Matthew Ai Email & Phone Number

United States

Boulder, Colorado, United States

• As part of the Quantum Networking Lab led by Dr. Tasshi Dennis, self-studied and experimentally implemented optical homodyne quantum state tomography to reconstruct Wigner functions of laser light: vacuum, coherent, and squeezed states.• Developed Python software with QuTiP to execute quantum tomography algorithms on measured data: maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) and the inverse Radon transform.• Aligned infrared (1064 nm) free-space Mach-Zehnder interferometer with balanced detection. Programmed oscilloscopes to collect voltage data with PyVISA.• Initiated a weekly Journal Club within the lab and led discussions on research papers at the intersection of quantum optics and superconducting microwave photonics.

• Attempting to improve known bounds of Ramsey numbers on a quantum annealer using graph theory techniques. (Ramsey numbers are mathematical values from graph theory that are notoriously difficult to calculate.)• Implemented a quantum algorithm for Ramsey numbers from scratch in Python and successfully reproduced results from previous papers; now attempting novel approaches.• Self-studied basic quantum information theory and learned the D-Wave "Ocean" object-oriented Python API to write code that controls the quantum computer.• Presented work at 2022 USC Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Festival, won Best Undergraduate Poster award.• Work done under Prof. Daniel Lidar. Funded by a USC Provost's Research Fellowship.

Revived USC’s 75-year-old chapter of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society after it fizzled out during the COVID pandemic years. I led this effort, working with university administrators and regional chapters. Managed officers, recruitment, funding, and corporate relations.

• Developed a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)–based control system; this system guides a microwave probe tone to track the resonance frequency of tunable superconducting qubits and aluminum nanobridge resonator devices that can trap Bogoliubov quasiparticles. Programming done in Python for Quantum Machines' OPX unit ("QUA" language).• Add GUI to Python scripts for superconducting resonator measurement; simulate a microSQUID resonator in Ansys HFSS (S-parameter sweeps).• Funded by the USC Ming Hsieh Institute ECE Undergraduate Scholars Program and a USC Provost's Research Fellowship.

Manhattan Beach, California, United States

• Studied legacy code and research papers together with subject matter experts to understand the physics of satellite clock synchronization, a program-critical area new to the business unit I worked in.• Implemented C++ simulation of satellite clock behavior and cross-satellite time synchronization, debugged legacy flight software in Visual Studio and authored over a dozen header files to provide necessary functions that were missing in the initial code.

Manhattan Beach, California, United States

• Composed MATLAB scripts to simulate satellite calibration terminal output logs and ingest Autonomous Fault Management (AFM) files for post-processing to validate execution of stored command sequences.• Supported Payload Integration & Test team with time-critical RF data review during acceptance testing of satellite hardware.• Completed EIRP link budgets for antenna paths, graphed downlink RF spurs, and analyzed cross-guide coupler characterization data.• Identified deltas and verified test data sources in payload-level and unit-level requirements review, utilizing IBM Rational DOORS and Python.

Los Angeles, California, United States

• Designed avionics PCB boards for FPGAs, CPU units, and microSD cards; schematics and routing done in Altium Designer.• Authored extensive testing and launch procedures for R&D RF-based "Rangefinder" system, assembled and soldered circuit board.• Contributed to Rangefinder C++ firmware and data processing tools, including using Eigen linear algebra library to implement non-linear least-squares problems (modified Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm).• Assisted in writing Python operator software for an in-house, custom data-acquisition (DAQ) unit.

San Diego, Ca

• Founded and led the school's first Physics Club.• The three main missions of the club are to promote physics at Bishop's through engaging students with activities and lunch meetings, to train Bishop's students for individual and team physics contests, including the F=ma Physics Olympiad and the AAPT PhysicsBowl, and to provide free peer tutoring for Bishop's physics students.• In the past two school years, the club had a membership of 70+ students, tripled the school's F=ma participation rate, and partnered up with on-campus SAGE tutoring to provide physics help for freshmen, with access to lab equipment. • Captained the Bishop's PhysicsBowl team to a 4th place finish in the SoCal region, with a team score of 101 in the upper division.

Los Angeles, California, United States

• Designed and fabricated G-class rocket fuselage and nosecone with SolidWorks CAD and 3D-printing; soldered IMUs and data loggers onto THT avionics unit.• Collaborated in teams of five, engaged in iterative design, mediated and resolved conflicts between team members.• Launched rocket at the Mojave Desert Test Site; successfully recovered payload intact from 2500-foot apogee.

San Diego, California, United States

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Quantum Science And Engineering

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Electrical And Computer Engineering

Activities and Societies: K-12 STEM Volunteer Center: Summer High-school Research Mentor (SHINE), Math Engineering Science Achievement.

High School Diploma

Activities and Societies: Physics Club President and Founder, Math Club President, Chapel Council Founding Member, MS Math Club Head.