Jacob Honer


Have a look at my research, work, volunteering, and life experience so far!

-- Research Experience --
Research Assistant
January 10, 2022 - Present
East Lansing, MI

- Accelerated FOCUS software (www.egr.msu.edu/~fultras-web/) through C++, Mex, and CUDA programming.

- Ensured cross-compatibility of FOCUS for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems, resolved memory leaks, handled general bug fixes, and managed to lab websites.

- Wrote MPI and OpenMP code for 2D and 3D elastic shear wave simulations using finite difference and staggered grids.


Professorial Assistant at GENISAMA
June 5, 2019 - May 6, 2022
East Lansing, MI

- Advanced research through assisting in data collection tasks, creating visualization tools, and directly working on the mathematical formulas and analyses of the company's machine-learning algorithms.

- Published to the 2020 IOTSMS Conference as a first author, sharing on the design and construction of a 3D content sharing platform, to the 2020 ICDL Conference as second author, for contributions to the visualization of neural networks used for Fast Developmental Stereo-Disparity Detectors on an Android phone, to the 2021 IJCNN as second author, for the design of multi-sensory and multi-teaching modalities in developmental learning, and to the Mid-SURE research conference, as a joint first author, discussing new teaching modalities for machine-learning algorithms in addition to contributions to developmental stereo vision using AI.


Professorial Assistant in Research Lab
September 1, 2018 - April 26, 2019
East Lansing, MI

- Helped to develop new techniques for the synthesis of nanostructures and other micro technologies, particularly related to gold, with the Plasmas and Nanomaterials Laboratory at Michigan State University.

- Prepared samples for various tests, as well as cleaned and maintained reactors.

- Aided in the construction of a small reactor for gold nanoparticle deposition at atmospheric pressure.

- Designed 3D printed parts for specialized projects and assisted in project assembly for various tasks.


-- Work Experience --
Assistant Manager at GENISAMA
May 5, 2020 - May 6, 2022
East Lansing, MI

- Recruited and managed short term independent contractors to assist in company operations.

- Led team meetings, company hiring, as well as managed employees, helping with their planning, designing, and even coding when necessary.

- Worked to maintain a forward thinking and focused company vision, through periodic vision presentations, consistent communication with employees, and by congratulating and celebrating progress!

- Continued with role as an Engineering Technician and Professorial Assistant, in addition to managerial responsibilities.


Engineering Technician at GENISAMA
June 5, 2019 - May 6, 2022
East Lansing, MI

- Worked 40 hours a week during the summer, and 10 hours a week during the school year, collaborating with and coordinating employees from America, Vietnam, and China.

- Acquired knowledge of conventional AI methods and the GENISAMA Developmental Network (a general-purpose machine-learning algorithm), applying such knowledge to company projects and other AI related tasks.

- Developed from scratch AOS, the proprietary visualization tool of the GENISAMA DN that allows for batch data training, testing, and reinforcing, in an intuitive and efficient interface.

- Organized the operations of the GENISAMA DN through an easy-to-understand, intuitive class, featuring auto-initialization and a minimalistic setup, contributing greatly to the DN's general-purpose nature.

- Debugged and advanced 3DEye, a disparity detection software by GENISAMA, making it bug-free and useful for not only real-time testing, but pseudo-real-time testing thorough real-time data collection followed by batch supervision, reinforcement, and testing.

- Designed the controlling circuitry of the GENISAMA robot car which, controlled by the DN, tested the DN's real-time learning on real-world data.

- Implemented GPS navigation and real-world mapping of the robot car, plotting current location and desired locations in a seamless and intuitive interface on Android.

- Prepared online platforms for initial sales of the company's first consumer products through use of JavaScript, HTML, CSS, the Bootstrap CSS framework, and PayPal, for website development.


Michigan Certified Soccer Referee
March 2017 - June 2017
Metro Detroit Area

- Worked up to 6 days a week, covering 3 total tournaments in 4 months' time.

- Dealt with players, coaches, and parents, displaying communication skills and character through healthy interaction.

- Created a healthy, competitive, and fair atmosphere for young players to develop and learn.


-- Volunteering and Life Experiences --
Co-founder and tutor for Pandemic Tutoring Services
September 2020 - April 2021
East Lansing, MI

- Facilitated and helped organize a student run club that offered free tutoring services to local Lansing students during the Covid-19 pandemic.

- Tutored different STEM topics once a week over Zoom with various Lansing students.

- Collaborated with other students about schedule and worked with parents to organize tutoring sessions.

- Recruited other student tutors to help in tutoring services.


Organizer and Leader of Alpha Courses at Michigan State
January 2021 - December 2021
East Lansing, MI

- Organized weekly sessions where students could have a safe space to talk about life's big questions and challenges.

- Led small discussion groups and facilitated conversations amongst students.


Church facilitator and volunteer
March 2017 - June 2017
Farmington Hills, MI

- Led a small group in a program with over one hundred confirmation students once a week after school to help students transition into high school through dialogues and offering social support and guidance.

- Participated in two, week long work camps in impoverished cities, in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

- Attended monthly youth group meetings with an emphasis on volunteering.


Study Abroad Student
January 8, 2020 - April 30, 2020
Valencia, Spain

- Studied higher level Spanish, conversed with native speakers, lived abroad, and adapted to a new culture.