Phi Kappa Theta
Class of 2022
Men of Value
Hair dye is to be administered by professionals only.
Adit Abraham (AXA)
Hometown:
Salisbury, MD
Major:
Computer Science and Engineering (6-3)
Activities:
StartLabs, Contrary Capital, reminiscing over wrestling
Adit is a man who seeks opportunity. A sophomore rush, he dedicated his first year at the Institute to becoming the biggest entrepreneurship mans the world has ever seen. Now, hopeful undergraduate founders and sucessful entrepreneur alums alike approach him with zeal, hoping that Adit may grant them access to the enterprising community of MIT. Adit holds the keys to the castle, and by his unrivaled generosity we know there could be no better occupant of the throne.
The Journey of Adit began at birth. Originally from New Delhi, the young boy moved to glorious Maryland at the precocious age of 8. He was an explorer, a seer of sights, a dabbler in youth wrestling, and when he finally came of age, he was enveloped by the blocky escape that is Minecraft. His survival skills were unrivaled, but his obsession eventually turned away from crafting networks of redstone and towards cultivating networks of working professionals. Adit became the unchallenged rival of LinkedIn, and even came close to connecting with the Daily Show's Hasan Minhaj. The DMs never stopped, opportunities flourished, and the man only found a worthy contender when he first entered the doors of PKT.
The Journey of Adit is far from over, and any man, woman, or child who has the honor to pass him by in the Infinite may be considered part of said Journey. Whatever his future may hold, it is inexorably linked to his brothers of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.
I'm hooked on Pythonics
Luke Igel (LJI)
Hometown:
Chanhassen, MN
Major:
Computer Science and Engineering (6-3), Philosophy (24-1)
Activities:
Sloan Business Club (SBC), MIT Driverless, Discover Entrepreneurship and Leadership (DEAL), startups
With his luscious locks of brown hair, Luke is known to charm anyone that sets their eyes upon him. Interviewers always crumble to their knees with a job offer in hand after he speaks just a single word, and Professors read his knowing gaze from the audience to determine when to move to the next topic. Those lucky enough to have a full conversation with him will report that it was a one-of-a-kind experience. He skillfully selects his preferred conversation topics from a vast mental rolodex, with his most popular choices including metaphysical quandaries, summaries of Seinfeld episodes, startup ideas, and worries of existential risk. It is easy for many who verbally engage with Lucas to ignore his scrawny appearance. However, this was not always the case. This man used to own the most amazing pair of abs, now hidden away for the greater good of the world. He spends the remainder of his time running around campus with all the various extracurriculars he’s involved with. But as busy as he may be, this man will always have time to stop by for a nice chat.
What school did YOU go to?
Andrew Chen (AXC)
Hometown:
Beverly, MA
Major:
3…wait…6…wait…22…nvm…6
Activities:
Cooking, Anime, Long Drives
If you spend long enough at PKT, you’ll notice an almost invisible presence lurking about. The signs are everywhere: an entire quarter of Canyon is taken up by a giant mess that no one dares touch, random Chick-fil-A wrappers are found strewn across the 4th floor, and the smell of burning bamboo emanates from the kitchen. But who is this mysterious figure who can be heard driving off to campus in the dead of night and constantly muttering “Mountain”? It’s none other than our own legendary Andrew Chen. The “Chandyman” is truly the last renaissance man of our generation. Not only can you find him taking classes that no one in his major has ever taken before, but he does it with ease; not even bothering to look at the psets till their due date. But Chandy’s skills include more than academics. Known as the “Asian Gordon Ramsay”, he can satisfy any hunger with ease. Make sure to stay on his good side if you want some of his famous chocolate milk.
Guys, it's not a phase.
