Matt Xu · HCI / SWE / ML

I build software in light of the endless universe.

Point by point, edge by edge, line by line; exploring novelty. I'm a college student specialized in novel applications at the intersection of human-computer interaction, software engineering, and machine learning.

Portrait of Matt Xu
Creating — that is the great salvation from suffering, and life's alleviation.
— FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE · THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA

Just as Nietzsche saw art as the answer to suffering, I see software design as a way to meet intricate human needs through minimalist aesthetics.

My career journey

Experience

  1. SYNCHRONY

    ML Data Operations Intern

    May 2026 — Present

    Software Development Intern

    May 2026 — Present
  2. CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HOSPITAL

    Contract Fullstack Software Engineer

    Aug 2025 — May 2026

    Contributed to the development of a healthcare-focused software and hardware system designed to support patient monitoring, real-time communication, and clinical usability. Worked across the full technology stack while collaborating with engineers and stakeholders to translate medical device requirements into practical, secure, and scalable application features.

  3. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND — COLLEGE PARK

    Research Assistant — HCI Lab

    Aug 2025 — May 2026

    Supported human-computer interaction research focused on improving how researchers structure, interpret, and analyze complex qualitative data. Combined literature review, system design, and machine learning-oriented workflows to help develop tools and frameworks that make analytical processes more efficient, explainable, and research-ready.

  4. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA — TWIN CITIES

    Research Assistant — Visual Intelligence Lab

    Dec 2024 — Aug 2025

    Contributed to interdisciplinary HCI research at the intersection of machine learning, visualization, and collaborative software development. Helped build research systems that made neural network behavior more accessible to users through interactive interfaces, while participating in a team-based engineering workflow for experimental research prototypes.

Selected work

Projects

TrachSense login screen TrachSense patient selection screen TrachSense home dashboard
NODE · TRACHSENSE

TrachSense

A fullstack mobile app for tracking and managing tracheostomy patients' CO₂ sensor data, paired with a custom hub device that extends the sensor's range and securely backs up readings.

mobilefullstackhardwarehealth
GNN101 interactive visualization
NODE · GNN101

GNN101

An educational visualization tool for interactively exploring graph neural networks — weaving mathematical formulas together with a model overview, layer operations, and animated matrix calculations.

visualizationmachine learningeducation
GitGraph repository visualization
NODE · GITGRAPH

GitGraph

A mobile graph visualizer for GitHub repositories that renders branches, commits, and files as one interactive map — tap any element to inspect its details.

mobilegraphsdeveloper tools
PRAXA framework diagram
PAPER · HCI RESEARCH

PRAXA

A unified framework for what-if analysis in visual analytics — standardizing scenario modeling methods across domains through analysis of 141 publications.

researchvisual analyticsHCIframeworks

Contact me