Biography

Hello! My name is Danny Hoang, and I like trying new things! I know it might sound crazy, but I like challenging myself so that I can learn and improve myself. I really enjoy mountain biking with my family. I just went down a trail in Scottsdale, and I’m going to Beans Peaks in Prescott, which should be really fun! I also really enjoy learning new things for fun. I don’t believe in saying “that’s impossible, I can’t do it”, so I try really anything I find interesting. Recently, I received a bunch of old computers that my workplace was going to throw out anyway, so I’m working on recycling them! One laptop is so old that it’s running Windows 98, so I think I’m going to donate that to a museum as an artifact. However, there is another laptop that shows promise (a Thinkpad). It has a supervisor password that I cannot change, so I think I need to re-flash the BIOS on the computer to patch out the old password. Getting back on topic here, but I really do like solutions that last for a while. I’d hate for perfectly good hardware to go to waste.

Academic Status

Undergraduate Student - 3rd

Research Area/Department

Applied Mathematics; Computer Science; Data Science; Engineering; Machine Learning/AI; Mathematics

Major/Specialty

My current major at ASU is in Computer Science. I have many software engineering projects under my belt. Since enrolling at ASU, I have been working as an engineer at Hyrel technologies, from which I have learned how to use 3-D printers and 6-axis robotic arms. Due to training I had before college, I also have a good understanding of cybersecurity.

Degrees Earned or in Progress

Computer Science, BS / Expected 2027 Applied Cybersecurity (Cerfiticate) / Expected 2027

Academic Preparation

Here are the courses I have taken in preparation: Math: Calculus 1, 2, and 3 Discrete Mathematics Industrial Engineering Statistics Linear Algebra Theoretical Computer Science Computer Science AP Computer Science A (high school) Object-Oriented Programming Data Structures and Algorithms Operating Systems Compilers Introduction to Machine Learning Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (yes, these classes are different) Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity Foundations [At SANS instutute] SEC401: Security Essentials – Network, Endpoint, and Cloud Information Assurance (100% completed, Orange Belt award) Individualized Research: Kali Linux as a tool for Cybersecurity GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) [At SANS instutute] IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certification [From Coursera]

Research/Publications

I have conducted a technical project at Hyrel Technologies from June 2024 all the way to August 2025. I worked with a few other engineers to make the machine, dubbed the “VersaCell”. I was responsible for the electronics and was partly responsible for the machine’s software as well. https://hyrel.tech/hyrel-showcases-summer-intern-success/ https://hyrel.tech/hyrel-versacell-system-wins-2025-global-technology-award/ This machine is involved with a process that automates tinning, which is a form of applying a layer of solder on a chip for simple work further down the printed circuit board (PCB) assembly process. If you are familiar with soldering, this process involves a flux application step, a preheat stage, a wave flow stage, and then a cleaning stage. This entire process is semi-automated by this robotic cell. The only duty of the operator is to load the machine with parts and to start the computer program.

Research/Academic Interests

I am interested in learning more applied and hands-on approaches to software engineering, cybersecurity, or creating machine learning algorithms. I have hands-on experience with creating software, but my current experience is that of a hobbyist. I am seeking a more robust and industry-ready method of developing software that allows multiple people to maintain a project. I am seeking industry experience in these fields for me to use later, as part of my hobby projects, or in my career.

Computational and Data Science Areas

Applied Computer Science; Applied Mathematics; Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems; Computer Science; Economics and Business; Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering; Informatics, Analytics and Information Science; Other Computer and Information Sciences; Other Engineering and Technologies; Performance Evaluation and Benchmarking; Statistics and Probability; Training; Visualization and Human-Computer Systems; Organization

Motivation

I want to create solutions that will last for a while. I’m not happy with short-sighted decisions made by companies that are there to make money (like planned obsolescence). I want to find permanent solutions that won’t need to be phased out in the future. It just so happens that computation is one of the easiest things to make sustainable. Computers these days aren’t thrown out because their CPU dies have worn down or their storage drives have broken. They are thrown out because they aren’t compatible with the latest version of Windows! These laptops will still work perfectly fine for standard browsing if you have the correct software. By joining Sustainable Horizons, I hope I can help improve computing decisions, whether it involves installing Linux or researching specific machine learning models.

Lightning Talk Title

For a Safer Infrastructure

Keywords (Maximum 20 words)

ai; cybersecurity; machine learning; safety; innovation; software engineering; engineering; safety; infrastructure; cloud computing; aws; prompt injection; alignment; control