TL;DR
Julianna Schneider, an MIT senior double-majoring in AI and decision-making and mathematics, helped create NerdXing, a tool that maps how students move between classes across departments. Schneider also works in MIT’s Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory and previously built VoluntYOU, an app connecting English-speaking volunteers to local charities.
What happened
Julianna Schneider, a senior at MIT, is one of the student creators of NerdXing, a search tool developed through the Schwarzman College of Computing’s Undergraduate Advisory Group that lets users query a class and see other classes students have subsequently taken. The aim is to surface interdisciplinary and less-common course trajectories so students — including those undecided on majors — can discover new academic pathways. Schneider balances this curricular work with research in the Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory, where she has contributed to projects testing legged robots and developing controllers, including a hybrid-learning, model-based design suited to machines with limited onboard compute. Her earlier project, VoluntYOU, connected English-speaking volunteers with charities in Albania and beyond, accruing ambassadors across four continents and facilitating various volunteer efforts. Schneider frames her projects around identifying community problems and building appropriate technological solutions.
Why it matters
- NerdXing could lower informational barriers for students exploring interdisciplinary course options.
- The tool highlights nontraditional academic pathways that standard advising resources may miss.
- Schneider’s robotics work emphasizes designs that can operate with limited computing resources, relevant for low-resource environments.
- Student-built apps like VoluntYOU and NerdXing show how campus innovation can target local and international community needs.
Key facts
- NerdXing was developed by MIT students in the Schwarzman College of Computing Undergraduate Advisory Group.
- The app allows users to search for a class and view other classes students have taken afterward, including off-track options.
- Julianna Schneider is a senior double-majoring in artificial intelligence and decision-making and in mathematics.
- Schneider conducts research in the Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
- Her robotics work includes crafting controllers and participating in tests of legged robots, such as the mini cheetah.
- Schneider helped build VoluntYOU at age 16 to link English-speaking volunteers with charities that posted in Albanian.
- VoluntYOU grew to 18 ambassadors across four continents and supported activities including food distribution, petition drives, and vaccine administration.
- Schneider is co-authoring a research paper from work in the Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory.
What to watch next
- Adoption and campus usage patterns of NerdXing across MIT (not confirmed in the source).
- Publication details and real-world applications of the robotics research Schneider is co-authoring (not confirmed in the source).
- Further development or public release plans for NerdXing and any expansion beyond MIT (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Interdisciplinary study: An approach that integrates methods and concepts from multiple academic disciplines to address complex problems.
- Hybrid-learning controller: A control system design that combines learned components (data-driven) with model-based methods to improve performance or efficiency.
- Biomimetic robotics: A field of robotics that draws inspiration from biological systems to design robots with capabilities such as locomotion, sensing, or manipulation.
- Undergraduate Advisory Group (UAG): A student advisory body that provides input to college leadership on undergraduate education and related initiatives.
Reader FAQ
What is NerdXing?
A student-made search tool that shows which classes students have gone on to take after a given course, highlighting interdisciplinary and less-common paths.
Who built NerdXing?
NerdXing was developed by students in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing Undergraduate Advisory Group, including senior Julianna Schneider.
What is VoluntYOU and what did it achieve?
VoluntYOU is an app Schneider built at 16 to connect English-speaking volunteers to charities that posted in another language; it grew to 18 ambassadors on four continents and supported activities such as food distribution, petition drives, and vaccine administration.
Is Schneider involved in robotics research?
Yes. She conducts research in MIT’s Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory, has contributed to multiple projects, and is co-authoring a paper on that work.
From robotics to apps like “NerdXing,” senior Julianna Schneider is building technologies to solve problems in her community. Frances Klemm | MIT News correspondent Publication Date : December 19, 2025…
Sources
- “Wait, we have the tech skills to build that”
- A sounding board for strengthening the student experience
- MIT Latest News | Aegean Associates, Inc.
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