Christopher Ushay
PhD graduate with deep expertise in advanced materials, emerging technologies, and technical communication.
Bronxville, United States
Princeton-trained engineering PhD who drives complex, ambiguous technical work from open questions to validated outcomes. My background blends experimental and computational research with data science, and I communicate results clearly for both technical and non-specialist audiences. In my doctoral research, I owned multi-year programs end-to-end by scoping problems, setting roadmaps, coordinating across collaborators, and delivering publishable findings on schedule. I built Python and Mathematica pipelines to convert and analyze large datasets, developed 2D and 3D multiphysics models to validate experiments and identify design parameters, and delivered nearly 10 conference presentations with original figures and multimedia. Outside the lab, I have combined technical credibility with communication and execution. As an independent contractor, I develop and evaluate scientific prompts and responses for AI training, and I previously taught undergraduate and graduate coursework with Princeton’s Excellence in Teaching Award. I also managed full P and L operations and led program planning for a student-run hospitality venture, strengthening my ability to manage people, compliance, and measurable outcomes.
Experience
Independent Contractor, Technical Instruction & AI Training
Independent Contractor · Contract
Jan 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 6 mths
Remote
Served as a domain expert in applied physics, materials science, and engineering to develop and evaluate technical content for AI training. Produced precise, well-reasoned prompts and responses requiring both scientific fluency and clear written communication.
Head Manager
Debasement Bar, Student‑Run Hospitality Venture, Princeton University · Full-time
Jul 2021 – Dec 2023 · 2 yrs 5 mths
Princeton, NJ
Managed full P&L operations for a hospitality business, overseeing a 20+ person team, regulatory compliance, and financial reporting with revenue on the order of tens of thousands. Maintained facilities and developed data-driven longevity plans with co-managers to sustain improvements beyond tenure, including programs to enhance patrons’ experiences (e.g., ride-share vouchers), while programming nightly events for hundreds of graduate students and affinity groups.
Assistant in Instruction
Princeton University · Full-time
Jan 2020 – Dec 2022 · 2 yrs 11 mths
Princeton, NJ
Supported and delivered undergraduate and graduate instruction by leading weekly lectures, holding office hours, and providing ongoing student support. Taught classes of 70+ students across topics in math and physics, including undergraduate Differential Equations and graduate Soft Matter Mechanics, and was recognized with Princeton University’s annual Excellence in Teaching Award based on student nominations.
Doctoral Researcher
Princeton University · Full-time
Jan 2019 – May 2024 · 5 yrs 4 mths
Princeton, NJ
Owned multi-year research programs end-to-end by scoping open-ended problems, setting roadmaps, coordinating across collaborators at multiple institutions, and delivering validated findings on schedule for publication and conference deadlines. Built and validated 2D/3D multiphysics models in COMSOL, automated data science workflows in Python and Mathematica to analyze large datasets and visualize relationships, and communicated results through nearly 10 major conference presentations supported by original figures and multimedia produced in Adobe CC, AutoCAD, and Keynote.
Machine Learning Research Assistant
Element, Inc. · Full-time
Oct 2017 – Aug 2018 · 10 mths
New York, NY
Contributed during a $12M Series A growth phase with cross-functional exposure across Operations and Engineering, including hiring, onboarding, and company culture development. Processed and filtered biometric data to support training of an ML-based identification platform targeting underserved markets in developing economies.
Education
Princeton University
Ph.D., Chemical & Biological Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering
Jan 2019 – Jan 2024
Dissertation title: “Leveraging Relationships Between Confined Flows and Deformable Media,” under advisor Prof. Pierre-Thomas Brun.
William E. Macaulay Honors College, City University of New York
Bachelor of Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mathematics Minor, Chemical Engineering
Grade: GPA 3.96/4.00 | Valedictorian
Skills
Languages
English
Full professional proficiency
French
Full professional proficiency
Spanish
Full professional proficiency
German
Elementary proficiency
Japanese
Elementary proficiency