"xdd44"  /  Chenyue  /  Leo 

"xdd44" is a Master of Architecture student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the class of 2026. He is recognized as one of the best programmer in the department, specializing in interactive systems and computational geometry spanning various media including Grasshopper, Unity, and other frameworks. Additionally, he enjoys street and landscape photography, and currently serves as the department's photographer.

Before coming to MIT, xdd44 aquired a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at City University of Hong Kong. There, he was an active member of the university's programming contest team, winning multiple medals in ICPC and CCPC. With research and work experience at organizations such as Media Lab and Foster + Partners, xdd44 is committed to advancing the integration of computing in the fields of art and design.

What is "xdd44" and why?

"xdd44" is my preferred name in real life (you can just call me "xdd"), my usual username on internet, and my nametag when playing video games. It is the intials of a Chinese nickname that is too naive to explain here. ("Chenyue" is my legal first name, "Leo" is an English name my parents gave me and I used it during my undergrad.)

I like and prefer to use "xdd44" even at school because I've always been drawn to the virtual society of the internet. In that world, everyone is treated equally, regardless of race, gender, or nationality. Nametags don't carry social markers that lead to assumptions or stereotypes. In online gaming communities, poeple compete based purely on skill and are remembered by nametags. I hope to be treated the same way in real life: when people see my name, I want them to focus not on the fact that I'm Chinese or male implied by "Chenyue" or "Leo", but on what I've achieved - as a programmer, as a photographer, as a designer, and as "xdd44".