Pransh Dalal

I’m Pransh, also known as Dalalipop. I grew up in the Bay Area, and I love building things.

That probably sounds generic, so here’s some context.

A lot of my projects start with a question I can’t let go of. I’m an aviation geek, and I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to control a plane. Since nobody’s handing a 17-year-old the keys to a Boeing 737, I asked a smaller question: what would it feel like to fly with just my hand? That turned into a motion-sensing glove and a flight simulator I use to pilot a Gulfstream jet. Another question, how can I give readers better book recommendations, led me to design a recommendation framework based on emotion and build MoodReads, which now has over 750 users.

I’ve carried that habit of asking questions into research. As a student researcher and team lead in the Jahanikia NeuroLab, I built a pipeline that uses topological data analysis to speed up drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases. I also led a team on a PTSD meta-analysis looking at comparator choice and publication bias. Both papers have been accepted to international conferences and are under review at journals.

I also like building things for other people. At my school, I started AeroHacks, a hackathon I’ve run every year since. This year I’m mentoring the underclassmen who’ll take it over.

I hope to continue building the rest of my life!