ESP Biography

BENSON ZHAN LI LIN, Math/CS/Psychology nerd, bunny enthusiast

Major: Not available.

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2027

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Hi! I'm Benson Lin. I'm from Singapore, an island city-state just to the south of the Malayan Peninsula in Southeast Asia.

Currently a freshman at MIT studying mathematics, computer science and neuroscience. I'm intending to focus on theoretical CS and psychology.

I love puzzles, strategy and shooters. I also particularly like bunnies! There are lots of bunnies roaming the MIT campus, so you may sometimes see me taking photos or videos when I spot one.

Past Classes

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

X15965: Hanabi in Spark 2024 (Mar. 16 - 17, 2024)

If you're all working towards a common goal, why would communication struggles matter? Hanabi is a cooperative card game with a simple set of rules, where the goal is to share information efficiently to play legal moves. We introduce participants to the basics of the game, and work our way up to emergent conventions: what is a save, a finesse, a bluff? What does it mean to 'trust in the me that trusts in you'?

X15727: Hanabi I in Splash 2023 (Nov. 18 - 19, 2023)

Hanabi is an acclaimed cooperative card game where players work together to a common goal. The twist? You don't see what cards you have! This class will go through the rules and some basic conventions of the game. Includes practical training with fellow students and teachers.

X15728: Hanabi II in Splash 2023 (Nov. 18 - 19, 2023)

Which is the chop? How do we finesse cards? What is the bluff? Why did they discard? Why is that a misplay?!? Hanabi can be played purely with trust, but it can also be played with conventions that the players agree to. These make it more likely to win the game! In this class, we will go into more detail and explore some conventions of Hanabi. Includes practical training with fellow students and teachers.