About Me

Professional Bio

I'm Manuel R. Buffa — a hands-on scientist and systems thinker with a dual B.S. in Chemistry and Physics from UMKC (2013) and a current focus on AI and data science. I've worked in labs, taught physics, led dev teams, scaled production systems, and built my own infrastructure from the ground up.

My background spans R&D, automation, data engineering, AI training, and full-stack Linux systems. I’ve written SOPs, deployed neural networks, managed Dockerized services, and designed control systems for real-world applications. I thrive at the intersection of experimentation and execution — where theory meets tooling.

Whether it’s configuring a server, running a model, or breaking down a complex system into something clear and actionable — I bring precision, creativity, and documentation to the process.

Personal Background

I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. I started college slowly — taking one or two classes at a time while working jobs and raising my son. By 2013, I had completed two science degrees, taught physics labs, and started consulting on chemical production systems.

My early career was unconventional but deeply formative. I’ve built gasifiers, helped automate manufacturing processes, authored operation manuals, and reconfigured entire systems. After years in research, I shifted into contracting to support my family, maintaining a flexible schedule as a single parent.

Over time, my interests evolved from physical systems to cognitive ones — leading me toward data science, AI architecture, and human-machine collaboration. I believe in building things that are not only functional, but thoughtful — whether it’s a system, a model, or a conversation.

Looking Ahead

I'm currently finishing a Master's in Data Science and actively seeking roles or collaborations that blend AI research, systems thinking, and impactful analysis and problem solving. If the work involves intelligence — natural or synthetic — and building things that matter, I’m in.