I grew up in Changsha, China, a vibrant city known for its rich culture, long history, and of course, its incredibly spicy food and lively streets. It is also home to landmarks like Yuelu Mountain and the historic Yuelu Academy, one of China’s oldest Confucian academies, founded over a thousand years ago during the Song Dynasty.

After high school, I went to Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan. One joke I oftem tell my friends: before 2020, whenever I mentioned that I did my bachelor’s in Wuhan, I would explain—”It’s south of Beijing, west of Shanghai, north of Hong Kong…basically the center of China.”, But after the pandemic, whenever I say “Wuhan,” people interrupt me right away: “Oh, Wuhan! I know, I know.” HUST is a beautiful, forest-like campus located at 1037 Luoyu Road, which gives it a nicknames: The 1037 Forest. The campus is home to over 700,000 trees, and right next to it lies a forest park, creating a truly immersive green environment. Adjacent to the university is the East Lake, one of the largest urban lakes in China. Wuhan itself is a city of many lakes and sits in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, which often called the “mother river” of China, flows through the heart of the country with both power and history.

During my bachelor, I joined reading groups in social sciences and Krishnamurti’s philosophy, which introduced me to many non-engineering perspectives and helped me better understand human and socienty. In addition to engineering, I explored subjects like economics, politics, cognitive science, and even contemplative neuroscience. I was fortunate to have the freedom and explore as much as I like. At the same time, I spent much of my free time playing my favorite sport-basketball, and proudly represented our university women’s team in the Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA), the Chinese equivalent of the NCAA. I also became a ‘Dream Teacher’ in the Teach For China program, where I taught students in rural areas facing educational resource shortages.

Through all these experiences, I gradually discovered a growing fascination with the brain. How does it work? What gives rise to thought, emotion, intelligence, or even consciousness? These questions sparked a deep curiosity that eventually led me toward brain-inspired computing and AI, and ultimately motivated me to pursue graduate studies.

After I came to Santa Cruz as a graduate student, I was immediately drawn to its multicultural atmosphere and natural beauty. Often called the “backyard of Silicon Valley,” Santa Cruz is the closest coastal city to the Valley, offering both access to cutting-edge tech culture and a uniquely relaxed, diverse lifestyle. From milk tea shops and international cuisine to the vibrant beach scene, life here feels both inspiring and grounded. Highway 1, California’s most scenic coastal road, runs right through Santa Cruz’s waterfront, and the campus of UCSC is built on a nature reserve filled with redwood forests and ocean views. From the university, you can see the Pacific, and just a 10-minute drive brings you to the beach for a walk, a skateboard ride, or surfing.

During my time at UCSC, I served as the Solidarity Officer (In Solidarity!) on the executive board of the UCSC Graduate Students Association (2018-2019) and Vice President on the executive board of the UCSC Graduate Student Commons (2020-2021). I was also an officer in the IEEE HKN Honor Socienty, volunteering alongside fellow engineering students. Outside of research, I tried skateboarding, snowboarding, kayaking, and dinghy sailing here, all of which were pretty exciting. I also learned to play the ukulele, which fit perfectly with the beach vibes of Santa Cruz.

At the same time, I deepened my exploration into brain-inspired computing by reading widely across neuroscience, philosophy, and systems theory, drawing inspiration from diverse perspectives and frameworks. Some of the ideas and works that have shaped my thinking are listed here.

Those three pandemic years fell right in the middle of my phd, and like many others around the world, I experienced a period of deep uncertainty and disconnection. The campus emptied, personal interactions became sparse, and the boundaries between research, isolation, and life blurred. It was a time marked by global instability and quiet personal struggles emotionally, socially, and academically. At first, I found it difficult to adjust. I felt frustrated and isolated. But I also tried many small ways to lift myself up, some of which I’ve recorded on my Picture page. Over time, I gradually found light in the quiet and I am glad we have all made it through now. Looking back now, those three years feel almost like a dream, strange, suspended, and somehow fleeting. I guess life is full of uncertainty, so I try to enjoy the good moments and stay connected to people around us.

After defense in 2022, I officially became Dr. Zhou, a title that marks not just the completion of my phd journey, but also a profound personal transformation. It was a truly wonderful journey to pursue my phd degree at UCSC, in California. The stunning natural environment, the deep and genuine connections among people, and the loving, supportive community all affect me profoundly. During these years, I grew not only in research and logic but also in emotion, self-understanding, and love for both myself and the world. I am deeply thankful to my family, advisors, and friends in both China and the States for their constant encouragement and support. Although my five years phd journey included three years of the pandemic, which really limited my opportunities to explore national parks, outdoor adventures, and time with friends, I still received much love, care, and kindness. For that, I could not be more grateful.

For the next chapter of my life, I has given careful thought. My research focuss on brain-inspired AI, a field that is now moving beyond the laboratory toward practical, impactful technologies. With experience working in outstanding startups on both algorithms and hardware, I chose to take a step toward industry and founded my own startup, LuxiTech, in Shenzhen. The name comes from Lucy, the famous 3.2-million-year-old hominin fossil discovered in Ethiopia. During the excavation, the team repeatedly played the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which inspired the nickname. This connection between ancient human evolution and modern imagination deeply resonates with our mission. The name also echoes the film Lucy starring Scarlett Johansson, which explores the expansion of human cognitive potential. We develop brain-inspired large language models that are lightweight, secure, and optimized for offline deployment on edge devices. These models offer low computational cost, enhanced privacy, and strong potential for real-world applications where cloud access is limited or undesirable.

Transitioning from academia to industry has been both challenging and transformative. Unlike research alone, building a company requires strategic thinking while also handling countless operational details. This experience taught me how deeply the world is shaped by products and commercialization. We cannot remain in the lab forever, and we must bring technology to life to serve society. I find great joy in this process and continue to grow through each challenge.

At the same time, I remain closely connected to the academic world through publishing, peer review, and international conference participation. Deep down, I have always loved research and the academic community that surrounds it. So I have been holding a postdoctoral position at City University of Hong Kong since 2025. Shenzhen and Hong Kong are neighboring cities, and many people commute between them, even during weekdays, for work and daily life. This dual-city lifestyle has become my rhythm, and it has become a lifestyle I genuinely enjoy. I rarely followed a meticulously planned path, often I let my interests and instincts guide me, sometimes wandering into unexpected directions. Staying true to what truly inspires me has led to a journey that feels meaningful and I am very curious where it takes me.