Veronika Wang

A Little More About Me

I’m a pianist who loves building things—whether that’s a disaster-relief robot, a poem, or a new team at school. I’m happiest when I’m learning something hard and then turning it into something that helps people.

What actually energizes me isn’t grades or awards (though I’ll take them). It’s the moment a concept clicks, the rush of performing a piece I’ve practiced for months, and the look on someone’s face when they finally get it. I love problems that sit at the messy intersection of people and systems—how do we get technology into the hands of communities that need it? How do we make STEM feel like a place where everyone belongs?

One tiny detail that’s just… me? I color-code everything. Notes, calendars, slide decks. If it can be organized in a rainbow, it will be. Also I will never say no to dumplings.

Family

Family
Family
Family
Family

Friends

Friends
Friends
Friends

Piano

Piano

Currently listening

Take a Bite - Beabadoobee

Take a Bite

Beabadoobee

A Dream With a Baseball Player - Faye Webster

A Dream With a Baseball Player

Faye Webster

Transform - Daniel Caesar

Transform

Daniel Caesar

Passions

Piano & music

I love how music tells stories without words—the discipline of practice, the nerves before a performance, and the collaboration when you play with others. It’s where I learned that repetition isn’t boring; it’s how you get good.

STEM + impact

Disaster relief, accessibility, clean tech—I’m drawn to problems where engineering can directly improve lives. ReachOne is one answer; I want to keep building systems that help people when it matters most.

Writing & poetry

I write to make sense of identity, climate, and community. Spoken word gave me a stage; the page gives me space to revise until it’s right. I gravitate toward themes of belonging, loss, and hope.

Mentoring

Teaching younger students is one of my favorite things. There’s nothing like watching someone’s face when they finally get it—or when they teach you something back. G.L.O.W is built on that joy.

Hobbies (the real ones)

Reading & favorites

I love fiction that feels true—character-driven stories and poems that stick. A few favorites: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, and Mary Oliver’s poems. I’ll never say no to a good recommendation.

Staying active

Volleyball, running, or anything that gets me moving. I think better when my body’s in motion—and I’m a firm believer in post-practice snacks.

Cooking & eating

Chengdu snacks, dumplings, and anything my family makes. Food is how we connect; I’m always down to try something new or go back for seconds.

Travel & museums

I love traveling and losing myself in museums—art, history, science. Every trip is a chance to see the world differently and bring that perspective home.

Travel
Travel
Museum
Cooking

Quirks & mini fun facts

  • I’m fluent in ASL—I learn it in school and love that it’s a whole language you speak with your hands.
  • I will re-play a piano passage until it’s exactly right. My family has learned to tune it out.
  • I color-code my notes and calendars. If it can be rainbow, it will be.
  • I always carry a small notebook—ideas, lines for poems, random thoughts. You never know when you’ll need them.
  • I have a soft spot for pink design details and heart emojis. No shame.
  • I collect quotes that hit different. They end up on sticky notes, in slides, and in poems.
  • I’m obsessed with making great presentations and slide decks. Clear design + clear story = happy Veronika.
Making presentations and slide decks

One of my favorite skills: turning ideas into slide decks that actually land.

What I care about

Community—showing up for the people around me and building spaces where everyone can contribute. Kindness—small acts matter. Ambition—I want to do hard things and do them well. Curiosity—I’m never done learning. Resilience—fall, get up, try again. Mentorship—lifting the next generation up. And equity in STEM—making sure girls and underrepresented folks see themselves in these fields and have the support to thrive.