This summer, Valley Catholic High School senior Zach Liu stepped into one of the world’s leading research environments — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — to study how nanotechnology can make renewable energy systems more efficient.
For three weeks, Zach worked in MIT’s Nanomechanics Lab, where his project focused on investigating the effects of nanofluids on solar panel performance.
“Nanofluids are liquids with particles suspended in them,” he explained. “They have special cooling properties that are useful to solar panels because as the temperature rises, efficiency decreases.”
To test his theories, Zach used SolidWorks, a 3D design and simulation software he taught himself using AI tools.
“I used SolidWorks to simulate properties of nanofluids,” he said. “I created models that correlated with real experiments performed by our partnering university in Jordan.”
The experience not only sharpened his technical skills but also deepened his understanding of how AI and engineering can intersect to address global challenges.
One of Zach’s most memorable moments at MIT came when he visited the biomedical lab that was developing a chip made of a clear silicone-like material with microscopic channels that mimic human capillaries.
“They used it to simulate how sickle cells clog blood flow,” he said. “What really caught my attention was how they applied AI to track the abundance of sickle cells and see how they respond to different medications. This was truly an eye-opening experience.”
Zach left MIT more certain than ever that he wants to pursue a future in engineering.
“The experience strengthened my passion for thermodynamics and energy efficiency,” he said. “I believe that in the future, with AI becoming increasingly powerful and consuming a lot more power, energy efficiency will become even more important, and thermal cooling will play a significant role.”
Cracking the Code
Zach’s curiosity and drive extends far beyond the lab. During the past year, he has earned recognition for solving several of the IBM Ponder This challenges – complex math and computer science puzzles known for stumping professional researchers.
“These problems are especially challenging, and I’m just drawn to their complexity,” Zach said. “Cracking down on these problems gives me a satisfaction unlike any other I have experienced.”
One particularly difficult problem required him to build a 5×5 matrix of digits in which every row, column, and diagonal formed prime numbers and each added up to the same total.
“Brute forcing every possible prime number would take 1,000 years for the code to complete, so I had to think differently,” he explained. “Using Python, I created a list of all 5-digit prime numbers that added up to a certain value and used only those for a certain matrix. I ensured the rows and diagonals matched and filtered out all the unnecessary primes that would have taken up time without yielding any results. The key is creating the list.”
He added,
“The feeling I get when solving these problems seems like I’ve conquered something that is well beyond me. It gives me confidence in my own abilities and sets me up for a new challenge.”
Mentorship and Motivation
Zach credits Mr. Kipp Johnson, his math teacher at Valley Catholic School, for inspiring his love of problem-solving.
“Mr. Johnson was the first to introduce me to challenging problems, even offering a few bucks for problems I was able to figure out, which I thought was fun,” Zach said. “I originally solved these problems for the money, but I began to appreciate the satisfaction of solving complex problems without the money. He has always supported me and inspired me to go beyond my capabilities, and he makes math very fun. Often solving problems with me.”
Outside the classroom, Zach enjoys coding, running EnergyPlus simulations, playing CS2, and volunteering in the community.
“I enjoy cooking and serving food to the homeless,” he said.
Looking Ahead
Zach plans to pursue a career in engineering, with a focus on thermodynamics and energy systems — fields he believes will be vital in an AI-driven world.
“With AI becoming increasingly large, these fields will be essential in running large and complex models,” he said.
For students interested in pursuing math, science, or technology, Zach offers simple but powerful advice:
“It’s important to think outside the box to come up with solutions. Rarely will solutions appear right before you,” he said. “Additionally, question everything, even if it is common sense or conventional wisdom; doing so provides a deeper understanding that moves beyond memorization.”
Zach also finds inspiration in the words of philosopher René Descartes:
“Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.’”
It is a mindset that has carried him from the classrooms of Valley Catholic to the research labs of MIT. It is a mindset that will continue to guide him as he engineers solutions for the future.
