've been writing and composing original music since I was very young, and it's been a lifelong dream of mine to collaborate with filmmakers and animators in creating art that touches the soul. My goal is to write music that's laced with nostalgia, amplifies character emotions, and most importantly tells a story.
If you would like your film to be scored by me, please contact me at cpnguyen@mit.edu. Below are some of my recent projects!

YenAnita,Chih-YunTsai-Departure-1920x1080-24fps-Prores4444.mov.mov

"DEPARTURE"

A Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Collaboration

This film was created by animator Anita Yen and illustrator Kate Tsai."Departure" is their film about the feeling of leaving home, following snippets of Kate and Anita's memories from life back in Taiwan.

"TRACK 33"

A MassArt CollaborationAnimator: Lauren Wilcox

"TERRA INCOGNITA"

Original piece composed for string quartet. Performed live by the Sheffield Chamber Players at MIT.

"VIGNETTES AND RYE"

Original piece composed in collaboration with Y. Mei for symphony orchestra.

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