Chain of Thought The accidental algorithm: Melisa Russak, AI research scientist at WRITER
Oct 1, 2025
Melisa Russak, an AI research scientist at Writer, shares her journey from a math teacher in China to an innovator in machine learning. She recounts accidentally rediscovering core algorithms, emphasizing how fresh perspectives can lead to breakthroughs. Melisa dives into creating a handwritten character classifier and talks about using synthetic data due to data constraints. Her insights on training AI for self-knowledge and the importance of human-centered evaluation reveal the future of enterprise AI.
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From Math Teacher To Algorithm Builder
- Melisa Russak reinvented K-means clustering while building a handwritten Chinese character classifier as a math teacher in China.
- She only later discovered the algorithm had been studied for decades and then upgraded her approach.
Building A Personal Memory System
- Melisa built embeddings and clustering to summarize her internet activity and answer “Who am I?” using text and images.
- That project led her to independently recreate neural networks and modern embedding techniques.
Frame Problems Before Reading Papers
- Before reading papers, frame the problem in your own way to avoid converging on others' assumptions.
- That fresh framing preserves creative freedom and prevents getting trapped in established boxes.