Jiro Ramacciotti
JR Jiro Ramacciotti
T+ 00:00:00

Aerospace Engineering · UCLA Samueli · Class of 2030

JiroRamacciotti

Aerospace engineering student at UCLA. I write software that models physical systems, then test it against the real thing. Lately that has meant building a RAG pipeline that writes simulation code, fitting a model that predicts bungee drops to within 10 cm, and teaching 60+ students a week at Kumon.

See the work Get in touch

Experience · 2025 – Now

Experience

Research at UC Davis and teaching at Kumon. In both, the job is taking something complicated and making it work for the person using it.

Elk Grove, CA Current role

Kumon

Instructor

  • Support 60+ K–12 students every week in math and English, adapting instruction to each student’s comprehension and skill level.
  • Review student work to find knowledge gaps, give targeted feedback, and track progress toward learning goals.
  • Keep a focused, supportive learning environment and coordinate with other instructors on student support.
60+K–12 students taught each week
Davis, CA

UC Davis Young Scholars Program

Researcher & Presenter

  • Built a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system that turns natural-language prompts into domain-specific code for the Real-ESSI Simulator, improving semantic accuracy by up to 296% over OpenAI’s GPT-4 (gpt-4-0613).
  • Deployed a semantic retrieval pipeline using text embeddings, vector similarity, and dynamic few-shot prompting across a database of 400+ simulation files.
  • Evaluated generated code with CodeBERT and sequence-based similarity metrics.
  • Presented the findings at a symposium to UC Davis faculty and program peers.
  • Python
  • Text embeddings
  • Vector similarity
  • Few-shot prompting
  • CodeBERT
+296%Semantic accuracy vs. GPT-4, best case

Projects · 2024 – 2026

Projects

Model it, build it, test it. Then drop it from a height and find out if you were right.

Science Olympiad · Bungee Drop Oct 2024 – Apr 2026

Predictive Bungee Stretch Model

Bungee Drop scores how close a dropped mass comes to a target, with the height and mass revealed on competition day. I built a model that picks the bungee configuration for combinations it has never seen.

  • Tested bungee materials through repeated drops, measuring consistency, durability, and stretch, and logged 300+ data points (height, mass, cord length).
  • Built the predictive model in Python with scikit-learn and Matplotlib, using Excel and Desmos to fit and check it.
  • At competition, predicted bungee behavior within 10 cm, for a Regional 2nd place medal and a State 7th place finish.
±10cmPrediction error at competition
300+Drop-test data points
2ndRegional · 7th at State
  • Python
  • scikit-learn
  • Matplotlib
  • Excel
  • Desmos
Schematic bungee drop Height against time for one drop. The mass falls from 3 meters, its lowest point lands inside a band 10 centimeters either side of the predicted low point just above the target, then it oscillates and settles.
FIG. 2Schematic of one drop. The dashed line is the model’s predicted low point and the band is ±10 cm around it. Illustrative curve, not competition data.
Python · MYP Personal ProjectMar 2024

Student Database Manager

An object-oriented desktop app for storing, searching, editing, filtering, and deleting student records, with a Tkinter GUI built for easy use.

Storage
JSON, persists across sessions
Records
Unique generated student IDs
  • Python
  • Tkinter
  • JSON
  • OOP
Python · Personal ProjectAug 2025

Texas Hold’em Engine

A poker engine that models players, hands, and game state as objects, shuffles and deals a 52-card deck across multi-way hands, and labels the winning hand.

Ranks
Every standard poker hand
Edge cases
Ace-high vs. ace-low straights, straight vs. straight flush, kickers
  • Python
  • OOP
  • Game logic
Science Olympiad · HelicopterOct 2025 – Apr 2026

Free-Flight Helicopter

Four rubber-powered helicopters in balsa and mylar, each one an iteration on weight distribution, blade geometry, and winding technique.

Peak airtime
1 min 45 s
Changes
Lighter frame, low stabilizing mass, crumpled mylar for strength
  • Balsa
  • Mylar
  • Rubber power
  • Iterative testing

Leadership & Teaching · 2024 – 2026

Leadership

I ran a tutoring program that grew from 3 students a session to 30, and kept every tutor on the team.

Laguna Creek HS

Link Crew

Director of Tutoring

  • Led the Tutoring Department, coordinating 25+ specialized tutors and preparing school-wide tutoring sessions every two weeks.
  • Designed session logistics that maximized tutor availability and kept sessions quiet enough to work in.
  • Grew average attendance from 3 to 30 students per session while retaining 100% of tutors.
3→30Average students per session
Laguna Creek HS

National Honor Society

President

  • Led 30 meetings, organized 10 school-wide drives, and managed the governing and student body of the club.
  • Started community service events for 300+ members and raised $20,000 for drunk-driving advocacy.
$20KRaised for drunk-driving advocacy
Laguna Creek HS

Mathletes

Vice President

  • Set team composition, mentored promising members, and organized event and competition logistics.
  • Led weekly practices, walking the team through hard arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry problems.
WeeklyPractices led for the team

Education & Honors · 2022 – 2030

Record

Valedictorian, ranked first of 554. IB Diploma. Now at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering.

Education

University of California, Los Angeles

Expected 2030

B.S. Aerospace Engineering · Henry Samueli School of Engineering

Laguna Creek High School

2026

Valedictorian, rank 1 of 554 · IB Diploma · 4.69 GPA

Course or testScore
AP Calculus BC5
AP Physics 15
IB Mathematics HL, Analysis & Approaches5
IB Chemistry HL7
SAT (800 Math · 700 EBRW)1500

Honors

  • ValedictorianRank 1 of a 554-student graduating class, 2026
    Academic
  • Mathematics Department AwardSelected from the entire senior class, 2026
    Math
  • Brewer Precision AwardOne of 3 top AP Physics students schoolwide, 2024
    Physics
  • Science Olympiad, Bungee DropRegional 2nd place medal and State 7th place finish
    Competition
  • AP Scholar · National Merit Commended ScholarNational academic recognition
    Academic
  • Sansone Legacy ScholarshipScholarship recipient
    Scholarship
  • Metropolitan League Sportsmanship AwardVarsity Boys’ Volleyball
    Athletics

Toolkit

Toolkit

What I reach for, grouped by the job it does.

Software

  • Python Primary
  • Tkinter GUIs
  • JSON Storage
  • Object-oriented design Architecture

ML & data

  • scikit-learn Modeling
  • Matplotlib Plotting
  • Embeddings & vector search Retrieval
  • Few-shot prompting LLMs
  • CodeBERT Evaluation

Engineering

  • MATLAB Numerics
  • Fusion CAD
  • SOLIDWORKS CAD
  • Excel & Desmos Analysis
  • Prototyping & testing Method

Open channel

Send me the problem.

Email is the fastest way to reach me.