Alexia Popescu

Alexia Popescu is from Romania and graduated from “Mircea cel Batran” National College, Ramnicu Valcea. She is majoring in Financial Engineering and minoring in Computer Science and Statistics.

When Alexia was young, she used to think of the research world as a kind of magic because it was able to create amazing things and insightful conclusions out of 'nothing'. From furthering education and making it more accessible to providing better healthcare and making life-changing discoveries to predicting and avoiding environmental catastrophes, research is, to her, an immense source of inspiration and a movement she wants to be a central part of.

Her first contact with the research world was three years ago when she applied for an internship at the Center for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL). There, she started working on "I, HUMAN", a project during which she contributed to the construction of a microscope that analyses facial expressions of people and detects their emotions. "I, HUMAN" was a part of the exhibition at ArsElectronica, in Linz, Austria. Moreover, she joined the CETAL team on other projects related to optics. She worked on printing and developing nanostructures using Nanoscribe, analyzed their qualities, and characterized them.

After being immersed in the research scenery and working with physicists to reach the final product for “I, HUMAN”, she found herself wanting to do more. Thus, she joined a research facility closer to home, namely, the National R&D Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies where she worked on the improvement of methods for separating tritium and deuterium from tritiated heavy water as well as on the development of a Conceptual Model for a new Matrix Heat Exchanger.

Working in Magurele, Bucharest, helped her find even more opportunities to deepen her scientific knowledge. She decided to collaborate with the Nuclear Forensics laboratory at Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering. There, she worked with Gamma-Ray spectrometry to determine pollution in natural samples, and she carried out the preliminary analysis on a Uranium sample for a nuclear reactor. This brought on the opportunity for her to represent the institute at the International Technical Working Group (ITWG) meeting where she was able to get acquainted with dozens of research projects from all over the world.

Throughout the past summer, she decided to apply to Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes and take the Artificial Intelligence course. To further the exploration of her newfound passion, Alexia applied for another internship with a small firm in Bucharest. There she found another side of programming, closer to the people and more direct in impact. She worked on two projects, one of which was her initiative, wrote and reviewed code for them and a few others, and participated in discussions with partners and clients.

Alexia is also very interested in volunteering and social inclusion. She was the national Service Coordinator for the LEO 124 District, a Youth Delegate on Social Inclusion for UNICEF ECARO, the co-founder of the Girls Coding Club at her school, and a member of the robotics team, overseeing dozens of projects on making robotics more accessible to everyone, a GEYC club member, and a volunteer for the Romanian Development Camp.

Right now, Alexia is interested in exploring multi-disciplinary research fields and expanding her horizons as a future scientist. She is open and eager to explore and find the best way to be a true representative of the Engineering for Humanity movement.