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About

Hi! I am Biru, a designer and engineer working at the intersection of architecture, AI, and creative technology. At MIT, I explore how computation and design can shape new ways of interacting with space, materials, and systems. My work has been recognized by the iF Design Award, A’ Design Award, and IDA, and supported by MIT innovation programs. I co-founded FOODres.AI, a 3D printer that turns food scraps into functional objects. My research has been published in Urban Climate and presented at ACADIA. I’m interested in building tools and experiences that push boundaries and make emerging technologies more accessible and expressive.

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Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Master of Science in Design Computation (with merit fellowship), GPA: 4.9/5.0  

Master of Science in EECS

Harvard University
Master of Architecture Ⅰ

Nanjing University, School of Architecture and Urban Planning                                
Bachelor of Engineering, Major in Urban Planning, GPA: 3.8/4.0  

Skills

Design: UI/UX, AR/VR, 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Prototyping

Software: Figma, Blender, Unity, Rhino+Grasshopper, AutoCAD, Cinema4D, SketchUp, Lumion, Adobe Creative Suite

Programming & ML: Python, C#, JavaScript (Three.js), HTML/CSS, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Open3D, PyTorch3D, COLMAP

Work Experience

Hosta AI: Software Engineer, 3D Computer Vision

MIT: Winter Semester Workshop Instructor, Research Assistant

Manufacturing@MIT Working Group: Frontend Developer

Arup, Shanghai: Junior Architect

Harvard FAS Chinese Art Media Lab: Design Engineer

Internships

Harvard FAS Chinese Art Media Lab: Research Assistant
Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects: Architecture Intern
East China Architectural Design & Research Institute: Urban Design Intern
Institute of Urban Planning and Design, Nanjing University: Urban Design Intern

Publications & Conferences

Cao, B., Sun, M., & Bardhan, R. (2024). Measuring shaded bike lanes for heat stress mitigation with deep learning: A case study in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Urban Climate, 57, 102126.

ACADIA (Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture) 2024 Conference

Project Presentation: Street View Scene Reconstruction via Multi-View Sketches Using Deep Learning.
Sustainable Cities and Society

Reviewer

Urban Climate

Reviewer

Honors & Awards

​iF Design Award 2025 Winner

2024 International Design Awards (IDA), Honorable Mention

2024 IDEAS Social Innovation Challenge Cohort

MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund Program 2024 Spring Funding

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund 2023

2024 Independent Activities Period (IAP) Mini-Grant

MIT School of Architecture and Planning Merit Fellowship

Xu Xin International Exchange Scholarship

Activities

Harvard XR 2023 Extended Intelligence Conference, Planning Team Member
China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation, Volunteer

Exhibitions

Special Exhibition of Yongning Temple in Luoyang, Northern Wei Dynasty, Luoyang Museum

"Peony Pavillion: An Object Play" Immersive Theatre, Harvard University

2023-2025

2017-2021
 

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© 2024 by Biru Cao

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