* hi! hope you're doing well! welcome :) *

RUTHIEZHANG.

Based in Waterloo, Canada · Biomedical Engineering @ University of Waterloo

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Digital Creator Bookworm Volleyball Player Outdoor Enthousiast Baker Entrepreneur Digital Creator Biomedical Engineering Bookworm Volleyball Player Adventure Lover Hiker
* who I am

About me.

Hi there! My name is Ruthie, and I’m going into my second year of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Waterloo. I’m super passionate about biotech, medtech, and neuroscience, and in my free time I build fun software projects that I come up with randomly.

Right now I’m working on LinkedOut, basically LinkedIn, but instead of sharing your job titles, you share your hobbies and passions, and you connect with people based on interests. I’m also building a food website where you input the ingredients you already have at home and it’ll scrape the internet to find recipes you can make.

Outside of that, I love to read (I’m currently reading My Brilliant Friend), I vlog (check out my YouTube @adventureswithruthie), and I loveeeee traveling and exploring new places.

Some stuff I've done...

0 candles sold
0 donated to cancer research
0 initiatives sponsored
600K+ residents represented
A Typical Morning Routine:
☐ 5:30am Wake up
☐ 5:30 - 6 Read
☐ 6 - 6:15 Get Ready
☐ 6:15 - 8 Exercise
☐ 8 - 8:30 Shower
☐ 8:30 - 9 Breakkie
✦ Where I am now...

Currently a Neural Engineering intern at UNIMORE in Modena, Italy. My work involves wet lab experiments with rat brain tissue for a dental implant device, alongside a computational project where I’m building a deep learning model that tracks volleyball players and uses biomechanics to identify movements linked to injury.

✦ Currently working on...

LinkedOut App - LinkedIn but for hobbies
Adventures with Ruthie - my YouTube!
Food app - Make food no matter what you have

my motto in life:

"Everything's a win when the goal is experience."

* What I'm Part of

Experience.

May 2026 — Present UNIMORE
Neural Engineering Intern - UNIMORE
  • Cultured primary rat neurons over a month-long experimental cycle, performing immunostaining and calcium imaging to assess cell viability and neural activity
  • Used MATLAB to analyze electrophysiological data, quantifying electrical firing patterns and signal properties across neuron populations
  • Built a deep learning model with pose detection to track volleyball players to prevent injury
MATLABWet LabBiomechanicsPython
Sept 2025 — Present University of Waterloo
Mechanical Team Member — Biomechatronics Design Team
  • Designing detailed CAD models of mechanical components for a soft exoskeleton in SolidWorks
  • Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to develop and refine exoskeleton prototypes
SolidWorksCADBiomechanics
January 2026 — Present University of Waterloo
Lab & Design Team Member — iGEM
  • Investigated Staphylococcus aureus bacterial sensing and inhibition mechanisms as a synthetic biology solution for skincare applications within the iGEM international competition
  • Conducted literature reviews and contributed to research papers proposing genetically engineered biological systems to detect and suppress S. aureus on skin
Wet LabExcelWord
Mar 2021 — Aug 2025 Independent
Founder & Operator — Natural Designs Co
  • Founded and operated a vegan candle brand sold in retail stores and internationally
  • Built a custom e-commerce website from scratch
  • Sold 500+ candles, donated $1,000 to cancer research, sponsored 3 Ontario cancer initiatives
  • Featured on CBC
EntrepreneurshipWeb DesignE-CommerceMarketing
Sept 2023 — Aug 2024 Waterloo Region
Youth Advisory Committee Member
  • Collaborated on civic improvement projects including the Charles Street Terminal revitalization
  • Delivered presentations to Regional Staff, Council, and community members
  • Represented youth voices impacting 600,000+ residents
Public SpeakingLeadershipCivic Engagement
* What I've Built

Projects.

Lip Reading Project Image
Python
Lip Reading Deep Learning Model

Deep learning model that performs visual speech recognition by analyzing mouth movements in video frames.

Lip Reading Project Image
Python
Machine Learning Bicep Counter

I created and trained a machine learning model using Python and imported libraries to detect and count bicep curls from video input. I fine tuned the model to achieve better performance in detecting bicep curls and integrated the trained model into a real-time application that can analyze live video feeds.

Van
Solidworks CAD
Volkswagon Van

I’ve been getting into 3D printing lately and it’s actually so fun. I’ve made a VW van and in a group project, flower with a rod and gear system that opens when you turn it, all modeled in SolidWorks.

sentiment analysis
Python
Sentiment Analysis Model

Used Python to create a Sentiment Analysis classifier with NLTK's VADER and Huggingface Roberta Transformers. This project compares two different models and classifies the sentiment of amazon customer reviews.

Flower Puzzle
Solidworks CAD
Mechanical Flower Puzzle

Developed a functional mechanical flower with a gear and rod system in SolidWorks, collaborating in a team to create a 3D printed prototype.

Catan
Solidworks CAD
Catan for Players with Tremors

Redesigned game components in SolidWorks to improve grip, stability, and ease of manipulation, incorporating larger interaction surfaces and constrained placement features. Collaborated in a team to iterate designs based on usability considerations and inclusive design principles..

* where I learn

Education.

Waterloo
University of Waterloo
BASc Biomedical Engineering · Exp. Graduation April 2030
Biomechatronics Design Team iGEM Serve Volleyball Club
English · Native French · DELF B2 Mandarin · Native

Life outside
school.

* hover over the image

I LOVE hiking. If I could hike everyday, I would. Last summer I hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, a 10 day, 176km hike through France, Switzerland and Italy. The summer before that, I stayed in Banff, working at a restaurant and summiting over 30 peaks.

I love making YouTube vlogs. I think it's such a fun way to document life! Check it out YouTube!

Cooking is one of my favourite hobbies. I'm constantly trying new recipes. Right now, there's a carrot cake baking in the oven!

I journal so much, sometimes multiple times a day. I write about how my day went so in the future I can look back on it, and what I'm currently feeling. It's a great way to get things off my chest.

I love exploring new places. This year alone I went to 9 countries! There's something so special about experiencing a new way of life, eating the local food, and seeing everything a new place has to offer. It really exposes you to so many new things and shows you how big and beautiful the world is.

I've been playing volleyball since I was 11 years old. I played for the KW Preds for 7 years and now that I'm in university, I coach when I can and play for fun!

Whenever I have just 30 minutes of free time, you best believe a book is in my hands. I'm currently reading My Brilliant Friend. Check out my Goodreads!

* get in touch

Let's
connect.

Open to co-op opportunities, collabs, research, or just a really good conversation.