Zixian
“Jason” Zhang
I am an Aerospace Engineering student at UCLA with a passion for creative technology. I love building things that work beautifully.
Specimen
Manifest
ML Phase Reconstruction
Jet-in-crossflow PIV: preprocessing, labelling and training, vortex classification, phase assignment, phase-advance reconstruction
Propeller CFD
Thrust, torque and cavitation for a hybrid aerial–underwater drone, before the vehicle is drawn
Manufacturing Team
P2 landing gear and airframe, AIAA DBF 2026
Tier F Rocket
Carry an egg to 3,000 ft and bring it back
Prometheus GSE
N₂O fill system for a hybrid rocket
Laser-Cut PC Case
Two iterations, one warped and one right
Spy Agent Device
UCLA HAcK 2025 · Honorable Mention
AI GIF Pipeline
Image-to-GIF generator: Python backend, Electron front end
Europa Moe Project
Large-scale mod for Barotrauma
Log
| 2027·06 | TARGET | B.S. Aerospace Engineering, UCLA. Available full-time | |
| 2026·06 | MISSION | MacLab propeller CFD for a hybrid aerial–underwater drone begins | EXP-09 → |
| 2026·06 | MISSION | EPRL jet-in-crossflow research begins (SURP) | EXP-08 → |
| 2026·04 | AWARD | DBF 2026: UCLA 3rd worldwide | EXP-07 → |
| 2026·02 | MISSION | Joined Design/Build/Fly | EXP-07 → |
| 2026·02 | TEST | Prometheus GSE passes LP/HP qualification | EXP-05 → |
| 2025·12 | MISSION | Tier F rocket flown, egg recovered | EXP-06 → |
| 2025·10 | AWARD | Henry B. and Elsie Clay Fund, UCLA Samueli | |
| 2025·09 | MISSION | Joined Rocket Project GSE | EXP-05 → |
| 2025·07 | MISSION | UCLA HAcK 2025, Honorable Mention | EXP-03 → |
| 2025·06 | MISSION | Hovian AI software internship | EXP-02 → |
| 2025·06 | STAGING | A.S. Mechanical Engineering, Pasadena City College; transfer to UCLA Aerospace | |
| 2024·12 | AWARD | PCC Honors in Mathematics and in Physics | |
| 2023·11 | AWARD | 3rd at PCC, AMATYC Student Mathematics League | |
| 2023·01 | CREW | Physics tutor, Pasadena City College | |
| 2022·05 | LAUNCH | Europa Moe Project published on the Steam Workshop | EXP-01 → |
Skill matrix
| Skill | EXP-08 ML Phase Reconstruction | EXP-09 Propeller CFD | EXP-07 Manufacturing Team | EXP-06 Tier F Rocket | EXP-05 Prometheus GSE | EXP-04 Laser-Cut PC Case | EXP-03 Spy Agent Device | EXP-02 AI GIF Pipeline | EXP-01 Europa Moe Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAD & fabrication | |||||||||
| SolidWorks | |||||||||
| Fusion 360 | |||||||||
| 3D printing | |||||||||
| Laser cutting | |||||||||
| Composite layup | |||||||||
| Aero & flow analysis | |||||||||
| ANSYS Fluent CFD | |||||||||
| PIV data reduction | |||||||||
| POD · Q-criterion | |||||||||
| OpenRocket | |||||||||
| Experiment | |||||||||
| Hot-wire anemometry | |||||||||
| Laser-sheet alignment | |||||||||
| Pressure qualification | |||||||||
| P&ID design | |||||||||
| Software | |||||||||
| Python | |||||||||
| MATLAB | |||||||||
| C++ · C# | |||||||||
| React · Electron | |||||||||
| Lua · XML | |||||||||
| Electronics | |||||||||
| Pico W · ESP32 | |||||||||
| Circuit design | |||||||||
| BMP388 telemetry | |||||||||
Selected coursework
- AerodynamicsB+
- Intermediate Fluid DynamicsA
- ThermodynamicsA+
- Transport PhenomenaA-
- Modelling and Analysis of Dynamic SystemsA-
Bar: one slot per letter-grade step, F to A+
Comm channels
Looking for full-time aerospace roles from Spring 2027.
Experimental fluids, CFD, and flight hardware: from PIV post-processing to landing gear and oxidizer plumbing.