CV

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Research Interests

Parallel Computer Architectures, GPU Programming, Graph Analytics, Machine Learning, Autonomous Systems, Robotics, Control Systems

Education

University of California, Davis

• Ph.D. Electical Engineering
  • September 2018 - Present
  • Focus: GPU-Accelerated Graph Algorithms
  • Advisor: Dr. John Owens
  • GPA: 4.00/4.00
• B.S. Electrical Engineering
  • September 2014 - March 2018
  • GPA: 3.96/4.00
  • Awards:
    • Outstanding Senior in Electrical Engineering (1 per year)
    • Dean’s List: 10 Quarters
    • Robert Murdoch Memorial Scholarship
    • Fred Fuchslin Memorial Scholarship
    • Pedrozzi Scholarship
    • Best Undergraduate Poster - UC Davis ECE Industrial Affiliates Conference 2018

Experience

NVIDIA Research

Architecture Research Group Intern
June 2021 - September 2021

• Explored producer/consumer dataflow programming models in CUDA, with the goal of simplifying warp specialization, expanding GPU asynchrony, and exposing opportunities for future hardware acceleration.

Architecture Research Group Intern
March 2020 - June 2020

• Modeled the performance of load-balancing and data locality for graph analytics and sparse linear algebra using a cycle-accurate hardware simulator based on NVArchSim as part of the “Symphony” project in DARPA’s Software-Defined Hardware Program.
• Contributed to the Symphony programming model emulator (“Symphonic CUDA”) and hardware simulator (“SymSim”) as part of a team of approximately 10 researchers and software engineers.

Owens Research Group

Graduate Student Researcher
January 2019 - Present

• Researching methods to map GPU graph algorithms and load-balancing methods to reconfigurable GPU hardware and an explicit data orchestration programming model in collaboration with NVIDIA as part of DARPA’s Software-Defined Hardware program.
• Exploring the tradeoffs between load balancing and locality for sparse linear algebra workloads.
• Implemented the HITS graph ranking algorithm in CUDA and the Gunrock open-source parallel graph analytics library, now used as part of NVIDIA’s open-source RAPIDS CuGraph data analytics library. (Link)
• Co-Administrator of a Slurm compute cluster with 15+ users and 4x multi-GPU compute nodes.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Guidance & Control Intern
June 2018 - September 2018

• Developed control algorithms and software drivers to enable automated position and attitude control of a planar air-bearing platform used for CubeSat formation flying, pointing, and rendezvous experiments.
• Formulated and executed a series of laboratory tests to fully characterize the planar platform’s physical properties, software performance, and position-control capabilities. Extensive data analysis performed using MATLAB.
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed Planar Air-Bearing Propulsion System Characterization paper published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets covering the platform’s design, performance capabilities, and applications to future CubeSat missions.
• Portfolio Link

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Computational Engineering Intern
March 2018 - June 2018

• Researched and simulated decentralized signal detection algorithms, information-exchange schemes, and motion strategies for chemical plume identification and localization using UAV robotic swarms.
• Created a Python module to enable development and analysis of collaborative, autonomous swarm scenarios, which was used by LLNL scientists and for a 3D visualization collaboration with UCSD.
• Portfolio Link

Engineering Intern
June 2017 - September 2017

• Created a sensor and LabView virtual instrument used to measure and track the capacitance of over 4000 high energy-density capacitors for preventative maintenance. Achieved accuracy within 3% and repeatability within 1%.
• Portfolio Link

Yankelevich & Marcu Laboratory

Undergraduate Research Assistant
January 2017 - March 2018

• Implemented low-cost, automated hardware and software systems to capture, analyze, and visualize fluorescence lifetime imaging data for guided surgery applications using C++ and Python on a Raspberry Pi computer.
• Portfolio Link

Silva Laboratory

Undergraduate Research Assistant
September 2016 - June 2017

• Designed circuitry and programmed an Arduino for a digitally-controlled syringe with a team of three students. This syringe was used as a low-cost alternative for microfluidic educational and research projects.
• Portfolio Link

Varian Medical Systems

Engineering Intern
June 2016 - September 2016

• Designed PCBs and software used to validate Multi-Leaf Collimator (MLC) motors for radiation therapy machines.
• Programmed a GUI-based application to allow engineers to interface with MLC motor test equipment. Features include telemetry data visualizations, command sequence entry, and debugging tools.
• Portfolio Link

UC Davis C-STEM Center

Research Assistant
January 2016 - June 2016

• Created teaching materials for middle-school students to learn basic coding and robotics concepts.
• Developed code examples for Arduino robotic platforms such as line-following and maze-solving procedures.
• Portfolio Link

White Laboratory

Undergraduate Research Assistant
December 2016

• Created scale models of LA buildings with foam blocks for use in wind tunnel simulations.

Boy Scouts of America

• Achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with a Bronze Palm

Publications

JD Wapman, DC Sternberg, K Lo, M Wang, L Jones-Wilson, S Mohan Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 58 (4), 954-971. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.A34857

Teaching

Senior Capstone Design (UC Davis EEC 136 A/B)

Teaching Assistant
September 2018 - March 2019

• Assisted students and project teams with circuit design/layout, embedded device programming, project management, and quarterly written reports and presentations.

Conferences

• “Gunrock GPU Graph Analytics,” UC Davis Industrial Affiliates Conference, May 2019.
  poster
• “Chemical Plume Detection with Collaborative, Autonomous Sensor Networks,” 2018 Signal and Image Sciences Workshop at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 2018.
  poster
• “Low-Cost Data Collection Systems for Fluorescence Lifetime Spectroscopy Imaging,” UC Undergraduate Research Ambassador Showcase”, February 2018.
• “Rocket Imaging Payload: Identification of Ground-Based Targets using Contour Detection and Neural Networks with Bluetooth-Enabled Inertial Measurement Unit,” UC Davis Industrial Affiliates Conference, May 2018.
  poster
  • Award: Best Undergraduate Poster
• “Multichannel solid state photodetection system for low-cost fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy (Conference Presentation),” in Advanced Biomedical and Clinical Diagnostic and Surgical Guidance Systems XVI, 2018. (contributed slides)

Courses

Graduate

• Artificial Intelligence (ECS 170)
• Computer Architecture (EEC 270, EEC 271)
• Embedded Computing Systems (EEC 284)
• Linear Systems (EEC 250)
• Nonlinear Systems (EEC 251)
• Numerical Applied Linear Algebra (ECS 230)
• Optimal Control (MAE 298)
• Performance Optimization (EEC 289Q)
• Reinforcement Learning (EEC 289A)
• VLSI Digital Signal Processing (EEC 281)

Undergraduate

• Computer Architecture (EEC 170)
• Control Systems (EEC 157A)
• Design of Coffee (ECM 1)
• Differential Equations (MAT 22B)
• Digital Systems I/II (EEC 180 A/B)
• Discrete Math (ECS 20)
• Electromagnetics I/II (EEC 130 A/B)
• Linear Algebra (MAT 22A)
• Parallel Computer Architectures (EEC 171)
• Probabilistic Analysis (EEC 161)
• Signals & Systems (EEC 150A)

Skills

Languages

English (Fluent), Conversational German, Conversational Spanish

Programming Languages

Bash, C, C++, CUDA, MATLAB, MIPS, Python, Verilog

Tools & Frameworks

OpenCV, Numba, NumPy, SciPy, Gunrock, git, gdb/cuda-gdb, Googletest, Jekyll

Programs

Slurm, Eagle, LabView, Simulink, LaTeX, Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Microsoft Office