Meet Robert Pearce
About Me
Robert PearceAspiring Software Engineer
Hi, I’m Robert Pearce. I’m pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics, graduating in Spring 2026. I’m passionate about scientific computing, high-performance computing, and using machine learning to advance research.
Bachelor of Science
Computer Science
Expected graduation: 2026, with a Minor in Mathematics. Focused on machine learning, cloud computing, and data analysis, with a strong foundation in algorithms and programming techniques. Preparing for a career in machine learning and simulations.
Undergraduate Researcher
LEADS Lab
I am currently building a machine-learning emulator trained on cosmological simulations to study the Epoch of Reionization. By modeling the kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect, my work aims to predict kSZ angular power spectra from physical parameters and reduce reliance on computationally expensive simulations.
Open Source Contributor
Quorum
I contributed to accessibility improvements in the Quorum programming language and Quorum Studio, with a focus on iOS support. My work involved modifying and extending standard library UI components to improve interaction, focus behavior, and usability for blind and visually impaired users on iPhones and iPads.
LEADS Lab
August 2025 - Present
Undergraduate Researcher
Working with Dr. Paul La Plante, I use the Bridges-2 supercomputer to run Zerion simulations of the Epoch of Reionization and extract their kSZ angular power spectra. My research focuses on developing a machine learning emulator that predicts the kSZ power spectrum from reionization model parameters. Using Latin Hypercube Sampling, I generate training data, process simulation outputs, compute power spectra with Fourier methods, and train a neural network to rapidly model Cl without running new simulations.
Featured Project
kSZ Map Tau Predictor
Python
Developed a machine learning model to predict the optical depth (τ) of the early universe using simulated kSZ heat maps from cosmological reionization simulations. Trained and evaluated a neural network on 1,000 samples to learn the complex relationship between spatial CMB distortions and τ values.
Featured Project
Video-Based Math Tutoring
I make math-focused YouTube videos that explain concepts step by step, in a way that’s clear and approachable. You can find them on my website: rxptutoring.org
