Hi, I'm Steve

passionate about machine learning, high performance computing, and robotics.
curious about neuroscience and innovative urban development.


Steve


Education

  • The University of Chicago
    Expected 2025
    (Joint) MS in Computer ScienceChicago, IL

    GPA: 3.53

    Relevant Courses:

    • Time Series Analysis and Stochastic Processes

  • The University of Chicago
    Expected 2025
    BA in Computer Science and BA in Economics Spec. BusinessChicago, IL

    GPA: 3.53

    Relevant Courses:

    • Operating Systems
    • Math Foundations for ML
    • Data Intensive Computer Systems (PhD)
    • Algorithmic Game Theory (PhD)

Experience

  • University of Chicago Department of Computer Science
    March 2024 - Present
    Researcher (Actuated Experience Lab)Chicago, IL
    • Improved performance for LLM robot control by 32% through advanced prompting and PyTorch fine-tuning
    • Developed a web application for users to enter movement and shape requests for a multi-robotic system

    Visit Website


  • Google
    August 2024 - October 2024
    Software Engineering Intern (Spanner Team)Cambridge, MA
    • Increased named schema testing speed by 95% by implementing the feature in a database emulator in C++
    • Increased user-defined function testing speed by 95% by implementing the feature in a database emulator in C++

    Visit Website


  • Two Sigma
    May 2024 - August 2024
    Software Engineering Intern (Network Software Engineering Team)New York, NY
    • Built a data center visualization app providing analytics such as device count, temperature, and power use using React
    • Enhanced parallel processing efficiency in an inventory service by migrating the backend from Python to Go
    • Developed 5+ gRPC endpoints using Go to provide device data and data visualization support

    Visit Website


  • Google
    April 2023 - July 2023
    Software Engineering Intern (Gemini AI Team)New York, NY
    • Optimized LLM task performance by 66.21% through experimenting with advanced prompt tuning in Google Colab
    • Created 5+ UI components utilizing Angular to call the backend using gRPC and enable client interaction with LLMs
    • Developed 9+ gRPC endpoints on the backend utilizing C++ and Python to call LLMs and modify SQL databases

    Visit Website


  • ChicagoDAO
    March 2022 - April 2023
    Software Engineer (Board)Chicago, IL
    • Managing a team of 4 by incorporating the Agile methodology Scrum using Jira Software and Google Meet
    • Constructing 70% of the React frontend and 50% of the Rocket and MongoDB backend for the group’s Resume Book
    • Collaborating on the operations team for the group’s upcoming $1.2 million web3 conference

    Visit Website


  • Launch House
    February 2022 - March 2022
    Member Los Angeles, CA
    • Participated as member of Launch House, formerly funded by a16z
    • Launch House was previously a community for founders to learn and grow their businesses

    Visit Website


  • Meta
    August 2022 - October 2022
    CS Above & Beyond Fellow Menlo Park, CA
    • Attending weekly development workshops geared towards enhancing knowledge of programming fundamentals
    • Collaborating with industry-leading software engineers to master essential data structure and algorithm skills

    Visit Website


  • Sei Labs
    March 2022 - July 2022
    Software Engineer San Francisco, CA
    • Integrated 2+ cryptocurrency wallets into the platform Vortex to create a derivatives trading experience
    • Built a Typescript SDK with 20+ functions to make gRPC calls and send messages to the Cosmos’ blockchain Sei
    • Developed the Falcon Wallet Chrome extension and mobile app used by 1000+ users with React and React Native
    • Increased the number of compatible wallet types by 50% for Falcon Wallet by building hardware wallet HID connectivity

    Visit Website


  • Fractal Fantasy
    February 2022 - April 2022
    Software Engineer London, EN
    • Increased company visibility by 200% through creating a 3-page web app utilizing the React and ChakraUI frameworks
    • Assembled 2+ functions to make JSON-RPC calls to the Solana backend using Project Serum’s Anchor library
    • Constructed a cryptocurrency wallet adapter to support 6 different types of Solana wallets

  • Plasticity Project
    March 2021 - May 2021
    Software Engineering Intern Santa Cruz, CA
    • Constructed 20% of the frontend by developing the landing page using AngularJS and IonicUI
    • Developed the backend using Node.js/Express.js and the database using MongoDB for the transfer of image data
    • Created 10+ REST API endpoints to connect to the frontend

  • Harris School of Public Policy
    January 2021 - March 2021
    Software Engineering Intern Chicago, IL
    • Built 20+ email components using HTML, CSS, and Javascript used in the school newsletter
    • Imported email components into Hubspot (CRM) to send to multiple marketing lists

Talks and Papers

  • A Primer On InitializationTalk
    CppCon 2024

    A lightning talk on initialization techniques in C++ presented at CppCon 2024.


Awards

  • University Award ($20,000) — Solana Grizzlython
    2023

    Won the University Award for building the best project by students in the Solana Grizzlython hackathon: Digidivers.


  • 2nd Place of Decentralized Wireless (DeWi) Track ($500) — Solana Sandstorm Hackathon
    2023

    Won second place for building a peer to peer market place that allows users with IoT devices to connect to a LNS (LoRaWAN Network Server) and sell their data to buyers.


  • 3rd Place — Global Investment Contest
    2020

    Pitched a portfolio of stocks and ETFs focused on sustainable and impact investing, achieving third prize in the 2020 Global Investment Contest.


Projects

  • Device Link — Peer-to-Peer IoT Data Sharing
    Tools: react, express, mongodb

    IoT platform linking device owners and data consumers.


  • TypeTrek — Actuated Typing Race
    Tools: arduino, express, react, 3d-printing

    Typing game that interacts with the physical world.


  • Decked Out — Presentation Generating AI Web App
    Tools: react, flask

    Create presentations from short prompts or essays about any topic.


  • Ten Takeaways — Book Summary Web App
    Tools: react, chakraUI, express, postgresSql

    App for tracking progress and reading books throughout the year.


  • Speed Typing — Typing Speed Tester
    Tools: react

    Web app offering typing training with multiple levels to increase speed.


  • Terra Finder Clone — Blockchain querying application
    Tools: react, chakraUI

    A clone of the popular (or not so much so anymore) terra finder