Xinyi Ma

During Xinyi Ma’s time as an electrical engineering student at Arizona State University, she says she discovered a love of research and learning about all of the different aspects of the field.

“I was scared of failure, but during my research experiences and the time I spent in labs, I was encouraged and supported by many students and professors,” Ma says. “I gained more confidence in my abilities thanks to them.”

She gained research experience working in the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute’s compact x-ray free electron laser research facility, also known as CXFEL, and the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering’s Machine learning, Algorithm and Design, or MAD, Lab.

Ma built and tested radio frequency systems in CXFEL and implemented Python coding for machine learning in the field of computational biology in the MAD Lab. Currently, she is interested in researching circuits and signal processing but says she is eager to experiment with new areas of electrical engineering knowledge.

Ma says her time as an engineering student has given her a more independent perspective on solving problems when devices malfunction.

“When something doesn’t work correctly, I try to find the manual, learn what the problem is and solve it myself,” she says.

Ma also took time to explore extracurricular activities on campus, volunteering as an ambassador for the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. She helped acquaint prospective students with the school and connected current students with events, advice and answers to their questions about life as an electrical engineering student.

Ma also volunteered in the Global Launch program, which helps international students improve their English abilities and supports their transition to life as students in the U.S.

While she isn’t sure what her career will look like in the long term, Ma knows she wants to go to graduate school. She’s waiting to find out the results from the universities she applied to before deciding which one to attend.

“I love my major and I want to keep learning and doing research in this area,” she says.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ Fall 2022 class here.