Shean Rahman

I'm currently a junior studying applied physics with a computer science minor at Columbia Engineering. My journey began in aerospace engineering at the University of Virginia, where I spent my freshman year designing and flying rockets. I ended up transferring to Columbia, focusing my studies at the intersection of AI/ML with real world physics.

I'm motivated by work that pushes ideas into real impact, beyond papers or simulations and into the world. This mindset has led me from rockets to fusion plasmas to autonomous robots, areas where progress is tangible and meaningfully felt. I am especially drawn to problems where understanding the underlying physics directly shapes outcomes, turning theory into systems that perform reliably in practice.

I am interested in building things with clear purpose, where each effort contributes toward something larger. I want the work to compound toward meaningful outcomes, whether that's cleaner energy, smarter machines, or tools that genuinely improve people's lives.

Outside of academics, I train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, do physics/astronomy with Columbia Spectra and Blueshift, and spend time reading and listening to podcasts on startups and neuroscience.