aabtop@gmail.com
(415) 347-6309
San Francisco, California

Summary

Ever since I was a child I've been absorbed in computer science. I enjoy designing and evolving large software systems. I have experience in a wide variety of problem domains, but I am particularly passionate about 2d/3d graphics, embedded systems, and developer tools. I enjoy exploring a hard problem and the satisfaction that comes with solving it.

Technical Skills

  • Languages: C++, C, JavaScript, Python, Julia, MATLAB
  • Technologies: 2d/3d graphics, Web Browsers, Continuous Integration/Deployment, Build Systems, Cross-Platform Abstractions, Performance Profiling, Embedded Devices
  • Tools: Git, Docker, CMake, Gyp, Ninja, BuildBot
  • Libraries: OpenGL, Vulkan, V8 JavaScript engine, Googletest, ITK, VTK

Work Experience

YouTube
Staff Software Engineer
(2012-11-05 - 2020-01-17)
Tech lead for Cobalt (cobalt.dev), the browser/application platform behind the YouTube on TV app.
  • Joined the team as the graphics lead, implementing a subset of the GLES graphics API for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and WiiU in terms of their respective proprietary graphics APIs.
  • Designed the Cobalt graphics rendering stack, enabling improved animation framerate versus Chrome on embedded devices (e.g. game consoles, embedded TV device chipsets, Raspberry Pis).
  • Designed high-level layout of major browser components, including layout, JavaScript engine, the Web API (including DOM), networking engine and graphics.
  • Designed and implemented a cross-platform low-latency web-based solution to viewing YouTube 3D 360 spherical videos on TVs and VR headsets.
  • Mentored and lead many team members over the course of 7 years.
  • Designed systems for monitoring and analyzing performance issues.
  • Collaborated with TV and device makers to promote adoption of Cobalt across the industry.
TurtleSeg
Software Engineer
(2009-06-01 - 2012-09-01)
TurtleSeg started as my M.Sc. project at Simon Fraser University, and was later acquired by Oxipita Inc. TurtleSeg is a tool for performing interactive 3D image segmentation, with emphasis on a built in active learning feature.
  • Architected, implemented, and packaged the software tool.
  • Implemented algorithms which convert volumetric 3D image data and user input into 3D surface meshes.
  • Integrated with the medical image analysis software libraries ITK and VTK.
  • Designed and implemented TurtleSeg's website, turtleseg.org.
  • Wrote a manual for using the software, including video tutorials.
Next Level Games Inc.
Software Developer
(2007-05-01 - 2009-05-01)
Worked on multiple games including Punch Out!! (Wii), Super Mario Strikers (GameCube), Ticket To Ride (Xbox 360) and Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (PS2, Xbox 360, Wii).
  • Dramatically improved the framerate in Punch-Out!! by utilizing the Wii's locked cache resources.
  • Augmented silhouette algorithm to greatly improve appearance of cartoon character rendering in Punch-Out!!.
  • Designed and implemented a networking library on top of the Wii's networking API in order to provide non-blocking asynchronous calls.
  • Architected the gameplay structures and networking system in the Xbox Live Arcade game, Ticket to Ride. The game's networking model was client-server based, with support for server migration if the host drops.
NVIDIA
Software Engineer Intern
(2006-05-01 - 2006-08-01)
Worked on features for NVIDIA's GoForce mobile chip firmware.
  • Implemented power-saving functionality by disabling chip features while they are not being used.
  • Optimized time-to-splash screen by recording and playing back standard bootup flow.
Personal Projects
  • Respire (2020): A modular build system with a Python front-end.
  • Linfinity (2008): An infinitely recursive 3D scene graph system enabling the construction of 3D fractals that are rendered in real-time.
  • Virtual Foosball (2006): A networked 3D foosball computer game.
  • Marching Tetrahedrons (2004): Implements the marching tetrahedrons algorithm to convert 3D density fields into isosurfaces.
  • Software 3D Renderer (2003): A software 3D rendering pipeline written from scratch that is capable of rasterizing Quake 2 models.

Education

🎓 (Master)
Simon Fraser University (BC, Canada)
(2009-06-01 - 2012-09-01)
Computer Science (Medical Image Analysis), Supervisors: Ghassan Hamarneh and Rafeef Abugharbieh
GPA: 4.3/4.3
🎓 (Bachelor)
University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)
(2002-09-01 - 2007-04-01)
Math
GPA: 88% (CS/Math courses)

Publications

Awards

  • Innovation in Technology Award
    2013-03-13
    by Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS)
    This award is given for the development of innovative technology in a thesis or dissertation and its utilization for the creative solution of a major problem.

Interests

  • Snowboarding
  • Swimming
  • Hiking
  • Computer/console games