Hi! I'm Max.
I'm an AI Dataset Engineer at Reality Defender.
I use my backgrounds in data science, machine learning, and audio engineering to help protect people against AI-generated misinformation.
About Me
I am currently an AI Dataset Engineer at Reality Defender. I help construct and maintain infrastructure and datasets that assist in the detection of deepfaked audio. I work extensively with cloud-based technologies to collect, clean, organize, and distribute audio data to our deepfake detection models.
Before working in tech, I was studying to become a cognitive neuroscientist. I hold a Master’s degree in computational social science from the University of Chicago, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology and computer science from Oberlin College. My research employed large datasets and machine learning techniques to probe why certain images are more memorable than others.
I am also a musician (electric bass) and audio engineer. I built a project recording studio and have engineered several tracks with a variety of artists, from jazz fusion to country.
I work with a wide range of technologies, including:- AWS
- Python
- Docker
- Terraform
- SQL
- Linux
Experience
I am currently working as an AI Dataset Engineer at Reality Defender. I construct and maintain infrastructure and datasets that assist in the detection of deepfaked audio.
I was a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Chicago for the course ‘computer science with social science applications’ . I helped students with their assignments and projects, and also graded their work.
I also gave lectures on the use of high performance compute clusters for conducting neuroscience research
I both helped develop the curriculum for Oberlin College’s intercession course ‘Introduction to R for psychology majors’.
Working closely with faculty, I gave several lectures on the R programming language and assisted students with generating their own unique research projects.
I helped record and archive live performances of classical and jazz music as part of the Oberlin Conservatory’s audio department.
This included the operation of remote audio and video recording equipment, as well as running live sound for multiple events.
Education
2022 - 2023
Doctor of Philosophy candidate, Cognitive Neuroscience
Carnegie Mellon University
- Graduate researcher in the Behrmann lab
- conducted research on the neural basis of object recognition using intracranial recordings in human subjects
2020 - 2021
Master of Arts in Computation Social Science
University of Chicago
- Master’s thesis “The Features Underlying the Memorability of Objects” published in Science Advances
- Presented thesis as a talk at the 2021 Vision Sciences Society meeting
- Graduate research assistant in the BrainBridge Lab
- conducted research on the relationship between image features and memory performance
2016-2020
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Computer Science
Oberlin College, Oberlin OH
- High honors in psychology
- Thesis awarded RH Stetson Prize and Jerome Davis Grant
- Published paper on nonsuicidal self-injury
Projects
Python
Docker
Discord
The Ravens Nest
An ELO and queueing management bot for Discord servers.
Git
Lua
Chezmoi
Dotfiles
A repository of my configurations for linux and MacOS as well as my preferred development tools.
Hugo
Github
Javascript
makramer.io
This website is managed entirely with Hugo and git, from design to deployment.
Achievements
Phi Beta Kappa
Zeta chapter of Ohio
Sigma Xi
The Scientific Research Society
R.H. Stetson Prize
Prize awarded for undergraduate honors thesis
Stetson-Heiser Prize
Prize awarded for undergraduate honors thesis
LaunchU 2019 Grand Prize
$20,000 grand prize awarded to 1step2life team