About Me
My name is Anshu Adiga, and I am a student at Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. My sending school is Shrewsbury High School. I was born in Des Plains, Illinois and moved to Kansas soon after. I have been living in Shrewsbury, MA since 2021. I have a younger brother as well as a dog named Ace. In my free time, I enjoy walking my dog or cooking. I sometimes also play Minecraft.
Community Service
I contributed 150 hours to the Shrewsbury Robotics Summer Program, where we worked with students passionate about STEM. Our primary goal was to guide them in building LEGO robots using ev3 components and participating in friendly competitions. The children were very engaging and it was exciting to see their robots work and their rockets fly. I observed their teamwork and problem-solving abilities during the robot competition. Each team showcased their distinct ideas, and it was fulfilling to support them both technically and through guidance.
I also volunteered at the annual VEX Robotics competition at WPI, called WAVE@WPI. I was mostly in charge of the concesions stand, where I helped set up the stand and organized the food. I was primarily in charge of the concession stand, where I was organizing and managing food and beverage sales throughout the event. I helped set up the stand before the event began, arranging snacks, drinks, and supplies in an orderly and accessible layout for both volunteers and customers. During the competition, I handled cash and card transactions, restocked items as needed, and ensured that the area remained clean and inviting. I also answered questions from attendees about food options and pricing, provided friendly customer service to guests and participants, and coordinated with other volunteers to keep things running smoothly during busy periods. I also helped with the setup of the event, where I helped set up the tables and chairs in the gym. I also helped with the teardown of the event, where I helped take down the tables and chairs in the gym. I also helped with guiding guests to appropriate places.
Hobbies
Robotics
Programming has always been my favorite part of robotics, and it has been the main way I’ve contributed to my teams. At my sending school, I was part of Team 467, where I worked on many parts of the robot, but I especially enjoyed programming the autonomous phase. This involved combining sensor data, motor control, and timing to help the robot move and complete tasks on its own during matches. Last year, I wasn’t part of the drive team, but I stayed very involved in improving the robot’s performance. One of my key contributions was programming the arm alignment for Team 467’s robot in the 2024 FIRST Robotics game, Crescendo. Last year’s game challenges teams to handle large game pieces shaped like musical notes and place them on a big game board to score points. The robot’s arm needs to move and position the pieces very precisely, so I spent a lot of time testing and planning to make sure it worked well. Now, as a member of Team 190, we are working to build robots to compete in the game Reefscape. This season is exciting because it gives me the chance to keep building my technical skills and compete in new ways.
Math Team
Being part of the math team has been a major extracurricular. At Shrewsbury High School, I was an active member of the math team, and I decided to push myself further by joining the MAMS math team. I love the excitement of math competitions. They require both analytical and creative thinking to solve challenging puzzles. The feeling of solving a tough problem that initially seems impossible is incredibly satisfying and motivates me to take on even harder challenges.
Math competitions introduce me to a wide range of problems, from algebra and number theory to geometry and matrices. Each problem requires a different way of thinking, and it is fun to find the best approach under the pressure of a time limit. Beyond the competition itself, being part of a math team means working with and learning from people who share the same passion. After each competition, we discuss solutions and explore alternate methods, which gives me new perspectives on the subject.
Programming
In my free time, I enjoy learning new programming languages and improving my software development skills. I have learnt programs like Python, Java, and C++, each with its own strengths. Python is simple, making it great for scripting and data analysis. Java works well for creating complex programs with objects, while C++ offers more control and faster performance, especially when managing memory and optimizing large applications. Although I had no experience with any programming before joining robotics, I quickly picked up the basics and started writing code for the robot. I learned how to use sensors, motors, and other hardware components to make the robot move and complete tasks. I also learned how to debug and test my code, which helped me improve my problem-solving skills. I now use these skills to work on personal projects and explore new areas of programming. I have built simple games, created web applications, and tried building machine learning algorithms. Each project has taught me something new and helped me grow as a programmer. Programming is a creative and rewarding hobby that I continue to explore and develop every day.
Chess
I started playing chess when I was five years old, and it has been my favorite hobby ever since. I was fascinated by the depth of strategy and mental effort the game requires, and I loved the idea that there’s always room to improve. I began by playing casually with friends and family, but over time, I expanded into online chess. I now regularly play matches on sites like Chess.com, where I get to face opponents from all over the world. Playing against people with different styles has been a great way to sharpen my tactics and improve my game. My favorite format is rapid chess, where each player has about 10 minutes to make all their moves.