Nicole Lai-Lopez smiling

Nicole Lai-Lopez 🌊

AI Researcher | Machine Learning Engineer

I'm an NLP researcher blending computational linguistics, cognitive science, machine learning, and 4+ years of product & content design! With startup experience, & previously at Boeing, Dexcom, NOAA and Sony.

My research interests include safety, LLM interpretability, ecological applications of AI, and leveraging cognitive insights in AI. I am particularly drawn to developing methods that shed light on how deep neural networks process information and make predictions, to build systems whose reasoning is transparent, robust, and aligned with human values.

✨ Recent Highlights

🏃‍♀️ Meet My Side Quests...

Outside my 9-5, I'm a passionate filmmaker, scuba instructor, and nature documentarian with a deep love for the ocean and science communication. I'd love to work from remote parts of the world to capture nature's resilience and beauty—while doing cutting-edge AI research!

In my free time, I train for 70.3 triathlons, and go backpacking and snowboarding. I'm currently getting into tec (scuba) diving, will also be summiting Mt. Whitney this summer!

Some videos!

little walk w the family in Mississippi.
didn't love this color grading but it's quantity over quality.
this was a fun drone shot to edit!
if ur thinking Nicole why is this so green is because I took out all the blue 🫠.
this one actually came out exactly how I envisioned! yay!
My favorite place. Shot in DJI mini 3
the fatigue, the soreness, the hunger, the sleepiness, are all so real but holyyyyyy.
I don't think there are words for how much I needed this nature decompress day. honestly magical.
53 miles, 5k feet elevation, 4 hiking days, and extremely turbulent weather🥴.
One of my favorite fables is the taoist story of the farmer and his horse, that goes like this-
Little break from your daily routine and today I am in sooooo much pain lol.
u ever just come back from a rlly good trip🥴.
first marathon done!sign me up for the next one🥲.
14ers here we go, nothing can stop us!!!!🥵.
i know i've said it and imma keep saying it but i'm unironically obsessed w summer 2023.
for the past 6 months I've been helping collect and digitize pressed seaweed specimens.
from watching octopuses documentaries in my room to having one play with me for the first time!!.
The seagoing continues!!!!!!.
november so far! ✨presented my first poster at the seaweed festival✨ytt and half marathon!.
wake up, tomorrow's here⏰.
ok I was making these mostly as a joke but tell me why have I made like 4 so far.
we are baaaaaaaaack and ur outdoorsy butts will be ecstatic w today's episode 🍑😌😌😌.
lots and lots of roadtrips this year 🥲🥲🥲15 states visited in the US (most were a first!).
b-roll in münchen.
from the creators of exploring the northeast w ethan & nicole....
yet another underrated national park!.
what the song says.
my first fall foliage!!! 🍁 been wanting to drive around w the drone and finally got to shoot.