Silvester Mbugua

Engineered a personal finance AI chatbot in Python using LangChain and PyTorch, with a full suite of financial analysis functions.

• ▸Built a personal finance AI chatbot with LangChain and PyTorch that handled budget analysis, investment tracking, and spending categorization
• ▸Reduced average response latency by 30% and improved intent recognition accuracy by 15% by containerizing with Docker and deploying on a custom-built local server leveraging NVIDIA GPU resources with PostgreSQL and Redis
• ▸Achieved a 99.5% block rate against adversarial attacks by engineering a multi-layered defense system to neutralize prompt injection and jailbreaking attempts
• ▸Achieved 100% compliance with PII protection standards by architecting a secure data handling pipeline using SQLAlchemy with PostgreSQL
• ▸Removed all hardcoded credentials from the codebase and replaced them with centralized secrets management and automated key rotation

Selected for an intensive, week-long, hands-on cybersecurity event focused on securing heavy vehicle systems and commercial trucks.

• ▸In-Vehicle Networking: Analyzed and interacted with vehicle networks (CAN Bus, J1939)
• ▸Automotive Ethernet: Explored emerging network protocols and security measures in modern vehicles
• ▸Wireless Systems Security: Assessed vulnerabilities in vehicle wireless communications (Bluetooth, Telematics)
• ▸Hardware & Firmware Reverse Engineering: Analyzed electronic control units (ECUs)
• ▸Heavy Vehicle Diagnostics: Worked with diagnostic tools and protocols specific to the trucking industry

Developed an end-to-end machine learning system for housing price prediction, from data collection to deployment.

• ▸Engineered a predictive model by cleaning, processing, and analyzing a Kaggle dataset with various housing features
• ▸Contributed to a project led by industry expert Nischal Subedi, applying ML concepts to a real-world problem
• ▸Built a user-friendly interface using Gradio for interactive predictions and demonstrations

Provided market research, SEO analysis, and strategic support to help small businesses across Michigan grow and succeed.

• ▸Completed 100+ market research and SEO analysis requests providing actionable insights for small businesses
• ▸Developed and delivered presentations communicating complex research findings to consultants and clients
• ▸Enhanced the SBDC team's research capabilities through training sessions and knowledge sharing
• ▸Supported senior consultants in developing strategies for small business operations, marketing, and financial health

Led initiatives addressing graduate student needs, organized events, and represented student interests to university administration.

• ▸Strategized and implemented initiatives addressing the needs and concerns of graduate students
• ▸Organized networking opportunities, workshops, and social gatherings enhancing student engagement
• ▸Represented graduate student interests in discussions with university administration
• ▸Spearheaded airport pickups for incoming international students to facilitate smooth integration into campus life