I studied Applied Physics and M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University in 2018 and 2021 for my bachelor's and master's degrees, respectively. I did my Ph.D. with Dr. Taylor Sparks in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah in 2023, focusing on materials informatics. Currently, I direct the training programs at Acceleration Consortium (AC) including the AC Training Lab, AC Microcourses, workshops, AC Hackathons, seminars, and outreach.
For fun, here's popular saying that resonates with me: "give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." To expand a bit, unlike an axe which dulls with each blow, research skills are often transferable to other "research trees". Eventually, axes are replaced by chainsaws and chainsaws by tigercats, where tasks that once took hours and days now take only minutes and seconds.
- 🔭 I’m currently working on advanced Bayesian optimization and self-driving labs
- 🌱 I’m currently learning model deployment via HuggingFace and the Adaptive Experimentation (Ax) Platform
- 👯 I’m looking to collaborate on advanced Bayesian optimization applied to real-world materials science tasks (see Honegumi) and the creation of low-cost self-driving labs for research and education, such as with AC Microcourses
- 🤔 I’m looking for help building out the Acceleration Consortium (AC) Training Lab
- 📫 How to reach me: sterling.baird@utoronto.ca
- ⚡ Fun fact: I like to breakdance