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Research Interests

Computer Vision:
Object Detection, Segmentation, Medical Image Analysis, Autonomous Driving
Machine Learning:
Capsule Networks, Explainable AI, Deep Learning

Research Experience

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2015 – Present​ Computer Vision Researcher

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  • Senior R&D Engineer at Kitware, Inc.

  • UCF Research Fellow & UCF Graduate Research Assistant (2016 – Present)

    • Explainable AI, capsules networks, object detection, semantic segmentation.

    • Medical image analysis, autonomous driving, and aerial video applications.

    • See my Publications Page and my Blog for more details about specific projects.​​

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  • Undergraduate Researcher at St. Olaf College​ (2015 – 2016)

    • Deep learning, object detection in left-right image pairs, and semantic segmentation in an extremely small dataset (30 images).

    • More details about these projects can be found at their Project Page in my Blog.

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2015 – 2016​ Web-Application Researcher & Developer​​​

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  • ​Conducted research as part of the HiPerCiC program (High-Performance Computing in Context) as an undergraduate at St. Olaf College.

  • Initially hired as a developer before quickly being promoted multiple times to managing a three person summer research team, in addition to   coordinating client communication and user feedback.

  • Supported by a digital humanities grant, projects involved creating web apps to support professors' scholarly research in a diverse range of fields:

    • Computational linguistics, archaeology, music & art history, race & ethnic studies, English & American studies, and ceramics & sculpture.​​

  • Practical applications were also developed in areas including: newspaper & digital media, theater & dance productions, and alumni relations.

  • Research efforts included database structures & systems, 3D modeling, and geographic information systems to visualize and find patterns in data.

  • Acknowledge in award winning book for statistical mapping visualizations.

  • Details about these projects can be found on my Publications Page & Blog.

  • Co-taught innovative HiPerCiC course where multidisciplinary teams developed web-apps for professors' research at St. Olaf.

    • Personally developed all course materials (substitute for textbook), reading/homework assignments, and course lectures.

    • Gave lectures for half the semester and feedback & guidance to students on their app development the other half, also grading homework assignments.

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HiPerCiC Applications Poster
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Helicon Plasma Physics Chamber created at St. Olaf College

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2015​ Plasma Physics Researcher

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  • Conducted directed undergraduate research related to creating helicon plasma from an argon source for propulsion at St. Olaf College.

  • Started from constructing the plasma source itself to examining the effects  of self-bias on helicon plasma generation.

  • Researched then designed an impedance matching network in Matlab for optimal power transfer from a generator to a helicon structured antenna. 

  • More details about this project can be found at its Project Page in my Blog.

Grants & Proposals

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Significantly contributed to the following grants:

  • NIH R01 Grant

    • Funding Center: National Cancer Institute (NCI)​

    • Cyst-X: Interpretable Deep Learning Based Risk Stratification of Pancreatic Cystic Tumors. 

    • Funded​ (Pi-11): $2.5M over 5 years.

  • NIH R01 Grant​

    • Funding Center: National Cancer Institute (NCI)​

    • RCAI: Radiologist Centered Artificial Intelligence

    • Funded (Pi-5): $2.5M over 5 years.

  • Florida Department of Health

    • ​Predicting Outcomes of Lung Cancer Therapy Through Explainable Deep Learning​

    • $1.1M over 3 years.

  • Mayo-UCF Seed Grant​

    • Development of Computer Aided Detection (CAD) and Diagnosis Tool for Elucidating the Difference Between Pancreatic Cystic Tumors​

    • Funded: $50K over 1 year.

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Significantly contributed to/wrote several proposals while interning at Lockheed Martin:

  • Contributed to several IRADs (independent research and development) on object detection and tracking in aerial sensory data, some of which were successfully funded.

  • Co-wrote white paper on a real-time change detector in 3D point cloud data.

  • Gave consulting advice in multi-agent systems, reinforcement learning, and object detection & tracking.

