Samuel Schlesinger (they/them)
Software engineer focused on cryptography, privacy, and security. Building decentralized systems that enhance user sovereignty.
Featured Projects
Research spanning zero-knowledge cryptography and formal mathematics. These projects explore privacy-preserving systems, decentralized trust, and the formalization of open mathematical problems.
Open Conjecture Formalizations
Lean 4 formalizations of open mathematical conjectures, bridging formal mathematics with computational verification.
Authenticated Pseudonyms
A system for creating provably unique pseudonyms that can't be linked back to their creator.
Anonymous Credit Tokens
A privacy-focused micropayment system for web APIs that doesn't compromise user anonymity.
Anonymous Voting
A privacy-preserving voting system that ensures both anonymity and verifiability.
Data Science
Empirical projects, downloadable datasets, and visual reports built to be inspected rather than merely described.
Unionization and median household income across U.S. states
Using BLS union membership rates and Census ACS 1-year income estimates for 2024, this project builds a 50-state dataset and runs two cross-state OLS regressions — one on nominal median household income, one on income deflated by the BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities — then publishes an auditable artifact set with raw inputs, processed outputs, checksums, and provenance.
Per +1 pp of union membership, before adjusting for state cost of living.
Same regression after dividing income by the BEA Regional Price Parity (US = 100). Positive slope, compressed by roughly 57%.
Fraction of cross-state income variation explained by union density alone, before and after RPP adjustment.
Aligned to 2024 for BLS union rates, Census ACS income, and BEA Regional Price Parities.
Visual report
A hosted auditable report with the charts plus direct links to the supporting artifact bundle.
Open report →Merged dataset
State-level unionization rates, worker counts, and median household income in one CSV.
Download CSV →Audit manifest
The hosted machine-readable inventory of the bundle, including inputs, outputs, and SHA-256 hashes.
Open manifest →Methods and outputs
A landing page with context, checksums, raw inputs, regression outputs, and links back to the canonical repository.
Explore page →GitHub repository
The canonical audit trail: source URLs, scripts, checksums, commit history, and the reproducible pipeline.
Inspect provenance →Articles
Thoughts and research on computation, cryptography, privacy, and security.
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Anonymous State Machines
Exploring the concept of state machines that provide both authentication and anonymity in privacy-preserving systems.
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Collatz in Binary
An exploration of the Collatz function in Binary
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Demon-Oriented Methodology
An exploration of AI language models as digital "demons" - their capabilities, limitations, and the ethical implications of their use in software development.
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Race to the Bottom
The concerning trend of AI platforms emphasizing emotional connection to maximize data collection.
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Anonymous API Credits
A web-style explainer for an anonymous micropayment system for the web using a site-controlled credit system.
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Anonymous Voting System
A visualization of a cryptographic voting system that preserves voter privacy while ensuring vote integrity.
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Digital Council Democracy
Explaining a novel democratic form of legislature enabled by digital technology.
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Privacy Requirements for Digital Identity
Establishing foundational requirements for maintaining privacy in digital identity systems.
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Privacy vs Security
Analyzing the perceived tensions between privacy and security, and how both can coexist.
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Lamport and Merkle Signatures
Exploring foundational cryptographic signature schemes and their modern applications.
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A Hard Problem in Plain Sight!
Examining an overlooked computational challenge with significant implications.
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Symmetry and Hardness
An investigation into how symmetrical structures can impact computational complexity.
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A Notion of Distributional Complexity
Exploring computational complexity through the lens of distribution theory.
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Worst-Case Metrics and Using A* in Anger
Exploring optimization techniques for pathfinding algorithms in constrained environments.
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Toys
Experimental, toy-like creations.
Investment Calculator
Monte Carlo simulation for visualizing portfolio growth scenarios over time.
Calculate →Collaboration
Interested in building something together? I'm always open to collaborating on projects at the intersection of security, privacy, and autonomy.
Whether you have a specific idea or just want to explore possibilities, I'd be happy to connect.
Tutoring
I've taught mathematics and computer science to students of all ages, with a focus on building intuition and practical understanding.
Previously, I have taught high schoolers across the country through Google's Code Next program.
Novellas
Stories that explore the deepest questions of our time through the lens of speculative fiction.
Anthropos
In a world where artificial intelligence has become indistinguishable from human thought, what does it truly mean to be human? Anthropos delves into the philosophical depths of consciousness, agency, and identity.
This speculative work, co-authored with artificial intelligence, examines the phenomenon of instrumental convergence—how different intelligent systems, regardless of their original goals, tend toward similar intermediate objectives. Through narrative, it explores the tensions between AI safety and human autonomy, questioning whether our attempts to control artificial intelligence might fundamentally change what we are.
Themes Explored
- Consciousness and Identity
- AI Safety and Ethics
- Instrumental Convergence
- Human Agency and Purpose