Paul Wintz

PhD Candidate. Mathematician. Educator. Musician. Artist.

Short Biography

Paul K. Wintz received a B.S. degree in Engineering/Physics with a minor in Music from Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA in 2016, an M.S. degree in Scientific Computing and Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2020, and is expected to complete a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2025. Mr. Wintz was a finalist for the Best Student Paper award at the 2022 American Control Conference.

Research Interests

Hybrid dynamical systems ⦁ Model predictive control ⦁ Switched feedback for exploiting uncertified controllers ⦁ Computationally-constrained cyber-physical systems ⦁ Graph-based asymptotic and reachability analysis of hybrid systems ⦁ Formal methods for verification of dynamical systems and control systems

Education

University of California, Santa Cruz — 3.93 GPA September 2018-Present
PhD in Applied Mathematics Anticipated Summer 2025
M.S. in Scientific Computing and Applied Mathematics September 2020
Westmont College — 4.0 GPA September 2014-May 2016
B.S. in Engineering Physics with a Minor in Music  
Santa Barbara City College — 4.0 GPA September 2011-August 2014
A.A. in Liberal Arts & Sciences: Science & Mathematics Emphasis, w/ Honors  
A.A. in Liberal Arts & Sciences: Arts & Humanities Emphasis, w/ Honors  

Employment

University of California, Santa Cruz
Graduate Student Researcher Spring 2021-Present, except Winter 2024
  • Conducted and published research in the mathematical control of hybrid dynamical systems.
  • Finalist for Best Student Paper at the American Control Conference.
Group Tutor for Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems Spring 2022, Spring 2024
Graduate Student Instructor for AM 10 (Linear Algebra) Winter 2024
  • Designed syllabus, wrote lesson plans and exams, and lectured for a class containing over 230 students.
  • Coordinated and supervised a large team of readers, graders, and teaching assistants.
  • Solicited frequent feedback from students and adapted to their comments to improve student outcomes.
Teaching Assistant Summer 2019-Summer 2020
  • Prepared discussion sections, encouraged student learning, and provided detailed feedback to student submissions.
Arthrex California Technology
Junior Software Engineer June 2016-September 2018
  • Designed and implemented features on Android and embedded Linux systems.
  • Created prototype for the video transformation software used in the Pano scope system.
Software Quality Assurance Intern June 2015-August 2015
Westmont College
Physics Teaching Assistant Fall 2015-Spring 2016

Teaching Experiences

Group Tutor. Spring 2024
Undergraduate Course: "Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems."
Department of Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Instructor. Winter 2024
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Engineers I (Linear Algebra)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Group Tutor. Spring 2022
Undergraduate Course: "Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems."
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Summer 2020
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Engineers I (Linear Algebra)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Spring 2020
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Economists II (Integral Calculus)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Spring 2020
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Economists I (Differential Calculus)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Winter 2020
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Engineers I (Linear Algebra)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Fall 2019
Undergraduate Course: "Applied Dynamical Systems."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Fall 2019
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Economists I (Differential Calculus)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Summer 2019
Undergraduate Course: "Mathematical Methods for Engineers II (Ordinary Differential Equations)."
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Teaching Assistant. Spring 2016
Undergraduate Course: "Electricity & Magnetism."
Department of Physics, Westmont College.
Teaching Assistant. Fall 2015
Undergraduate Course: "General Physics."
Department of Physics, Westmont College.
Group Tutor. Fall 2013
Undergraduate Course: "Music Theory."
Department of Music, Santa Barbara City College.