Funded Projects

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CRCV RET 2018

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Graduate Research Assistant for NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program.

  • NSF funded year long research program to expose high school STEM teachers to cutting-edge research to share with their students.

  • Developed summer research projects for teachers based on STEM subject areas, including recruiting grad students/professors to assist in domain knowledge.

  • Created official reports to the NSF summarizing all work completed, personnel involved, objectives met/in-progress, and tangible products/results.

  • Guided teachers in conducting research and creating lesson plans in their subject areas.

  • Designed & distributed promotional material to recruit teachers across several districts in central Florida.​

  • Organized & conducted intro to Python tutorials,  research dissemination workshops, and poster sessions.

  • Visited classrooms to observe teachers before recruitment & during integration of research-inspired lesson plans.

  • Gave talks to students about college, grad school, research, and life advice.

Services/

Reviewer

Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence AI Tech Talk Series by Rodney LaLonde at Lockheed Martin

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Rodney LaLonde lung cancer resercher

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Research Talks

Invited Talks, Presentations, & Tutorials:

  • Co-Organizer of CVPR'19 Tutorial on Capsule Networks.

  • Invited to present research at Lockheed Martin (LM) facilities in Colorado, California, and Florida.​​

  • Independently created a weekly Tech-Talk Series on Computer Vision & Deep Learning at Lockheed.

    • Invitations sent to all 9,000+ LM SSC engineers.​

    • Exceeded maximum online viewer capacity.

  • Featured on several prominent media outlets including Fox News for my pancreas/lung cancer research.

  • Presented research at Aptiv on small object detection, instance-segmentation, & capsule networks.

  • Created an in-depth video lecture series on papers in artificial intelligence (avail. on YouTube).

Teaching Experience

Guest Lecturer – University of Central Florida (UCF):

  • Topics in Machine Learning (CAP 6614)

  • Artificial Intelligence (CAP 4630)

  • Robotic Vision (CAP 4453)

Teaching Assistant – UCF, St. Olaf College:

  • Computer Science II (COP 3503C)

  • Operating System Concepts (CGS 3763)

  • Artificial Intelligence (CAP 4630)

  • Statistical Mechanics (Phys 379)

  • Principles of Physics II (Phys 125)

  • HiPerCiC: Collaborative Web Apps (Inter 259)

  • Analytical Physics I Laboratory (Phys 130 Lab)

  • Principles of Physics I Laboratory (Phys 124 Lab)

Tutor – St. Olaf College:

  • Calculus I & Calculus II (Math 120 & 126)

 

.............Fall 2019

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...........................Spring 2018

 

...............Spring 2020

...........Fall 2019

.......................Fall 2018

....................Spring 2015​

...................Spring 2015

....Fall 2015

......Fall 2014

...Fall 2013

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..........Fall 2015

Reviewer for several top journals & conferences:

  • PLOS One

  • IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging (TMI)

  • International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICAAI)

  • Medical Imaging with Deep Learning (MIDL)

  • IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI)

  • IEEE International Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC)

  • Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics (CMIG)

  • International Journal of Medical Physics Research and Practice (MedPhys)

  • International Conference on Image Processing Theory, Tools and Applications (IPTA)

  • World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI)

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Review panelist for Opioid Detection Challenge 

  • $1.55 million competition for rapid, non-intrusive 

      detection tools for illicit opioids in international mail.

  • Funded by DHS S&T, CBP, USPIS, ONDCP.​

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Community Service Activities

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of America

    • Recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the  Soldotna Chamber of Commerce.

    • Mentored/Guided less fortunate children.

    • Participated in field day events.

  • Gliding with the Stars​

    • Provided individuals with disabilities instruction to development of ice skating skills​.

  • Hat Trick for Reading & Pucks for Pages programs

    • Mentoring at five under-performing local schools and heavily involved in reading programs.

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Capsule for Object Segmentation presentation by Rodney LaLonde at MIDL 2018

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