ESP Biography



RUSSELL CHOU, math4origami




Major: Computer Science

College/Employer: Stanford

Year of Graduation: 2013

Picture of Russell Chou

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I went to Gunn High School in Palo Alto and have folded origami since I was very little. My favorite models are flowers and modular origami.

My other interests include video games, card games, board games, mahjong, drawing, anime, manga, jpop, and ice skating.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

H3439: Japanese Riichi Mahjong in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
Learn how to play REAL mahjong, not mahjong solitaire. Riichi mahjong is the most common variant played in Japan, which is similar to but has a few key differences from Chinese mahjong.


H3440: Origami Roses w/ 4 petals in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
Learn how to fold a medium difficulty 4-petaled origami roses, based on the crane-base.


H3441: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of indie shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket and abroad. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


H3442: Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? We’ll examine how Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid have impacted Japanese (and now the world’s) popular culture.


H3325: Japanese (Riichi) Mahjong in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
Learn how to play REAL mahjong, not mahjong solitaire. Riichi mahjong is the most common variant played in Japan, which is similar to but has a few key differences from Chinese mahjong.


H3326: Origami Roses w/ 4 petals in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
Learn how to fold a medium difficulty 4-petaled origami roses, based on the crane-base.


H3327: Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? We’ll examine how Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid have impacted Japanese (and now the world’s) popular culture.


H3328: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of indie shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket and abroad. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


W3346: Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon (Walk-In Version) in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? We’ll examine how Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid have impacted Japanese (and now the world’s) popular culture.


W3347: What the heck is Touhou? (Walk-In Version) in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of indie shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket and abroad. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


W2983: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of fan-made shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket and abroad. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


H2984: Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? We'll examine how Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid have impacted Japanese (and now the world’s) popular culture.


H2985: Japanese (Riichi) Mahjong in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
Learn how to play REAL mahjong, not mahjong solitaire. Riichi mahjong is the most common variant played in Japan, which is similar but has a few differences from Chinese mahjong.


H2986: Origami Roses w/ 4 petals in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
Learn how to fold medium difficulty 4-petaled origami roses, based on the crane-base. Preview of rose to be folded: http://www.stanford.edu/~russchou/rose.png


H2610: Japanese Riichi Mahjong in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)
Learn how to play REAL mahjong, not mahjong solitaire. Riichi mahjong is the most common variant played in Japan, which is similar but has a few differences from Chinese mahjong.


H2611: Origami Roses in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)
Learn how to fold medium difficulty origami roses, based on the crane-base.


H2612: Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? Explore Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid and how they have impacted Japanese (and now the world’s) popular culture, as well as the vehicle for such expressions of creativity, NicoNicoDouga.


H2613: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of fan-made shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket and abroad. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


H1894: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of fan-made shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


H1895: Vocaloid: The Electronic Singing Sensation in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? Explore Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid and how they have impacted Japanese (and now the world's) popular culture, as well as the vehicle for such expressions of creativity, NicoNicoDouga.


H1896: Origami roses 1 in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)
Medium-difficulty origami roses. Some folding experience would be good.


H1897: Japanese (Riichi) Mahjong in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)
Learn how to play Japanese (Riichi) Mahjong, NOT Mahong Solitaire


H1540: What the heck is Touhou? in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)
You might have heard of Touhou Project, a series of fan-made shoot-em-up games that have taken the anime-comic-game community by storm, racking up hits on websites such as Pixiv, NicoNicoDouga, and conventions like Comiket. Come learn about why it is the #1 most popular fan franchise in internet history!


H1541: Vocaloid: The Electronic Singing Sensation in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)
Have you heard of supercell? Do you know who Hatsune Miku is? Explore Japanese MAD's and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid and how they have impacted Japanese popular culture, as well as the vehicle for such expressions of creativity, NicoNicoDouga.


H1542: Origami Roses 1 in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)
Medium-difficulty origami roses. Some folding experience would be good.


