Alex Fogelson

  • Last May, I graduated from Carnegie Mellon, where I earned a Master's, two majors, and a minor in just four years.
  • I just started a new role as a Software Engineer for MFS Investment Management with the Investment Data Management Office.
  • I have my M.S. in Data Analytics, B.S. in Mathematics, an additional major in Computer Science, and a minor in Chinese studies.
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    If you're in a rush, you can simply download my resume below.
    Otherwise, this website should help you get to know me a bit better.

    Mathematics

    I began studying calculus at fourteen. I quickly learned mathematics is a far deeper language than I could imagine. Learn more about my long journey studying mathematics, and how it undergirds my approach to everything.

    Lecturing on injections, surjections, and bijections.

    Software Engineering

    I started coding at thirteen and haven't stopped since. Learn more about my industry experience with tech giants or academic experience at a leading international university.

    Me (sixteen) working on a Rubik's cube solver for the science fair.

    Data Science/Machine Learning

    Machine learning is becoming easier and easier to deploy. Understanding it is getting harder and harder. Learn more about my years of experience with advanced techniques in data science and machine learning.

    Graduating with my Master's in Data Analytics this past May.

    Selected Projects

    I've worked on all sorts of projects in my life. These are the ones for which the following evaluates to true, for my choice of epsilon.
    (time_spent > 2 months) || (is_interesting && on_github && 100 - percent_finished < epsilon)

    Capstone Project with PNC *

    Python

    PNC was very scrupulous about its data protection! For this reason, too much detail can't really be divulged. However, I can say that in working with and advising industry partners, we deployed models and tools ranging from basic TF-IDF models to Word2Vec and BERT based embeddings. And importantly, this project polished off my Master's coursework.

    Vulnerability Detection *

    Python, C++, C, Assembly

    While at Qualcomm, I worked with the Linux Security Team on a multi-prong project.

  • Using recurrent neural networks, I helped build a model which could detect vulnerabilities in assembly code.
  • To improve the accuracy of the network, I independently developed a modular symbolic execution tool using angr
  • Lastly, I used a Docker container on a Kubernetes cluster to set up the tool for corporate deployment.

    • Database from Scratch *

    C++

    To complete a major in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon, one must choose from a list of daunting finale classes, advanced in their content but also practical in their design. For Database Systems I learned modern theory on database efficiency and implemented it throughout the semester in C++.

    Fast Matrix Multiplication (paper)

    Python

    For a class final project, I delved into the latest research on theoretical matrix multiplication runtime bounds. You can find that paper here.

    Advanced Matrix Algorithms

    Python

    Over the course of a semester, my graduating class for the MS-DAS program implemented advanced computational matrix algorithms from scratch. You can find those here.

    Neural Network from Scratch

    Python

    As part of one of my graduate classes, and to ensure I really understood how feed forward networks operate, I wrote it myself. You can find that code here.

    Personal Python Package

    Python

    After rewriting the same helper functions time and time again, eventually I decided to just package it up nicely. You can access the package here, and learn more about what it includes as well.

    Atlas Resonate *

    Swift

    During an internship with Audition Technology, I worked with the Mobile Development Team to develop the Atlas Resonate app. I rapidly acquired the relevant skills in Swift and XCode, and subsequently became the primary iOS developer. The app interacts with Apple's Healthkit and employs advanced data analysis to analyze hearing health data. You can download the current version of the app here.

    Gravity Simulation

    Python

    A lifetime ago (well, high school), I wrote a simulator to see how gravity would differ in more/less than three dimensions for the science fair. The original code is lost to history, but I decided to redo the project, this time with some visualization! You can view the code and a basic explanation of the theory here.

    Snake Game

    Python

    In an interview with Lex Fridman, machine learning and artificial intelligence researcher Charles Isbell from Georgia Tech cautions programming novices not to dip their feet in the coding deep end. He says endeavoring to accomplish something great programmatically before learning the basics will almost surely lead to frustration, and eventually giving up. But after years of perfecting the skill, Isbell sat down to write Pacman in a day, with the hopes that it would be trivial after all this time. Indeed it was.
    This is my Pac-Man.

    Meme My Playlist

    Python

    Memes. Memes. Memes. There has to be a way to automate this. Oh wait, REST APIs!

    P.S. You need a (paid) developer account to make this into an actual Apple Music playlist. If someone finds this project interesting enough, I will accept a sponsorship.

    More to come!

    I'll continue to keep this site updated as I work on bigger and better projects in the future.

    * Either prioprietary or includes academically sensitive content, so some details are/code is ommitted.

    Connect With Me

    Whether you're an employer, recruiter, or just an old friend, I always love to chat.
    Reach out and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.