I am a high-school senior who is passionate about music, history, and scientific research. My academic work spans co-authored research in the history of U.S. soccer; a new strain of virus that infects rhesus monkeys; and machine learning. Beyond school, I care for a bevy of interesting pets and express myself through performing jazz piano and organ. Most recently I have started lessons in carillon (bell tower)!
Education
2023 – Present
The College Preparatory School, Oakland, CA
High-school diploma (expected 2027)
Rigorous academic program with advanced coursework in history, English, mathematics, biology, and computer science.
Extracurriculars included Varsity Soccer x 4 years (captain of 24-player team; BCL Championship title; ranked #9 in state) and Speech and Debate x 4 years.
2022 – Present
Additional coursework
- Multivariable Calculus (MATH 53), University of California, Berkeley (2026)
- Plagues and Pandemics (MCELLBI 55), University of California, Berkeley (2026)
- Introduction to R for Bioinformatics, University of California, Davis Bioinformatics Core (2026)
- The Nature of Evil, Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes (2025)
- Calculus 1 (XMATH 51), University of California, Berkeley Extension (2025)
- CS50: Introduction to Computer Science, Harvard University via edX (2024)
- Algebra II, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (2022)
Experience
Summer 2026
Sparger Laboratory, University of California, Davis
Student Assistant 2
- Contributed to graduate student-led projects on rhesus rhadinovirus (co-authored manuscript submitted to Frontiers in Immunology) and myotropic adenovirus for improved vaccines
- Learned laboratory techniques including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, Agilent Bioanalyzer, molecular cloning, DNA preparation, cell culture, transfection, and light microscopy
- Applied bioinformatic techniques to create phylograms and cladograms for a new rhesus rhadinovirus strain
- Completed trainings in chemical, biological, and workplace safety
Spring 2026
Tendel Therapies Inc.
Bioinformatics Intern
- Attended laboratory meetings and journal clubs
- Learned bioinformatic techniques including sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses, using MEGA, MUSCLE/MAFFT, and IQ-TREE
Spring and Summer 2026
Algoverse
Participant and junior researcher
- Investigated modality encoding in the parameters of large language models (co-authored abstract submitted to IEEE 2027 Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision)
- Using PyTorch (Python) wrote programs to submit probes to models and collect output
- Summarized information about modality-dependent information retained at various layers of the Transformer
Spring 2024 – Present
Mathnasium
Instructor
- Teach grade-school and middle-school students basic mathematics
- Track and organize student records to monitor progress
Summer 2024, Summer 2025
Camp Loma Mar
Leader in Training
- Taught children ages 5-13 team-building skills
- Led outdoor group activities like hiking, soccer, and other games
- Learned team-building skills
- Acquired leadership skills such as organizing games, keeping kids on task, and resolving disputes
Summer 2024
KCC (Kensington Community Council) Summer Camp
Counselor in Training
- Led group activities for elementary-school-age children like capture-the-flag, card games, and hide-and-seek
- Assisted head counselors with extra jobs when needed
- Learned conflict management skills
Conference Participation
January 2027 (anticipated)
IEEE Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision
Latent Visual Reasoning: Perception, Imagination, and Multimodal Thought (Workshop)
February 2026
San Francisco Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
Presidents' Day mini-convention
Activities and Interests
Pets
Owner, feeder, and trainer of parakeets, snakes, shrimp, fish, and corals
Music
Jazz piano x 10 years
- Performed at school concerts (MS-HS) and California Jazz Academy
- Studied improvisation, theory, and jazz history
- Jazz Band, Jazz Combo
Classical/jazz organist x 2 years
- Lessons and church performances, 2025 – Present
- MPulse Summer Performing Arts Institute for organ, University of Michigan, 2026 (played the Marilyn Mason Organ)
Jazz trumpet
Carillon lessons and playing, including U. Michigan’s Lurie Tower
Extracurricular
Varsity speech (Extemporaneous)
- NSDA Degree of Excellence
- Finalist at Stanford Invitational, GGSA, Springboard, GA Speech Series
Volunteering
Oakland Public Schools
- Taught after-care classes to enrich students' education in physics, math, and reading
Other
Computer languages: Python and PyTorch, R, C, Javascript, HTML
Computer programs: MEGA, Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, Google Docs
Intermediate Spanish
Publications
History
Hartigan-O’Connor, D. P. (2026). Americanizing the Beautiful Game: The NASL and America’s Failed Bid for Cold War Soccer Dominance. The Concord Review. (Submitted / Under Review)
Immunology
Huynh, K. N., LeSon, J., Kalavacherla, S., Hartigan-O’Connor, D. P., Dutra, J., Chin, N., Le, V., Andal, D. R., Fontaine, J., Chang, W. L. W., and Deere, J. D. (2026). Neutralizing vaccination against viral interleukin-6 from a primate rhadinovirus. Frontiers in Immunology. (Submitted / Under Review)
AI and ML
Hartigan-O’Connor, D. P., et al. (2026). On Modality Awareness in Vision-Language Models. To be presented at Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision (WACV) 2027: Latent Visual Reasoning: Perception, Imagination, and Multimodal Thought.
© Desmond Hartigan-O'Connor | 2026