Stochastic processes, particularly those
generated by infinite-state hidden Markov
models.
Computational mechanics, and the study of
how to quantify, detect, and measure randomness
and structure in complex systems.
Applications of information theory to
chaotic dynamical systems.
Using nondetermistic finite automata as a
tool to model and study physical systems, such
as:
How Maxwellian ratchet-style information
engines with finite state controllers use
transformations of randomness and structure in
input processes to do useful work.
How randomness and structure are induced by
quantum measurement of single photon sources
controlled by finite automata.
The information theory of natural language
and the study of natural language as a stochastic
process.
For more detail and some fun visualizations please
see my Research page.
I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at INRIA Bordeaux working with Nicolas Brodu on theory of continuous
computational mechanics and practical algorithms for building models of
real-world systems. As one real-world system, we have been studying
communication in humpback whales! However, bulk of this work has been on
building out a theoretical framework for discovering causal structure using
reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS). See research notes below for more information.
I was previously a postdoc at University of
California, Davis, with the Complexity Sciences Center.
My advisor is Jim Crutchfield.
My work at Davis focused on developing tools for the study of infinite
state hidden Markov models, focusing on the Shannon entropy rate and the
divergence of statistical complexity. This is accomplished by recasting the
hidden Markov models as chaotic dynamical systems and applying tools from
dynamical systems to study the information theoretic properties of the
underlying process. This theoretical work has found has found application to
quantum measurement of single-qubit sources, as well as in the study of the
exact thermodynamic functioning of Maxwellian-ratchet style information
engines.
Before coming to Davis, I attended Marietta College from 2011 to 2015, where
I earned a BS in Physics and a BS in Math. During my undergraduate years I
was lucky to be mentored by (the sadly late) Cavendish McKay, who introduced me
to the study of chaotic systems. For this, I cannot thank him enough. Prior
to this introduction, I was focused on optics: as an undergraduate I spent
one summer at the ENS Cachan Quantum and Molecular Photonics Laboratory
(LPQM) in Paris through the Optics in the City of
Light iREU at the University of Michigan, and another at the Linac Coherent Light Source
(LSLC) through the Department of Energy SULI program.
Although I have been lucky to live and travel around the world, I was raised
in the Bay Area. My pronouns are she/her. When I am not working on research,
I am dancing ballet, out rock climbing, or cuddling up with my 16 year old
beagle, Abby. If you're interested in keeping up with me on social media, my
twitter is (semi-) active.
