Hello! I'm Charlie Zhang,a UCD CS Student.

Driven by learning and a love for technology, I constantly
explore new technologies and challenge my limits.

About Me

I'm a Stage 3 Computer Science with Data Science & Artificial Intelligence student at University College Dublin. I'm passionate about technology, open-minded, and constantly driven by curiosity. I placed 3rd in Google's AI Hackathon, and I'm particularly interested in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Software Development, and Mathematics. I enjoy learning new tools, building projects, and pushing myself to grow in every area.

Tech Stack

Java

Spring Boot

Spring Security

SQL

FastAPI

Python

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Ollama

Docker

Kubernetes

x86 Assembly

Node.js

Next.js

React.js

TypeScript

Tailwind CSS

HTML5

CSS3

Scheme

Tools I Use

Git

GitHub

Windows

Linux / WSL

Vercel

Postman

JUnit

Education

University College Dublin

BSc Computer Science with Data Science & AI

Expected May 2027

Dublin, Ireland

Highlights

Microsoft 365 Migration Steering Committee — Student Representative representing ~41,000 students
Science Taught Programmes Board - Computer Science Representative for ~1,200+ students
Class Representative for ~150 students (Stage 2)
SU Class Representative for ~150 students (Stage 3)
UCD NetSoc Ordinary Committee Member
Peer Mentor
Access Leader
Career Mentoring Programme
UCD Formula Student - Powertrain Department

Technical Coursework

Algorithms & Data Structures
Operating Systems (x86, RISC-V, Linux)
Computer Networking
Databases & SQL
Software Engineering (C & Java)
Python for Data Science
Introduction to AI & Information Security
Discrete Mathematics & Linear Algebra
Probability & Statistics with Python
Functional Programming in Scheme

Blackrock Further Education Institute

QQI Level 5 Certificate in Software Development (5M0529)

Distinction (Top Grade)

May 2023

Dublin, Ireland

Highlights

Graduated with Full Distinction (Highest Grade Awarded)
Built strong foundations in software development and programming
Developed strong problem-solving ability and technical reasoning skills

Technical Coursework

Object Oriented Programming (Java)
Database Methods
Software Architecture
Web Authoring (HTML & CSS)

Recent projects

JWT Authentication & Authorization Service

Stateless authentication API built with Spring Boot and Spring Security, featuring JWT-based login, role-based access control, BCrypt password hashing, and protected REST endpoints, packaged with Docker for consistent deployment.

LLM Security Gateway

AI security proxy built with FastAPI that evaluates prompts before they reach a live LLM, combining rule-based checks and ML classifiers to detect prompt injection and jailbreak attempts, containerised with Docker and integrated with a local Ollama backend.

PathPilot

Placed 3rd overall at the Google AI Student Hackathon with PathPilot, an AI-powered student career guidance app built by a team of five. It generates personalised university and career paths using LLM reasoning, weighted scoring, and a multi-step questionnaire.

Experience

Microsoft 365 Migration Steering Committee — Student Representative

UCD - Jan 2025 - Present

Chosen to represent the student body of about 41,000 students at University College Dublin in discussions around the university-wide Microsoft 365 migration affecting learning and campus systems
Worked with senior university leaders and other stakeholders to share the student perspective on rollout plans, communications, and maintaining smooth services during the transition

Science Taught Programmes Board - Computer Science Representative

UCD Students' Union - Sep 2025 - Present

Represent the School of Computer Science on the Science Taught Programmes Board for 1,200+ students
Review proposed changes to curriculum structure, assessment weightings, and module offerings

Science Taught Programmes Board - Computer Science Representative

Students’ Union Class Representative

UCD Students' Union - Sep 2025 - Present

Collaborate with faculty and the Students' Union on academic policy and assessment improvements
Support communication between Stage 3 students, the School of Computer Science, and UCDSU

Powertrain Software Engineer (VCU)

UCD Formula Student - Sep 2025 - Present

Develop embedded C and C++ software for the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU)
Implement sensor integration, dashboard logic, and safety behaviour for an electric race car
Perform real-hardware debugging and reliability improvements on the powertrain system

Ordinary Council Member

UCD Netsoc(Internet Society) - Sep 2025 - Present

Supported society events, workshops, and technical initiatives

AI Model Evaluation Analyst

Outlier - Apr 2025 - Present - Remote

Write and review computer science questions and answers to train generative AI models
Evaluate AI-generated responses for correctness, clarity, and depth
Provide detailed technical feedback and prompt designs to improve model behaviour

Access Leader

UCD Access and Lifelong Learning - Mar 2025 - Present

Delivered campus tours and outreach activities for diverse groups of prospective students
Assisted UCD Access and Lifelong Learning staff with event setup, registration, and student engagement activities

Class Representative

University College Dublin - Sep 2024 - Aug 2025

Elected to represent a class of ~150 Computer Science students
Collected feedback, raised academic concerns, and negotiated deadline and assessment adjustments
Organised a five-a-side football match with NetSoc funding to help classmates relax and unwind from academic pressure

Sales Colleague

Currys PC World - Jul 2023 - Aug 2024 - Full-time & Part-time

Worked part-time during university term and full-time during peak periods at Ireland's No.1 Currys store
Advised customers on laptops, TVs, and smart devices while building strong technical product knowledge
Supported stock handling, deliveries, and inventory updates to keep sales and logistics running smoothly

Warehouse Operative

Amazon - Aug 2022 - Oct 2022 - Full-time

Supported the launch of Amazon's first fulfilment facility in Ireland, assisting with setup and daily operations
Operated scanners and pallet trucks to manage inventory efficiently in a fast-paced warehouse
Completed First Aid training and served as a certified First Aider while helping onboard new team members