Jake Li
Hi, I'm Jake. I study mechanical engineering at Columbia, and I build hardware along with the software that runs it.
Go ahead, knock a letter over. The arm cleans up after you.
I am currently...I was...
- Columbia Plasma Physics LabManufacturing EngineerFeb 2025 to now
Building the CUTE tokamak: CAD, FEA, and 10,000 A cable splices.
- Costream (YC S25)AI/ML Research EngineerNov 2025 to now
A blind-vote speech model arena, past 10,000 votes.
- Columbia Space InitiativePropulsion FluidsSep 2024 to now
A PID-driven LOX valve against 4.5 ksi upstream.
- QuadrupedPersonal projectSep 2026 to now
A sub-$300 robot dog running a 50 Hz trot.
work.
- CUTE TokamakStructure, current paths and vacuum for a university fusion device.
- PID LOX Ball ValveReplacing a bang-bang solenoid with a valve a controller can actually steer.
- E-Reg Subscale TestCharacterizing an electronic regulator before it ever touches LOX.
- Quadruped RobotA sub-$300 dog that trots, built on a five-bar leg reduced to 2-link IK.
off the clock.
I race FPV drones, on a quad I designed and built.
I run along the Hudson.
I fly model rockets and boost gliders for the US National Space Modeling Team.
I built a BTC prediction-market bot on Kalshi, with Kelly sizing and a kill switch. Paper trading only.