Michelle L. Wu

Founding Engineer & Chief Executive Officer

Irvine, CA · Founding

• Promoted from Founding Engineer based on demonstrated technical leadership and execution.
• Owns overall system strategy for a quantum deep-tech startup building secure, scalable platforms for biomedical imaging and quantum-safe analytics.
• Accountable for business-critical engineering decisions spanning system architecture, security posture, deployment strategy, and research-to-production translation.
• Leads fundraising, partnerships, and go-to-market execution while maintaining direct ownership of core technical systems and delivery timelines.
• Designed executive dashboards and reporting pipelines to support internal decision-making and external stakeholder communication.
• Designed and implemented core architecture across quantum ML, high-performance computing pipelines, cloud infrastructure, and secure APIs.
• Led development of QNN-based tumor segmentation and financial simulation systems integrating post-quantum cryptographic primitives and multi-cloud deployment pipelines.
• Built and launched encrypted MVPs used to validate oncology and analytics workflows, with direct responsibility for correctness, performance, and failure modes.

Founding Protocol Engineer / DeFi

Remote

• Founding Protocol Engineer (August 2025 - January 2026): Designed and engineered AURIX-AI, an open-source cloud-native decision optimization platform integrating telemetry ingestion, uplift modeling, and profit-aware policy selection.
• Owned protocol architecture and optimization logic supporting large-scale experimentation, backtesting, and deployment of data-driven decision systems.
• Senior Full Stack AI/ML Engineer (April 2025 - January 2026): Designed and implemented distributed vector search infrastructure with FAISS and Weaviate over 20+ TB of unstructured data with sub-second query latency.
• Built end-to-end ML pipelines supporting semantic search, experimentation, and rapid iteration for research and production users.
• Led development and deployment of healthcare-focused and ethical-AI LLM systems leveraging RAG, LoRA/PEFT fine-tuning, and MLOps best practices for reliability, auditability, and HIPAA/GDPR-aware compliance.
• Independent Consultant (August 2016 - 2024) and Founder (2024 - January 2026): Transitioned from independent engineering engagements to formal company operations delivering production-grade systems for global clients.
• Architected and operated secure, high-performance backend services and APIs with direct responsibility for reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Designed and deployed full-stack systems using React, Angular, Python, and SQL, integrating backend services with data-driven frontends and analytics workflows.
• Owned cloud infrastructure and CI/CD pipelines using AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, and Terraform.
• Delivered multiple long-running client engagements under NDA, demonstrating sustained technical ownership, autonomy, and client trust.

Lead Depeg Engineer / Lead Software Architect

Pittsburgh, PA · CMU Tepper-sponsored collaboration

• Designed and engineered a confidential, to-be-launched product, with a publication in drafting.
• Collaborated with LuxLeaf AI's amaRQ on detecting on-chain anomalies pre-depeg.
• Sponsored and partnered through Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.
• Transitioned from group to independent engineering engagements with formal company operations, delivering a to-be-launched production-grade system for global clients.
• Architected and operated secure, high-performance backend services and APIs, with responsibility for reliability, scalability, and maintainability.

Quantum Software & Development Instructor & Lead Instructor

Cambridge, MA · Promotion

• Lead Instructor (May 2025 - January 2026), promoted from Instructor (May 2024 - May 2025) based on technical leadership and curriculum execution.
• Designed and delivered federally funded quantum software systems curriculum translating theoretical models into executable, production-quality code.
• Mentored instructors and TAs while establishing technical standards and project frameworks.
• Taught Qiskit fundamentals, developed student projects, and delivered live instruction for MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute.
• Delivered curriculum funded by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MITRE.

Computational and Quantitative Medicine Research Assistant

Duarte, CA

• Developed a novel CAR-T cell treatment technique for glioblastomas with Dr. Ryan Woodall and Dr. Russell Rockne.
• Positioned research for classical and high-performance computing applications.
• Publication in drafting, as listed in the supplied CV.

