Abram Schonfeldt

I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and completed my undergraduate degree in applied mathematics and computer science at the University of Cape Town. I stayed on in Cape Town and pursued an honours year in applied mathematics which consisted of topics in machine learning such as explainability in reinforcement learning and computer vision alongside topics in graph theory, complexity theory and statistical physics. Building on my background in statistical physics, my Master’s thesis looked at describing the activity of populations of neurons using maximum entropy models which have close links to the Boltzmann distribution.

Broadly, I enjoy trying to model and visualise complex processes, and am drawn to the need for transparency in using machine learning in health applications. In my free time, I enjoy making music, recreating ambitious meals for friends, and either running, climbing or surfing depending on the terrain.