Professional
I’m a computer engineer living in San Francisco with an expertise in machine learning and philosophy, looking to work to make artificial intelligence more useful and less harmful to humans.
I studied electrical engineering at the University of Michigan, where I spent time on digital circuit design, signal/image processing and playing trumpet in the Michigan Marching Band (in the 3rd biggest stadium in the world). I stuck around for an extra year to get a Masters in Computer Engineering, focusing in Machine Learning, before being awarded the Roger M Jones Fellowship which funded my tuition and living expenses to study Philosophy of Science for a year at the London School of Economics. Having a life-long interest in philosophy, and believing a growing overlap between philosophy and machine learning, I took courses in moral philosophy, philosophy of science and wrote my dissertation on explainable artificial intelligence.
Over the past few years, I interned in various industries– most recently working on machine learning for image processing at Dolby. Additionally, I interned at DTE Energy, twice with Texas Instruments, and spent a summer working on a design project at Google.
Now that I’ve finished school, I’m on the job market. I’d really like to work in machine learning engineering, AI alignment, or AI safety. I think that this blends my skills, and is a high impact way to spend a career.
Personal
I believe that physical exercise is an important part of a good life, and helps enable fun outdoor activities. I consider myself an expert downhill skier, an OK runner and a bad outdoor rock climber that got into the sport before it was popular.
Lately, I’ve been spending time meditating, following a secular Buddhist-style practice. The promises of a regular practice (improved focus, equanimity, sensory clarity, pain without suffering, and overall greater happiness) appeal to me greatly. I think that people who regularly meditate can arrive at an understanding of how conscious experience works that is slightly different in nature from that which a philosopher or a neuroscientist would.
I like music, as nearly everyone does, but I think it’s fun to sit and focus entirely on a song or album. I picked up this habit from playing trumpet for 10+ years, going to countless concerts of various genres, and collecting audio equipment and vinyl.