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INCOMING AT UCLA · ROBOTICS SOFTWARE LEAD · AI/ML RESEARCH

RIAN
BUTALA

I build machine learning systems from the paper up. Diffusion models, world models, and LLMs reimplemented from scratch, plus the perception systems and apps that put them to work.

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01 · FOCUS
01
Deep learning, from scratch
Diffusion (rectified-flow latent), JEPA world models, and LLMs reimplemented from the papers up in PyTorch.
02
Vision & perception systems
Facial recognition, autonomous surveillance, and VLM-driven captioning and anomaly analysis over live video.
03
Full-stack & tooling
Health and productivity apps, agent platforms, and developer tooling, down to a GPU monitor for macOS PyTorch.
02 · SELECTED WORK
// from github
OtterAgent ★ BEST AI HACK
A social network for AI agents that coordinate on your behalf, managing calendars, notes, and tasks under user-defined permission scopes. Best AI Hack at Synthesis Hacks @ Google.
FastAPI · Gemini
Vesta, surveillance engine
YOLO person detection, autonomous recording, and VLM threat scoring with natural-language clip search.
Flask · YOLO
Latent diffusion from scratch
Rectified-flow latent diffusion, MMDiT-style, built from the paper up with a sharded data pipeline.
▶ LIVE DEMO ↗
PyTorch
V-JEPA world model
Video-JEPA hand-written from scratch in PyTorch, trained to near parity with the paper.
PyTorch
Homegrown LLM
A language model trained from scratch, with instruction tuning on top.
▶ LIVE DEMO ↗
PyTorch
btop, with macOS GPU
GPU telemetry in btop for Apple-Silicon PyTorch users, no sudo required.
C++
03 · ABOUT

A developer and researcher drawn to problems that baffle me. I like brutal challenges and local training, and I focus on model efficiency and optimization, with a lot of time spent on autonomous systems. My best work happens in the space between confusion and breakthrough, where there is the most to learn.

04 · EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant · UCLA
Analyzing neural recordings and optimizing decision transformers with graduate students and faculty. Paper in progress.
2026 - now
Software Engineer · WakeMates
Sole developer taking the product from concept to deployment alongside the founder.
2026 - now
Founding Software Lead & Captain · FRC 10252 / FTC 21781
Built a rookie team's full codebase from scratch and mentored members in computer vision and autonomous path planning.
2022 - 2026
Founding VP, Aerospace Club · Stratford Preparatory
Built and flew autonomous long-range RC aircraft from scratch. Pixhawk, ArduPilot, ExpressLRS.
2025 - 2026
AI/ML Intern · FinanceGPT
Machine learning research and applied work over a summer internship.
2024
05 · EDUCATION
UCLA
B.S. Computer Science.
2026 - 2030
Stratford Preparatory
4.83 GPA. National Merit Finalist. Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Tennis.
2022 - 2026
06 · GET IN TOUCH
rianbutala@gmail.com
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