hey there, i’m moorissa 🙋🏻‍♀️

about ✨

A robotics engineer and artist based in San Francisco, California. I enjoy innovating and creating, building autonomous systems, and solving highly complex technical problems. Since I was a kid, I’ve also been drawn to the world of creative arts, like painting and writing. You can find my artwork here and my blog here.

currently 🦾

I work as a senior systems engineer at Cruise, a robotaxi startup currently developing an L4 autonomy, where I specialize in perception and have developed a broad range of experience within the simulation and autonomy stacks. My interests lie in pushing the boundaries of AI and robotics towards achieving the world’s first L5 technology, as I believe it represents a fundamental shift towards a much safer and more sustainable earth for all.

I was previously at Tesla for nearly 4 years, where I helped the Autopilot team launch its first Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. Prior to that, I worked as a machine learning researcher at NASA Goddard Institute on climate change models and the United Nations on supply chain optimizations for reducing malnutritions in Subsaharan Africa.

engineering 🚀

I completed an M.S. in Data Science with a focus on Machine Learning at Columbia University, and at 19, a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a minor in Statistics (summa cum laude) from Georgia Tech. During sophomore year, I fell in love with statistical learning theory taught by Dr. Nicoleta Serban and subsequently took a PhD engineering course in that domain.

My fascination towards robotics and embodied artificial intelligence didn’t actually develop until Tesla, when I started working on firmware UI, closed-loop simulations, and algorithmic state machines with some of the strongest engineers I’d worked with. Maybe they’re right when they say curiosity killed the cat–naiveté too actually–but satisfaction somehow always brought it back to life. So there goes my top rule for a fulfilling life: Follow your curiosity :).

speaking 🌎

In the past few years, I’ve enjoyed sharing my experiences and knowledge on AI/robotics at various types of institutions, including universities, private and public institutions, and government ministries. If you are interested in collaborating for an event, let’s start with this speaking request form.

stay in touch 💌

When I’m not creating, I love learning about cultures and philosophies around the world–whether through local communities, volunteering, or living abroad temporarily. I’ve gone to 29 countries so far, and was lucky enough to live in France, Brazil, and South Africa for a couple months. I truly enjoy learning about different cultures and connecting with so many of you from all corners of the globe.

So, please connect with me! I speak English, Indonesian, Javanese, and not enough French, but highly proficient in Google Translate and ChatGPT. Feel free to write me a note via email or LinkedIn.

Thanks for being part of my journey, keep slaying!

M.