👨🏼‍💻 Short Bio

I am a PhD student at FAIR Paris (Fundamental AI Research lab at Meta) and INRIA Rennes, advised by Matthijs Douze, Hervé Jégou and Teddy Furon.

My research focuses on content protection and security in machine learning, with a particular interest in generative models. I am the main contributor to the watermarking research at FAIR, which aims to make content generated by AI traceable and identifiable. This research has been published in top conferences and has been used in production by Meta. I am also more broadly interested in the interaction between machine learning and data protection.

Prior to my PhD I studied at École polytechnique, majoring in computer science and mathematics for visual computing. I also hold a Master’s degree from École des Ponts and from Paris-Saclay University where I studied Mathematics for vision and learning. I previously interned at Dassault-Systemes, on differentiable physics for generative 3D design, and at Incepto Medical where I developed tools for data scientists and radiologists. I also spent 6 months in the French military as a section head.

🎓 Education

Paris-Saclay University

2020 - 2021.
World best university in Mathematics according to Shangai’s ranking - Masters of Science in Mathematics, Vision and Learning.
Courses syllabus of MVA. Homeworks and projects.

Relevant course work:

  • Convex optimization and applications in ML, Kernel methods for ML, Reinforcement learning, Sequential learning, Graphs in ML, Computational statistics
  • Numerical imaging, 3D Computer vision, Object recognition and computer vision, Point clouds and 3D modeling, Deep learning in practice, Digital humanities meet artificial intelligence

École des Ponts ParisTech

2020 - 2021.
Masters in Mathematics and Computer Science Engineering.

Relevant course work:

  • Law, Accounting
  • Project: Partnership with Renault - integrating optical character recognition into car GPS

École polytechnique

2017 - 2021.
Best Engineering School in France - Bachelor of Science & Masters of Science and Technology in Artificial Intelligence and Visual Computing.

Awards:

  • Research Internship Award (granted to the 10 best internships of the year over 200)
  • Outstanding Investment Award (rewarding the investment of a “student remarkable for his involvement in the life of the school”)
  • Outstanding Leadership Award (rewarding the attitude of a “student who is remarkable for his ability to lead his fellow students and to unite them around a collective project or who demonstrates an acute sense of organisation and management”)

Relevant course work:

  • Image analysis and computer vision, Representation and analysis of shapes, Computer graphics, Data visualization, Topological data analysis
  • Advanced topics in AI, Machine & Deep Learning, Statistics, Markov Chains, Random Processes, Fundamentals of Probabilities
  • Molecular biology and genetic information, Pathologies and therapeutic strategies
  • Neuroscience & Cognitive sciences

Classes Préparatoires

2015 - 2017.
Two-year intensive preparation courses for the entrance exams to top French Engineering schools (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry).

Ranked 4° at the entrance exams of the École polytechnique

🙋🏼‍♂️ Personal Information

  • Full Name: Pierre Fernandez
  • Location: Paris
  • He/Him
  • Year of birth: 1998
  • Hobbies
    • Tennis 🎾 (I am a big fan of Rafael Nadal 🐂) at competitive level, climbing 🧗‍♂️and running 🏃🏼.
    • Drawing & Graphic design
    • Playing ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ with my ukulele 🎵