CS & Film @ Columbia
 jessie li
    design engineer & product manager
See my work →
what I think about

how to create engaging, novel, and interesting digital experiences in the age of AI slop

how to make education inspiring and fun, especially in a multimodal way

how to use tech to support the discovery of films, books, and other content that enrich and inspire

currently

building a film discovery product (stealth)

conducting HCI research with the Columbia Digital Storytelling Lab

designing products and leading UX research across early-stage startups

mentoring students ~6 hours/week through Li Tutors, the tutoring company I founded with my twin brother Ethan

selected projects
The Turing Gallery UI
The Turing Gallery
You'll know it when you see it. Or will you?
A mixed-methods study probing the limits of human perception. Participants move through a curated gallery of text, audio, and visual media — some human, some AI — while behavioral data capture exactly where our judgement slips.
Imposter: A Party Game — menu to host or join a room
Imposter: A Party Game
The AI is in the room
What makes human creativity recognizably human? In this multiuser creative turing test, every player writes something about a shared human theme. One piece is made by AI. The group's job is to figure out which one!
Noodle drawing app
Noodle
AI that hands kids the pen
Best Use of ElevenLabs, Columbia Hackathon (DevFest 2026)
An AI drawing buddy for kids ages 4–6. As children draw and talk through their ideas, Noodle listens, cheers them on, and asks questions that spark new ideas.
Liondine dining app
Liondine
The Columbia Spectator
Designed dietary information filters and UI improvements for Columbia's dining platform, making it easier for students to find food that works for them.
Pet Pomodoro timer
Pet Pomodoro
A pomodoro timer with feelings
A focus timer with a cute avatar that turns sad whenever you break your flow.
Li Tutors
Website for my tutoring company
Designed and built the site for Li Tutors, my tutoring company where I teach and mentor students across subjects.
OptiBuy
Price tracker for e-commerce products
A tool that tracks prices across e-commerce platforms so you can buy at the right time.
experience
  AI/ML FellowMar 2026 – Present
  Undergraduate ResearcherJan 2026 – Present
  Product DesignerSep 2025 – Present
  Founder & Head TutorApr 2024 – Present
  Product Engineering InternNov – Dec 2025
  Product Research InternJul – Aug 2025
  Events & Liaison InternMay – Jun 2025
  Research AssistantJan – Apr 2025
other
videography
i use final cut pro. sample work:
mock trial
i used to compete with the #4 ranked team in the country!
travel
5 continents and counting — travel gallery

let's talk!

i'm always happy to chat about design, film, AI, education, or whatever else is on your mind. if you're working on something interesting or want to work on something together, please feel free to reach out

Get in touch →