Michael Baer (650) 430-1445
Michael Baer
Summary / · Extensive R&D experience in algorithms, search, distributed systems, multimedia, data compression, and communications· Programming and optimization (C/C++, assembly, Python, etc.)
· Publication record in compression, algorithms, and tree structures
· Meticulousness in research, programming, and documentation
Education / STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Electrical Engineering (Information Theory), Ph.D.
· Dissertation: "Coding for General Penalties" (data compression).
· Advisor: Thomas Cover. Stanford Graduate Fellowship. GPA: 3.84
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), B.S.
· EECS Honors program involving MIMO communications research.
· Highest honors. ΦΒΚ. Microsoft Technical Scholarship. GPA: 3.94
Professional experience / A9.com (Amazon) Palo Alto, CA 2014-
Software Development Engineer
· Augmenting and maintaining the Python-based control plane for AWS-based Amazon.com product search query, e.g., adding features, migrating query fleet to new systems, Python-3-migration-related upgrades, on-call assistance.
· Adapting and extending control plane to add AWS-based indexing.
· Altering connectivity of hosts to improve scalability.
· Mentoring interns and coworkers, professionally, via an online new hire guide, and as president, A9 Toastmasters.
· Python, C++.
Vista Research Monterey, CA 2010-2014
Staff Scientist
· Researched for, developed, and maintained several communication-oriented distributed computing signal processing software products.
· Developed several algorithms increasing software effectiveness.
· Accelerated low-level code underlying products (e.g., 40x).
· Took initiative in spearheading cleaner code via refactoring, with extensive inline and online documentation.
· Python, C++, PHP, JavaScript, Fortran. Profiling (Intel VTune, Valgrind), signal processing (Intel MKL), distributed computing (SLURM, RPC), SQL (various), UI (QT),
VMware San Francisco, CA 2008-2010
Member of Technical Staff
· Coded video data processing in remote desktop product
· Ported open source and proprietary products to ARM Linux.
· Debugged Windows kernel code using WinDbg and Coverity
· C++, ARM and x86 assembly. Intel VTune.
Keystream (vLnks) Mountain View, CA 2008
Research Scientist
· Improved C++ video processing algorithms for advertising, both in speed and output, allowing startup’s main algorithm to run 200%-300% faster and enhancing output quality.
Ocarina Networks San Jose, CA 2007-2008
Compression Researcher
· Researched and developed tools in C for lossless compression of already-compressed media files, primarily MPEG-2 video and JPEG.
Electronics for Imaging Foster City, CA 2005-2007
Scientist
· Developed and implemented algorithms for image descreening (halftone detection and processing) in embedded hardware implementation.
· Optimized MMX/SSE assembly and static-analyzed C code (Klocwork).
· Developed color-mixing algorithms.
UtopiaCompression Los Angeles, CA 2003-2005
Research Scientist
· Developed and implemented algorithms for data compression aspect of a machine-learning-based image and video compression system.
· Led entropy coding project, video coding team, and XML compression project, authoring successful government funding proposals.
· Led programming practices initiative (internal standard, Doxygen for C).
Hewlett Packard Labs Palo Alto, CA 1998-2001
Intern (summers and part-time)
· Developed, implemented, and optimized algorithms in x86 MMX/StrongARM/C (SIMD) for MPEG-1 video encoding, wireless security for mobile devices (elliptic curve cryptography, biometrics, pervasive computing), and lossless image sequence compression based on JPEG-LS (patents 7302006 and 7433526).
PARC (Xerox) Palo Alto, CA 1995-1997
Intern (summers)
· Independently researched and analyzed Internet social dynamics.
· Implemented the Java/C interface for proposed MPEG-4 video standard.
· Modeled 3D (VRML) design for the ubiquitous computing Audio Aura project (augmented reality UI).
Emphasized coursework / Multiple courses in: signal processing (audio, video, image, transform coding, wavelets); communications (wireless, storage); information theory; probability theory; control and optimization; music and audio engineering; algorithms; cryptography; law; human perception.
Other skills / Languages: Primarily C/C++, Python, and assembly (x86 including MMX, ARM, MIPS); also Matlab, JavaScript, Fortran, Perl, PHP, SQL. Extraordinarily attentive to good coding style and documentation.
Writing: Stanford Daily senior staff writer; 100+ entertainment articles.
Teaching: Volunteer tutor and A9.com classroom teaching.
Miscellaneous: Multiple Knuth reward checks for The Art of Computer Programming (corrections and suggestions). Reviewer for conferences and journals including IEEE Transactions on Information Theory.
Patents, talks, and technical publications / Journal papers:
Four journal papers in IEEE Transactions on Information Theory and one in Information Processing Letters (all as Michael B. Baer).
Conference papers and patents:
Ten conference papers at the IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory; one conference paper at Human Factors in Computing Systems (with Mynatt, Back, Want, and Ellis). Patents 7302006 and 7433526 for image compression (with Apostolopoulos, Seroussi, and Weinberger).
Invited talks:
CalTech; UCLA; USC; Chinese University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; University of Cyprus; Google (Tech Talk); VMware Information Technology (China).