Herbert Turner (HMT)
Hometown:
Phoenixville, PA
Major:
Aerospace Engineering (16), Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (6-2)
Activities:
Rocket building, hair dying
Herbert(1) M. Turner IV, the proud king of the Hurbitat, hails from the small pond known as Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. As a thicc fish, Herbs has always pursued difficult challenges in life. If none can be found, Herbie has been known to sabotage his own success in order to increase the rigor of life(2). This motivated attitude led HMT to attend Phillips Academy Andover! There King Turner flourished and a passion for AeroAstro was ignited. To this day, some still refer to him as “MatchStick”. Humble MatchStick refuses to create a LinkedIn, as he needs no praise for his accomplishments(3). Inspired by his own image, Herbert aspires to build big rockets!!
(1)The M is abbreviated as profanities are not allowed on our brotherly website. (2)Examples of such behavior include drinking soda while working on essays to decrease brain function, and taking 2 UROPs while taking Unified. (3)These accomplishments include mastering the Chinese language solely by watching Ni Hao, Kai-Lan and attending class, not because of necessity, but as a courtesy to the teacher.
Big mans
Gerardo Segura (GUS)
Hometown:
Beaumont, TX
Major:
Computer Science and Engineering (6-3)
Activities:
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
On the night of February 26, 2000, an oil rig about 1.3 km. off the coast of Beaumont, Texas began to emit a deep, powerful, MOIST schlupping sound. Within a few minutes, it had squirted some ~300 barrels of crude into the stagnant surrounding waters, killing so many fish that the decaying corpses quickly warmed the sea to 37℃, the temperature of freshly drawn human blood. The fumes from the rotting fish reacted with the industrial exudates of the maquiladoras across the border, and dyed the air with a thick crimson, the throbbing, organic red of an infected eye. The younger, more cynical oilmen, there only for a few years to earn a bit and move on with their lives, will tell you that the spill was a natural tragedy. It was nothing more than gas buildup and faulty engineering, for “the earth has bubbles as the water has, and these are of them.” But the old men, those who’ve been there for as long as memory, might tell you otherwise. They have a reverence for the abyss, and speak in hushed tones of a name passed down through generations: Khero Kharo, a native Karankawa term meaning “buried blood-spirit sent by the silver canoe on the Milky Way.” How dare we drill too deep, they whisper, and disturb powers that have slept for millenia? But these are superstitions, and the hallucinogenic effects of that night’s chemical fumes were apparently pretty similar to those of psilocybin, so who remembers for sure what really happened? What we do know, however, is that the very next morning in Beaumont, after the fumes had precipitated into a shower of fine, red dust, a child was born. This child, Gerardo Segura, would exhibit an almost supernatural intellect from a young age. As a student at Andover, he was indestructible, and left his peers behind in a cloud of (maybe slightly red) dust. Here at MIT, he’s experienced a meteoric rise through the leaderships of both PKT and SHPE, and we all must consider what his rise to power might mean for mankind. One meaning is clear: the brothers of PKT sure are fortunate to have this merciful, legitimately benevolent spirit on our side.
Oh, uhh, yeah, sure
Chih-Wei Joshua Liu (CJL)
Hometown:
Santa Clara, CA & Hsinchu, Taiwan
Major:
Physics (8), Pre-Med
Activities:
Research, Volunteering, Church, Peer Ears, PKT Community Service Chair, Pre-Med Stuff, Being a great friend
Passionate and compassionate, dedicated and humble – just four of the many adjectives the brothers of the Phi Kappa Theta use to describe Joshua Liu, a true king amongst men who cares too much about saving humanity to join business clubs. Some of his other attributes include being philosophical, in a Nostradamic fashion, and slightly intimidatingly efficient at all aspects of life, as every good premed is (but especially Josh, @med schools). An early morning hustler, Josh can be spotted grinding on large biochemistry textbooks or yelling at PKT brothers to do their community service requirements from sunrise to precisely midnight, as he always ensures to get his beauty sleep; however, don’t be mistaken, for he’s constantly an open ear to anyone in need, a mental health advocate on campus, and beautifully in touch with his emotions (as evidenced by his hidden acting talents). Josh is a man that you will learn to only love more with time, and one of PKT’s finest gems. And oh, umm, yeah, fun fact: he also has a fraternal twin brother at MIT named Julian!
