My Mission

I am an applied researcher working on large language models (LLMs). I have a passion for leveraging basic, academic research to solve large-scale industrial problems. My primary goal is to be a bridge between academia and industry by making scientific information interpretable to all and helping to draw connections between scientific advancements and pressing industrial problems.

Professional Experience

• Senior Research Scientist → Netflix, 2024-Current

• Director of AI → Rebuy Engine, 2023-2024

• Research Scientist → Alegion, 2021-2023

• Data Science (Year-Round Intern) → Salesforce, 2019-2021

I’m currently a Senior Research Scientist on the Globalization team at Netflix. The Globalization team removes language barriers from the Netflix experience as we deliver movies and TV shows to 300+ million members across 190+ countries in 30+ languages. We are responsible for the translation and cultural adaptation of all aspects of member interaction on Netflix (e.g., subtitles and dubbing).

Education

• Ph.D. Computer Science → Rice University, 2020-2023

• B.Sc. Computer Science → UT Austin, 2016–2020

I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science from Rice University (advised by Dr. Anastasios Kyrillidis) in Houston, TX. My research interests are related to math and machine/deep learning, including non-convex optimization, theoretically-grounded algorithms for deep learning, continual learning, and practical tricks for building better systems with neural networks. Prior to Rice, I was an undergraduate student in Computer Science at UT Austin, where I worked with the Neural Networks Research Group on research in genetic algorithms and evolutionary computation.

Personal Interests

Outside of work, I remain as active as possible. I am an avid fan of mixed martial arts (MMA) and am actively training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). I enjoy exercising and try to go for walks, runs, or hikes nearly every day, preferably with my dog Theodore and my wife Sara. Some of my other random interests include brewing/roasting coffee, reading books, and cooking.