Ruyu Yan

Department: Computer Science
Faculty Adviser: Adam Finkelstein
Year of Study: G2
Undergraduate School: Cornell University
Undergraduate Major: Computer Science

Personal Bio

Hi! My name is Ruyu and I am a PhD student in Computer Science. I'm from Guangzhou, a city in southern China famous for dim sum. I'm part of the HUA Chinese Dance Group and the Playhouse Choir at Princeton. In my spare time, I like cooking, swimming, walking/biking around campus. Recently, I'm trying to pick up Kendo (a Japanese martial art) after a long gap since I graduated from college.

I started my undergrad with an intended major in Environmental Engineering, but then got interested in robotics and wanted to study Electrical and Computer Engineering. However, after my second semester, I realized that I liked software more than hardware and decided to major in Computer Science. I was introduced to research through a summer program in my sophomore summer. I developed an iOS application that guides people in capturing time-lapses with their phones, and published my first paper about it. That experience encouraged me to apply for grad school. If you feel uncertain about your academic interest and/or career path as I did, we can chat about it!

Fun Fact

I went to high school in both China and Costa Rica.

Research Pitch

My research focuses on the intersection of vision/graphics/HCI, specifically within the realm of AI-driven content creation tools. I aim to develop intelligent systems that empower novice users to express their creativity in areas typically requiring expert knowledge—such as photography, image and video editing, and digital painting.

At the core of my work is designing mathematical models that address both the technical challenges of vision and graphics and the intricacies of user experience. A distinctive aspect of my research is the freedom to define problems that are often application-driven, where existing solutions are rare or non-existent.

For instance, we observed how artists skillfully use color contrast in paintings and developed a tool that allows users to apply similar principles in image editing. Another example involves creating special lens effects on mobile phones; this led us to explore 3D scene reconstruction and appearance editing to simulate these effects.

In developing these systems, I integrate cutting-edge methods from vision and graphics with insights from HCI for interface design and usability testing. This work is interdisciplinary and demands extensive engineering efforts, blending creativity with technical rigor to craft tools that make complex tasks accessible to everyone.

Plans for Summer 2025

Interested in participating in Summer 2025 ReMatch+ program.