Applied Mathematics & Biology Research Assistant

Riverside, CA

• Received direct advising under Dr. Heyrim Cho and Dr. Yat Tin Chow.
• Applied machine learning skills toward computational oncological analysis.
• Integrated stochastic models to reduce parameter variance and improve prediction accuracy.

NSF Quantum R&D Team Lead & Laboratory Inventory Manager

Riverside, CA

• Developed a non-uniform thin-film Bose-Einstein Condensate substrate.
• Led polymer synthesis and substrate fabrication team, increasing productivity by 200%.
• Aided in writing NSF grant updates that were well received by Dr. Allen P. Mills.
• Applied machine shop experience toward substrate fabrication.
• Designed and managed the lab's public research site.

Grad Mentor for NSF Materials and Connections REU Fellowship

Riverside, CA

• Mentored undergraduate fellow David Nwineh from Riverside Community College on polymer synthesis and quantitative and analytical chemistry.
• Guided research obstacle-solving, professional skill growth, symposium presentation development, and research poster preparation.
• Ensured successful program completion with a focus on research maturity and professional development.

Condensed Matter Physics R&D Team Lead

Riverside, CA

• Applied ATC Load-Locked RF Sputtering techniques toward quantum anti-particle R&D for tetraethyl orthosilicate based Bose-Einstein Condensate targets.
• Worked on mathematical models based on angular momentum, dispersion rates, and viscosity to develop polymer recipes.
• Expanded positron diffusion models with random walk simulations in MATLAB.
• Used computer-aided design to engineer a trench for a metal alloy conductor etched by electron-beam lithography after scanning electron microscopy alignment.

Analytical Chemistry & Biosensing Research Assistant

Riverside, CA

• Conducted research with Dr. Alexander Scott Malinick under Dr. Quan Jason Cheng on Surface Plasmon Resonance for disease detection and characterization of complex biophysical interactions.
• Contributed to projects on curved membrane biomimicry and effects of nanoplastics and lanthanides on lipid membranes.
• Received hands-on training with lipid extraction, e-beam deposition, NanoSPR, and NanoSPRi.
• Developed machine learning skills in R, Python, and MATLAB for computational analysis and neural network development.
• Performed quantitative SPR and MALDI-TOF-MS reporting, computational docking, and computational chemistry analysis for gangliosides, proteins, and enzymes.

NSF Materials and Connections REU Summer Fellowship

Riverside, CA

• Applied SPR, electron beam evaporation, and machine learning to biophysical studies of nanoplastics on lipid membranes with Dr. Alexander S. Malinick and Suzette Aguayo.
• Aided data analysis of curved membrane biomimicry and presented a new project received well by Principal Investigator Dr. Quan Cheng.
• Received NSF funding through a $3,500 research grant and an additional $1,500 for clean room machine training.

Small Business Owner

Hybrid, Diamond Bar, CA

• Invested in iconic shoes, streetwear, accessories, and technology.
• Generated a 45% net profit margin that funded giveaways, positive engagement, and sales growth.
• Opened two additional branches after six months: special and limited-edition pre-orders and personalized priority shipping labels.
• Sold to a private investor to focus on learning and technical growth.

Project Manager

Los Angeles, CA

• Constructed multiple championship-winning teams.
• Led team-development exercises contributing to a 250% boost in engagement.
• Increased annual revenue by 130%, which was well received by the CEO.

Full Stack Developer

Hybrid

• Received direct mentorship from Dr. Jack Sheau-Min Wu.
• Coordinated with multiple international teams to broaden troubleshooting capabilities.
• Executed and revised projects in C/C++, CSS, HTML, Java, Python, and PHP.
• Signed an NDA for an eight-month C project.

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

Los Angeles, CA

Merit-based admission from the 2025 PhD pool. Offered dual acceptance in Biomedical Data Analytics and Biomedical Engineering.

Master of Science in Business Analytics

Pittsburgh, PA

Merit scholarship recipient. Featured in Clear Admit. PT MSBA Ambassador. Operations Researcher. Dean's Honor List (5/5). Multi-award-winning writer.