H865: Origami Roses 1 in Splash! Spring 2010 (Apr. 17 - 18, 2010)
Have you ever folded an origami flower? What about a rose? Here we will learn how to fold a very nice origami rose, along with leaves if we have time. Minor folding experience would be helpful.


H867: NicoNicoDouga, Vocaloid, Comiket, and Touhou?! Explore popular Japanese creative and memetic phenomena! in Splash! Spring 2010 (Apr. 17 - 18, 2010)
Do you know what a MAD is? What about doujins? You might have heard some of these terms if you have perused various online creative communities. These Japanese products are all fan-make works produced by the fans, for the fans, yet they are the source of some of the most viral memes on the internet. We will explore the sources of these phenomena in Japan, and how it has impacted Japanese popular culture and the internet, with a focus on the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid and the Touhou Project series of danmaku games, as well as the vehicles for such expressions of creativity, the Comic Market convention and the NicoNicoDouga website.


H582: Origami Roses 1 in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Have you ever folded an origami flower? What about a rose? Here we will learn how to fold a very nice origami rose, along with leaves if we have time. Minor folding experience would be helpful.


H583: Origami Roses 2 in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Have you ever folded an origami flower? What about a rose? Here we will learn how to fold a Kawasaki Rose, a very pretty but somewhat complicated design. This is a hard model, intermediate folding experience is required.


H585: Comiket, Touhou, NicoNicoDouga, and Vocaloid? Explore popular Japanese creative and memetic phenomena! in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Do you know what a MAD is? What about doujins? You might have heard some of these terms if you have perused various online creative communities. These Japanese products are all fan-make works produced by the fans, for the fans, yet they are the source of some of the most viral memes on the internet. We will explore the sources of these phenomena in Japan, and how it has impacted Japanese popular culture and the internet, with a focus on the Touhou Project series of danmaku games and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid, as well as the vehicles for such expressions of creativity, the Comic Market convention and the NicoNicoDouga website.


P605: Beginning 4-count Swing! (Follows Sign-up) in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Come learn a really fun and simple social partner dance, 4-count swing! It's very easy to pick up and can be danced to a wide variety of music. Partners are not necessary, but you should be prepared to dance barefeet, with socks, or bring dancing shoes. If you are a follow (usually girls) then sign up for this one, both sign-ups are for the same class. Sign up for the other section if you are a lead.


P606: Beginning 4-count Swing! (Leads Sign-up) in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Come learn a really fun and simple social partner dance, 4-count swing! It's very easy to pick up and can be danced to a wide variety of music. Partners are not necessary, but you should be prepared to dance barefeet, with socks, or bring dancing shoes. If you are a lead (usually guys) then sign up for this one, both sign-ups are for the same class. Sign up for the other section if you are a follow.


H277: Origami Roses in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
Have you ever folded an origami flower? What about a rose? Here we will learn how to fold a Kawasaki Rose, a very pretty but somewhat complicated design. Minor folding experience would be helpful.


H282: Comiket and the Japanese Doujin Phenomenon in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
Comiket, doujinshi, Touhou, Type-Moon, you might have heard some of these names if you've watching some anime before. Yet, they are not made by commercial companies like Sunrise (who made Gundam) or Studio Pierrot (who made Naruto). Doujinshi are all fan-make works produced by the fans, for the fans. However, they are the source of some of the most viral memes on the internet. We will explore the sources of this phenomenon in Japan, and how it has impacted Japanese popular culture and the internet, with a focus on the Touhou Project series of danmaku games.


C305: Contest Programming Strategies in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
Have you ever wanted to know how to find the shortest path to solve a maze? In this seminar, we will explore many common algorithms used to solve cool and interesting puzzles in programming competitions. No previous competition experience is needed, although knowledge of a language such as Java is recommended. Bringing a laptop is highly suggested. In addition, there will be a Stanford Programming Contest on May 16, 2009, where you can try out everything you've learned!