A robotics engineer and artist based in San Francisco, California. I enjoy innovating and creating, building autonomous systems, and solving highly complex technical problems. Since I was a kid, I’ve also been drawn to the world of creative arts, like painting and writing. You can find my artwork here and my blog here.
I work as a Senior Software Systems Engineer at Cruise, a robotaxi startup currently developing an L4 autonomy. I want to help push the boundaries of AI and robotics towards the world’s first L5 technology, as I believe it’s a fundamental change to a much safer and more sustainable earth for all.
I was previously at Tesla for nearly 4 years, where I helped the Autopilot team launch its first Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. Prior to that, I worked as a machine learning researcher at NASA Goddard Institute on climate change models and the United Nations on supply chain optimizations for reducing malnutritions in Subsaharan Africa.
I completed an M.S. in Data Science with a focus on Machine Learning at Columbia University, and a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and Statistics (summa cum laude) from Georgia Tech at 19. During sophomore year, I fell in love with statistical learning theory taught by Dr. Nicoleta Serban and subsequently took a few PhD engineering courses in that domain.
My fascination towards robotics and embodied artificial intelligence didn’t truly develop until Tesla, when I started working on the firmware UI, closed-loop simulations, and algorithmic state machines, where I had the pleasure of collaborating with the strongest engineers I’d ever worked with. Maybe they’re right when they say curiosity killed the cat–naiveté too actually–but satisfaction somehow always brought it back to life. So there goes my top rule for a fulfilling life: Follow your curiosity :).
When I’m not creating, I love learning about cultures and philosophies around the world–whether through local communities, volunteering, or living abroad temporarily. Among 23 countries I’ve been to, I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of living in France, Brazil, and South Africa for a couple months. I hope I don’t just get to see the world, but to also connect with many others from different corners of the globe.
So, please connect with me! I speak English, Indonesian, Javanese, and very little French, but highly proficient in Google Translate and ChatGPT lol. Feel free to write me a note via email or LinkedIn.
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Take care and keep slaying x
M.