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Applied Mathematics and Chemistry)

Riverside, CA

Dean's Honor List (15/15). Multi-award-winning conference presenter and writer.

A Grover-Based Quantum Algorithm for Solving Perfect Mazes via Fitness-Guided Search

arXiv Pre-Prints · July 2025 - Present

Irvine, CA

26 April 2025 · Riverside, CA

Optimizing Delivery Locations of CAR-T Cells In High-Grade Glioblastomas Using IFF

Southern California Applied Math Symposium 2025

• City of Hope pre-print in progress.

26 April 2025 · Riverside, CA

A Provably Convergent Framework for Portfolio Allocation & Gas-Efficient Routing in Decentralized Markets

Southern California Applied Math Symposium 2025

26 April 2025 · Riverside, CA

Optimizing Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks for High-Precision Glioma Segmentation

Southern California Applied Math Symposium 2025

11 March 2025 · Riverside, CA

Optimizing Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks for High-Precision Glioma Segmentation

Mathematical Excellence & Diversity Conference 2025

• First Place Graduate Student Essay & Honorable Mention Graduate Student Poster.
• Well received by UCR Department of Mathematics faculty and panel.

01 March 2025 · Pittsburgh, PA

The Subscription Economy vs. The Ownership Economy

Data Visualization & Exploration Symposium

• Well received by Dr. Ben Collier.

27 February 2025 · Riverside, CA

Invited & Featured Panelist

Empowering Women in STEM Fair

• Event sponsored by AT&T, Raising Canes, and Starbucks.

13 June 2024 · Riverside, CA

Segmentation & Characterization of Gliomas by Quantum Convoluted Neural Networks

Mathematics Undergraduate Research Symposium

• Well received by UCR Department of Mathematics faculty and panel.

4 June 2024 · Riverside, CA

The Fundamental Theorem of Path Integrals & Functional Applications

Mathematics Undergraduate Symposium of Real Analysis

• Well received by Dr. Estela Gavosto.

24 May 2024 · Riverside, CA

LV Model Interaction Calibration with Prostate Cancer

Mathematical Excellence & Diversity Conference

• First place award for best-written essay and third place award for outstanding poster.
• Well received by UCR Department of Mathematics faculty and panel.

14 March 2024 · Riverside, CA

Calibration of Lotka-Volterra Model with In-Vivo Prostate Cancer & Radiotherapy Treatment

Mathematics Undergraduate Symposium of Mathematical Modeling

• Presentation was well received by Dr. Mykhailo Potomkin and Khoi Vo.

16 March 2024 · Riverside, CA

Generalized Analysis of Composition of Uniformly Continuous Functions in Metric Spaces

Mathematics Undergraduate Symposium of Real Analysis

• Demonstrated LaTeX capabilities by creating handouts and worksheets for students.
• Presentation was well received by Distinguished Professor Dr. Michel L. Lapidus.

Winter 2023 · Riverside, CA

Applications of Classical and Quantum Mechanical Interpretations for Vibrational Spectroscopy

Understanding the Vibrational-Rotational Spectroscopy of HCl/DCl

• Constructed an energy level diagram and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy scheme.
• Analyzed Morse and Harmonic Oscillator potentials, optimal bond lengths, and IR activity.
• Created a timed Google Slides presentation with polished visual animation.

Fall 2022 · Riverside, CA

Quantitative Analysis of Caffeine by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry and Instrumental Methods Symposium

• Designed and presented a detailed instrumentation scheme with analyzed HPLC data.
• Poster and presentation were well received, especially by Principal Investigator Dr. Joseph Genereux.

Summer 2022 · Riverside, CA

Understanding the Ecotoxicity of Nanoplastics

The Materials and Connections REU Symposium

• Presented a new project proposal on nanoplastics in C. elegans with emphasis on lipidomics.
• Presented a review of curved membrane biomimicry and future project directions.