Jialiang Fan

Jialiang Fan

PhD student at University of Notre Dame. Research in cyber-physical systems, robotics, reinforcement learning, and safe learning.

Life Beyond Research

Fishing

Outside of research, I am an avid angler — lure fishing is my favorite. There is something endlessly fascinating about reading the water, picking the right lure, and tricking a fish into striking. Every cast is a small experiment; every hookup is a reward you earn.

Over the years I have caught largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, bullhead catfish, carp, redfish, and more — from local waters around South Bend to the saltwater offshore.

Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Northern pike
Bullhead catfish
Bullhead catfish
Common carp
Common carp
Redfish offshore
Redfish — offshore trip
Walleye
Walleye

Basketball

I love playing basketball. It is a hobby I picked up back in 4th grade and one I have kept for life. It is also one of my favorite ways to make friends — during my master’s, I played regularly with labmates and built deep friendships on the court. After coming to the U.S. for my PhD, I quickly found a group of friends to hoop with every week, which has been a huge boost to both my physical and mental health.

I am a big fan of LeBron James — what I admire most is his discipline and persistence. The way he has stayed at the top of the game for over two decades is a constant reminder that consistency compounds, on the court and off it.