Have you heard this song yet? (No, you have not.)
Shreyas Srinivasan (SVS)
Hometown:
Plainsboro, NJ
Major:
Mathematics with Computer Science (18C), Finance (15-3)
Activities:
Pokerbots, MIT Consulting Group (MCG), Hindu Students Council (HSC)
Not long after sending Princeton a rejection letter and coming to MIT, Shreyas received an honorary doctorate in event planning from Wellesley College. When he isn’t formulating combinatorial proofs, he’s making huge innovations in music theory as the best DJ that PKT has seen in decades. With jet-black hair complementing his golden glasses that frame his chiseled visage, Shreyas towers over you at 6’0”—but ever since he was little, he has shown great promise in math, debate, and BollyX dancing. Trading firms find him irresistible, and if you spend enough time around Shreyas, you might just find that you feel the same way.
THAT’S WIIIILLLD!
Tiwalayo Aina (TTA)
Hometown:
Allen, TX
Major:
Mathematics - General (18), Computer Science and Molecular Biology (6-7)
Activities:
Chocolate City, Smash (Best in PKT), day trading
According to Nigerian scripture, the Aina dynasty began when lightning struck the Library of Lagos. In an explosion of flame comparable to the burning of Alexandria, all of Africa’s books were fused into a singularity of knowledge. The gods rushed from the heavens to prevent the inevitable but they were too late. Tiwalayo Aina was born.
Not even the Greek gods can achieve what this Nigerian prince could do at birth. Tiwa wrote Les Misérables in its original French at the age of three, and within two years had conquered the neighboring African tribes — alone — by fencing. At eight, he discovered the magic of mathematics, and by the age of eleven had written books on both real and complex analysis.
Unsatisfied with an empire stretching across merely Africa, Tiwa set his sights abroad in the name of conquest. Upon leaving the sacred lands, however, he broke out into violent hives. Indeed, his fatal allergies to the world outside his homeland were the cost of his superhuman knowledge. Unafraid, he continued his quest to East Asia, where he caught a chronic case of yellow fever after challenging China’s best to a math competition. He won, of course.
After a four hundred-year gap in recorded Nigerian history, of which Tiwa claims to have no recollection, he appeared on MIT’s campus. He can be found taking no fewer than eight classes each semester, sleeping no more than two hours every night, making no less than nine figures, and majoring in no fewer than three subjects.
Oh my Lanta!
Brendan Ashworth (BMA)
Hometown:
Altadena, CA
Major:
Physics (8)
Activities:
Running, StartLabs, Formula One
Many moons ago, outside Pasadena, California in the charming unincorporated-territory of Altadena, Brendan triumphantly emerged from the womb. Bashworth is a true enigma. The man seemingly does and knows everything, moving with the smoothness of Swiss transportation. Although he was voted most likely to also be a serial killer, this evil genius is a charming, suave chad always looking to get a lil somethin’ on the side. Just take a minute to watch how effortlessly he dominates his opponents in pool or chess, and you’ll succumb like the rest of us. Brendan is usually a quiet fellow, but when he’s riled up the man is wild. He will start spurting out his favorite three-letter exclamatory remarks in lieu of any other legitimate reply or just to set the mood. Bet! Nut! Anti-Nut! Big sad! He’s a sight that makes even the most seasoned players swoon. Even still, Brendan could hold a beyond-competent conversation on quantum or particle physics. To top it off, Brendan is a classically trained negotiator who prefers the give-nothing-get-everything approach. Just what is he holding all his cards for? We still don’t know.
ASSSKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT
Caleb Harris (CMH)
Hometown:
Nashville, TN
Major:
Computation and Cognition (6-9)
Activities:
Varsity Track & Field (High Jump), StartLabs, League of Legends (formerly top 1000 worldwide)
Gifted to humanity in the small town of Pleasonton, California, Caleb exitted the womb already attired in the finest Italian garments money can buy. After 10 years in Pleasonton, he realized it would be criminal to withold his talents from the rest of the world and as such he rellocated to the one, the only, Nashville, Tennessee. It was here that his jumping ability was finally realized. Nowadays after having achieved peak jumping form he is rumored to be able to box jump entire buildings, however, because of his heart of gold, he chooses to limit his leaps during competitions in order to avoid destroying the spirits of all other competitors. When he's not jumping or tending to his personal silk worm farm, which he uses to weave his outfits daily you can find Caleb sleeping or listening to his favorite music genius, Young Thug. Though we may never get to observe a true Caleb Harris jump, we have already witnessed his greatest jump of all, into our hearts.
WARNING - Beware of HAIR
Marc Felix (MAF)
Hometown:
Los Angeles, CA
Major:
Computer Science and Engineering (6-3)
Activities:
Sleeping, Volleyball, Robotics
Hailing from the sunny beaches and smoggy skies of LA, Marc checks both H’s as a hipster and a hacker. Rocking a beanie and a luscious lock of finely groomed hair, the Bushman himself rocks a distinctive style not unlike that of our dear brother Stephen Otremba. As an algorithms expert, the wild bushman can most likely be found in his natural habitat… his room… sleeping. Yet, when it comes to physics, the Bushman has yet to show up to a single 8.02 class. The Bushman seeks sustenance during the day and frequents the water hole at the Stud where he fills up on Red Bull and Arizona. With the physique of a young stud, the fur of Chewbacca, and the Primitive Survival Rating of tarzan himself, the Bushman is a jack of many trades- from dancing to electrical systems. Keep your eyes on this young man; one moment he’s here, the next, he’s in your computer system.
Yarrrrrr
Isaac Lau (IKL)
Hometown:
San Francisco, CA
Major:
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (6-2) with a concentration in Autonomous Machines
Activities:
MIT Hyperloop II, StartLabs, mining cryptocurrencies, flying drones, building things
CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO. MARCH 2029. An enclave once steeped in organized crime is now the center of a technology revolution. While each blockchain drone at the Dragon Gate carries his signature, none bear his name. What distinguishes a man among excellence? Some PKTs conjecture one's reputation grows with the number of nicknames — others, the craziness of their pursuits. While all brothers give, expecting nothing thereof, none rise above Isaac in humility, perseverance, and commitment to another. "Crypto" is a frontiersman that's explored the nooks and crannies of untested technology since birth, being both an early adopter of cryptocurrencies and an engineer on the Hyperloop team. Yet despite having experience in astrophysics research, supersonic flight, LIDAR for self-driving cars, [ACTIVITIES REDACTED] and astrophotography, Isaac is too humble to admit he knows much more than an interested observer. Crypto operates under no time zone, speaks Cantonese, once had to legally change his name from Satoshi, and probably runs MIT's shady investments. No science fiction writer could exhaust his exploits in fewer than four books. All in character, though: a brother this intriguing that would drop everything to help another makes Isaac one who stands out among the crowd.
...class flirt
Wesley Block (WWB)
Hometown:
Durham, NC
Major:
Materials Science and Engineering with Japanese (3A-Applied International Studies)
Activities:
MIT Consulting Group (MCG), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Singing, UROP, Basketball, PKT IM Chair
Born and raised in Durham, NC, Wes’s charm and sophistication makes any girl around him fall in love. Wes’s popularity has garnered him an extensive network of friends. While walking around campus, he’s sure to take his time, greeting every person that crosses his path. His charisma and soft voice will gain your trust, and you’ll soon find yourself opening up, revealing your deepest thoughts and secrets to him. Living by the mantra “value silence”, don’t be surprised if you catch him walking along the Harvard Bridge on a cold winter night. When he’s not overwhelmed with schoolwork, you could find Wes participating in extracurriculars around campus. From creating the technology behind Puma’s next basketball shoe, to partaking in the MIT Consulting Group, Wes is truly killing it.