Oh, hi. I’m Jared M.

Q1:
Hi

My name’s Jared Mantell. I grew up in Tampa Bay, Florida.

I practiced & competed in Tae Kwon Doe up to Il-Dan Black Belt:

Started an awful Deftones cover band:

& ran a big VR community on the internet:

Since high-school, I’ve been at WashU.
This is where I figured out what I want to study, messed around with a few startups (Magnifi, RadiantAI, Connect, et al.), & met some amazing friends.

Last summer, I was an engineering intern at Mastercard, as well as a research assistant in Dr. Michelle Oyen’s lab for Women's Health & Biomedical Engineering. We investigated the creation of high-fidelity 3D models for the human placenta. Our research primarily focused on applying computer vision techniques to OCT & Ultrasound imagery data.

Currently, I’m at Berkeley, studying under the BGA Program while working as a Community Architect for The Residency’s Arcadia house.

Q2:

An object that fascinates me is the laser pointer. This compact device generates a focused beam of light using semiconductor technology. Laser pointers come in various classifications based on their power output and potential hazards. Class 1 and Class 2 lasers are generally safe for consumer use, with output power below 1 milliwatt. Class 3R and 3B lasers are more powerful, ranging from 1–5 milliwatts and 5–500 milliwatts respectively, requiring more careful handling. The beam color varies depending on the semiconductor material used: red lasers typically use aluminum gallium arsenide, while green and blue lasers use indium gallium nitride.

What’s particularly intriguing about laser pointers is their ability to instantly project a narrow, intense beam of light over long distances with minimal spreading. If you can point at a distant object, the dot appears immediately, seemingly defying the perception of light travel time. Holding one feels like you’re interfacing directly with the speed of light.