Artem Tikhonov has always valued curiosity, intellectual vitality, and human decency, and during his time at Laurel Springs, he was able to strengthen each skill through the classes he took, the projects he worked on, and the people he connected with. He learned how to start owning his time as a Laurel Springs student, leading him to follow his dreams of working in Computer Science and Engineering. Artem’s time as a Laurel Springs student helped set the stage for his burgeoning career, leading him to earn the Wolfram Award at an event at Princeton University and to contribute to a NASA New Technology Report.

Life as a Laurel Springs Student
“My time at Laurel Springs was transformative,” shared Artem. “One of the most valuable resources I discovered is the agency over one’s own time, and Laurel Springs taught me how to invest that resource wisely.” He shared more about how having flexibility as a high schooler gave him the freedom to pursue meaningful experiences beyond the classroom, like athletics, travel, and preparing for his future.

As a Laurel Springs student, he lived in Europe and studied French and Dutch. He also learned more about new cultures, different ways of thinking, and globally minded communities, strengthening his independence and discipline while studying his Laurel Springs courses. Through these experiences, he started to deepen his interest in education and engineering, connecting their significance to people around him. He became interested in learning how to create solutions that improve lives through human-robot interaction systems, shaping the bulk of his future academic career. He credits Laurel Springs for helping spark a sense of autonomy while exploring his interests as a high schooler.

“Looking back now as a doctoral researcher, I feel immense gratitude for the trust and flexibility Laurel Springs provided,” he said.

Curiosity and a Commitment to Human-Centered Engineering
After graduating from Laurel Springs in 2020, Artem began his higher education career at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. He earned two Associate degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics, moving on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, Davis. Today, he is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati, focusing his research on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Computer Vision, as well as concurrently completing a Master of Science in Computer Engineering.

His current research focuses on artificial intelligence and computer vision in dense and complex environments. When tracking multiple objects in crowded areas, this can remain a significant challenge! He combats this challenge by focusing on his personal passion, improving the quality of life for others. After a car accident in 2023 gave him a new perspective on resilience, he was able to see firsthand what types of gaps exist in computer vision-based support systems. Based on his experiences recovering, he was inspired to develop an AI-based approach to posture recognition and injury risk awareness, with the goal of helping people recover more safely and effectively.

He earned national recognition for his hard work by winning the Wolfram Award at a Princeton University event, as well as receiving recognition and a scholarship from Stanford University. “A year later, my research work gained international recognition when I won a machine learning research proposal in assistive technologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, in collaboration with MIT, the Perkins School for the Blind, and Amazon,” shared Artem.

He has also contributed as an inventor to a NASA New Technology Report on a proposal for artificial intelligence and computer vision to support astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Through his work on this report, he was invited to the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. He learned more about what types of ongoing research are happening at NASA and connected with fellow engineers on new technologies.

“Together, these experiences have strengthened my commitment to developing research that is not only technically rigorous but also practical, human-centered, and capable of making a real difference,” Artem said.

Personal Passions and Impact of Graduating from Laurel Springs
Outside of Artem’s academic work, he enjoys staying involved in the technical community, keeping up to date on trends, and giving back by mentoring and judging at hackathons and innovation events. “These experiences are especially rewarding because they allow me to support students and young builders while staying connected to fast-moving ideas and creative energy,” he shared.

He also enjoys spending time outdoors, photographing nature, hiking, and traveling with friends. His passion for photography has been influenced by his work in assistive technology, allowing him to think more creatively about how people perceive the world and how beauty can be communicated through a variety of mediums.

He’s been able to continue exploring photography and the outdoors across the United States, hosting his first photo exhibition in Davis, California, where he was selected as Artist of the Month, and summiting Mount Shasta after several years of practice and preparation.

“Life after Laurel Springs has been full of purpose, exploration, and continuous growth,” he shared. “The independence and discipline I developed at Laurel Springs have shaped how I approach both my work and my life today.”

Interested in learning more about Laurel Springs and other alumni like Artem?
Fellow Laurel Springs School alumni can join Artem on the LSS Alumni Connect network, and if you would like to be featured on the blog, consider reaching out to alumni@laurelsprings.com. If you’re interested in learning more about getting started at Laurel Springs, join us for a Virtual Open House, where you can meet Laurel Springs staff, current students, and alumni like Artem! Our premier and accredited college-prep curriculum supports students around the world, and we’ve consistently ranked as one of the top online private schools in the nation. To learn more about what current families have to say, view Laurel Springs School’s Niche page.

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