My current research combines machine learning and computational imaging to solve real problems. My focus is on breaking down and understanding the first principles of the problem and then building these principles back up into a machine learning solution rather than treating the model as a black box.In the past I have sucessfully applied this idea to image enhancement. The broader impact of this is to improve participation from underrepresented groups For example, by creating better multimedia compression algorithms which incorporate simple deep learning based techniques, people operating in underinvested locations (e.g., rural areas, native american reservations, 3rd world countries) are able to participate in an increasingly media-focused internet. I am grateful to have had recognition of the importance of this work by many funding partners over the years including government agencies: DARPA and IARPA, and private companies: Facebook AI, Adobe DIL, and NVIDIA ADLR (where I currently work).