AI/ML Developer Advocate at Google Cloud. Former robotics and mixed reality engineer. Transmuting AI research into reality while climbing mountains, learning ancient languages, converting sailboats to electric power, and building experiences inspired by RollerCoaster Tycoon and alchemical philosophy.
January 2025 • AI, Learning, Infrastructure
Why building production LLM systems is more like medieval alchemy than modern engineering—and what that teaches us about transformation, iteration, and the careful balance between theory and practice.
December 2024 • Engineering, Electric Vehicles, Systems Thinking
Converting a traditional boat to electric propulsion taught me more about systems thinking than any software architecture course. Here's what boats and batteries can teach us about building resilient systems.
November 2024 • Decision Making, Risk, Adventure
What mountaineering, hang gliding, and open water swimming teach us about managing uncertainty, preparing for edge cases, and knowing when to commit versus when to retreat. Risk management principles that apply equally well to deploying production systems and climbing mountains.
October 2024 • Aviation, Testing, Craftsmanship
The FAA certification process for homebuilt aircraft has surprising parallels to software testing and validation. Both require documenting every decision, proving airworthiness through systematic testing, and accepting that iteration is part of the process.
September 2024 • Education, AI, Research
After years of building AI infrastructure and developer tools, I've realized the most interesting problems aren't technical—they're about learning. How do we design systems that genuinely transform understanding? How does AI change what's possible in education? This is my attempt to find out.
August 2024 • Philosophy, Practice, Balance
Research without building is just theory. Building without exploration is just routine. Exploration without reflection is just tourism. Here's how I think about balancing intellectual work, hands-on creation, and physical challenge—and why all three are necessary.
"Writing is thinking made visible. These essays are my laboratory notebooks—records of experiments, observations from the workshop, and field notes from adventures. They're rough drafts of understanding, shared in hopes they might catalyze someone else's transformation."