Experience
STANDD
I’m particularly proud of the work I’ve done this school year at the Institute of Data Analytics for the STANDD Initiative. This initiative seeks to use data analysis techniques to aid in the fight against human trafficking. The overall goal is to scrape advertisements from escort websites and link them together based on whether they come from the same individual or organization, and then determine red flags of human trafficking. This data can then be sent to non-profits and law enforcement for further aid and investigation.
I contributed my expertise in language models, statistics, and visualization to develop new techniques for linking ads together based on textual data. My contributions, together with others working in the lab, will make up a full paper we will publish sometime this year. This work has also lead to a significant improvement in our overall process, which will help save real people from human trafficking.
Oak Ridge National Lab
I previously interned at ORNL in Summer 2024 for 11 weeks as a research student intern. I investigated the combination of language models and graph neural networks for molecular modelling. Our approach was ultimately unsuccessful, but I did gain a significant amount of experience in general machine learning and research skills. I also had the opportunity to use the Frontier supercomputer, where I was able to learn how to work with high performance computing systems. Ultimately, I did end up publishing a paper which was accepted to the AI for Materials workshop at NeurIPS and meeting some cool people.
Aside from work, it was really interesting to see the ORNL complex in person. ORNL is a very storied place, serving as an integral part of the Manhattan project during World War II. I was able to see the decommissioned X10 nuclear reactor, the second artificial nuclear reactor in the world. ORNL is also home to a currently functioning nuclear reactor, HFIR, that I was able to tour. I don’t know about you, but I never thought I would end up touring a live nuclear reactor.
Coursework
At Alabama, I’ve completed numerous courses that built critical skills in computer science and math, as well as advanced my language skills in Spanish.
| Course Number | Title | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| CS101 | CS II for Majors | A+ |
| CS200 | Software Design and Engineering | A+ |
| CS201 | Data Structures and Algorithms | A+ |
| CS301 | Database Management Systems | A+ |
| CS340 | Legal & Ethical Issues in Comp | A+ |
| CS451 | Data Science | Upcoming |
| CS470 | Computer Algorithms | Upcoming |
| MATH227 | Calculus III | A+ |
| MATH237 | Linear Algebra | A+ |
| MATH301 | Discrete Mathematics | A+ |
| MATH355 | Theory of Probability | A+ |
| MATH359 | Mathematical Theory of Data Science | A- |
| MATH421 | Non-Linear Optimization Theory | A+ |
| MATH451 | Math Stats W/Applictn I | A+ |
| MATH557 | Stochastic Processes I | Upcoming |
| MATH586 | Introduction to Real Analysis I | Upcoming |
| SP353 | Spanish Conversation | A+ |
| SP356 | Adv Grammar and Compos | A |