I’m a third-year PhD student in computer science at UC Berkeley advised by Ben Recht.
Previously, I received my Bachelor’s in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT and my Master’s in human rights studies from Columbia University. I work on on interdisciplinary applications of computer science, from
astrophysics to history to politics.
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Note to current Berkeley undergraduate students -> We are looking to hire an undergraduate student researcher to
contribute to an exciting collaboration between UC Berkeley and NASA
Ames during the Spring 2026 semester (with possible extension to the summer). The student will extend an
existing 3D reconstruction pipeline to multispectral image data and
assist with related low-light mapping tasks. This is a paid position
funded through a contractor role with NASA Ames. For further information on the project and to fill out an application, see here. Applications are due Monday, Jan 26.
04 TOPOLOGICAL OPTIMIZATION2015-17
Any structure carried into space must be lightweight due to the high cost of space travel. From habitats
on Mars to support structures for the space station, scientists are forced to work with limited material. Every
extra kilogram of mass added to a structure increases the total cost of that structure's trip to space by around
$10,000. Structures made from lattice framework such as cuboct trusses are actively studied due
to their simple modular assembly and high sti ness-to-mass ratio. The improved specifications of these truss
structures allow for signifcant reductions in the expense of space transportation. However, using traditional
search methods to optimize a lightweight truss structure would be computationally intractable due to the
large solution space (2^n) that could be searched. Creating a versatile, quick, and automated system that would design an optimal structure using resources only where necessary would signifcantly reduce the cost
of transporting structures to space as well as the time required to design and optimize those structures for
space applications.
In 2017, I developed a genetic algorithm for the rapid mass optimization and automatic generation of bridge structures with programmable stiffness properties build from a simple lattice framework (the cuboct truss). I performed this research as an intern for the Coded Structures Lab at NASA Ames Research Center under Dr. Kenny Cheung. I 3D printed four of the algorithm outputs and verified their performance through stress-testing. I also compared them against a conventionally-designed bridge and a full envelope truss beam. The results demonstrated the ability to program mechanical properties and high stifness-to-mass performance relative to conventional and naive bridges.
PUBLICATION:
Topological Optimization of a Cuboct Truss Structure Using a Genetic Algorithm
Holly Jackson
AIAA Scitech Forum, 2017
Paper
SELECTED PRESS:
NASA TechBytes
IEEE Women in Engineering
A video summary of the project from a while ago :)