Kevin Yu

Kevin Yu
AI Research | Neuroscience | Software Development
thekevinyu (at) gmail (dot) com
LinkedIn | GitHub

Degrees

2021Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley
Dissertation: An auditory memory system for individual vocal recognition in the zebra finch
Advisor: Dr. Frederic Theunissen
2014B.A. in Physics and Astrophysics, University of California, Berkeley
Highest Distinction (summa cum laude)

Positions

2022-Member of the Technical Staff, OpenAI, San Francisco
2022Postdoctoral Researcher, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley
2016-2021Graduate Student Researcher, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley
2012-2016Software Engineer, FiveStars Loyalty Inc., San Francisco Bay Area
2012-2014Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Astronomy, UC Berkeley
2009Intern, Mobility and Robotic Systems Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Teaching

Spring 2019Graduate Student Instructor, Molecular and Cell Biology 161: Circuit, Systems & Behavioral Neuroscience, UC Berkeley
Fall 2017Graduate Student Instructor, Molecular and Cell Biology 62: Drugs and the Brain, UC Berkeley

Awards

2017-2020National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow
2014Highest Distinction in General Scholarship, UC Berkeley
2014Department Citation, Department of Astronomy, UC Berkeley
2014Pomerantz Scholarship, Department of Physics, UC Berkeley

Publications

2020Yu, K., Wood, W.E., Theunissen, F.E. High-capacity auditory memory for vocal communication in a social songbird. Science Advances, 6(46).
2023Robotka H., Thomas L.,Yu, K., Wood W.E. Elie J.E., Gahr M., Theunissen F.E.. Sparse ensemble neural code for a complete vocal repertoire. Cell Reports, 42(2).
2023Yu K., Wood W.E., Johnston L.G., Theunissen F.E.. Lesions to Caudomedial Nidopallium Impair Individual Vocal Recognition in the Zebra Finch. J Neurosci. 43(14)

Certifications

2014-2015Costco Executive Gold Star Member, Costco Wholesale
2010-Class C Licensed Driver, California Department of Motor Vehicles