About

Amy Sun [amys at mit dot edu]

I’m a PhD student in the Physics and Media group in the Center for Bits and Atoms led by Neil Gershenfeld. We broadly explore how the content of information relates to its physical representation. My particular area of interest is a cellular automata approach to energy conversion where energy is treated in discrete, infrangible units. These energy units are treated as if they were data bits and moved about the conversion media by CA rules (meaning they only communicate to nearest-neighboor cells). This research is often nicknamed “conformal energy” and I maintain a work blog named “erg“.

I am often a TA of MIT MAS.863 “How to Make (Almost) Anything” offered most fall semesters, and sometimes MAS.961 “How to Make Something That Makes (Almost) Anything” offered erradically in the spring.

I am heavily involved in the deployment and growth of Fab Lab’s around the world. I also often teach a one or two week long heavily condensed version of “How To Make (Almost) Anything” in Fab Labs around the world. My pet Fab Lab projects are generally to do with energy, robotics, or inane fun toys.  Most recently I have been particularly involved with standing up a fab lab near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

I have a dual B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering from Purdue University. I recently completed an M.S. at MIT in Digital Fabrication where my thesis was concerned with field fabrication of solar powered steam turbines.