Honors

Dissertation Year Fellowship Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
University of California, Santa Cruz.
🥈 Shortlisted for Outstanding Student Paper Prize 2024
CSS Technical Committee on Hybrid Systems.
🎖️ Department Service Award Spring 2024
Applied Mathematics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Advancement to Candidacy with Honors Spring 2023
University of California, Santa Cruz.
🥈 Best Student Paper Award Finalist June 2022
American Control Conference.
Regents Fellowship 2020-2021
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Dean's Fellowship 2020-2021
Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz.
AMS/SAM Fellowship Spring 2020, Spring 2021
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Graduate SciCAM Fellowship 2018-2019
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Burnand-Partridge Foundation Fund 2018-2020
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
🥇 Top Student Award May 2016
Westmont College.
🎖️ Outstanding Senior Award May 2016
Department of Physics, Westmont College.
Transfer President's Scholarship 2014-2016
Westmont College.
Music Scholarship 2014-2016
Westmont College.
B. Paul Moser Memorial Trust Scholarship 2015-2016
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
Al Slagle Memorial Scholarship 2012-2013
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
Pillsbury Music Scholarship 2012-2013
Santa Barbara Foundation.
Applied Music Program (Scholarship) 2011-2013
Santa Barbara City College.

Publications

Paul K. Wintz and Ricardo G. Sanfelice
American Control Conference (under review), 2025
Paul K. Wintz and Ricardo G. Sanfelice
8th IFAC Conference on Analysis and Design of Hybrid Systems, 2024
Paul K. Wintz and Ricardo G. Sanfelice
62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2023
  • Shortlisted for the Outstanding Student Paper Prize from the CSS Technical Committee on Hybrid Systems.
Paul K. Wintz, Ricardo G. Sanfelice, and João P. Hespanha
American Control Conference, 2022
Paul K. Wintz
UCSC Masters Thesis, 2020
Paul K. Wintz
Unpublished (AM 214 Class Project), 2018

Conference Presentations

"Conical Transition Graphs for Analysis of Asymptotic Stability in Hybrid Dynamical Systems" July 2024
IFAC Conference on Analysis and Design of Hybrid Systems.
"Forward Invariance-Based Hybrid Control Using Uncertified Controllers" April 26, 2024
6th NorCal Control Workshop.
"Forward Invariance-Based Hybrid Control Using Uncertified Controllers" December 2023
IEEE Conference on Decision and Control.
"Global Asymptotic Stability of Nonlinear Systems while Exploiting Properties of Uncertified Feedback Controllers via Opportunistic Switching" June 2022
American Control Conference.

Poster Presentations

"Global Asymptotic Stability of Nonlinear Systems while Exploiting Properties of Uncertified Feedback Controllers via Opportunistic Switching" October 2022
Bay Area Robotics Symposium.
"Helmholtz Motion of Violin String Driven by Stick-Slip Interactions Between Bow and String" April 2016
Westmont College Student Research Symposium.

Service Work

Graduate Student Association representative for Advisory Committee on Campus Transportation and Parking 2023-2025
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Graduate Student Social Coordinator 2023-2024
Applied Math Department, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Skills

Hybrid Dynamical Systems ⦁ Nonlinear Control ⦁ Set-valued and Non-Smooth Analysis ⦁ Model Predictive Control ⦁ Linear Feedback Control ⦁ Mathematical Proofs ⦁ Python ⦁ MATLAB ⦁ C++ ⦁ HTML/CSS Web Design ⦁ Software Design Principles ⦁ Docker ⦁ Git ⦁ LaTeX

Other Activities

Classical Piano 2013-Present
Fencing 2004-2014, 2018-Present
  • 21st place in age division at 2012 Summer National Championships
  • 1st place at 2018 San Luis Obispo Open (earned A18 USFA rating)
  • 3rd place at TFC February 2023 Fence-A-Thon (earned B23 USFA rating)
  • 2nd place at TFC's January 2022 Fence-A-Thon
  • 1st place at UCSC NCIFL Tournament 2019
ComedySportz Improv Summer 2022-Present
Project Mexico and St. Innocent's Orphanage 2017, 2018, 2019
Team Leader 2018
  • Annual week-long trips to build houses in Mexico
  • Coordinated registration, fundraising, and transportation
LOG Retreat Leadership Board September 2017-September 2018
  • Collaboratively organized and ran biannual youth retreat
  • Mentored students
Not For Sale Club (Anti-Human Trafficking) September 2024-June 2016
Club President September 2015-May 2016
  • Hosted a fair-trade marketplace to promote the purchase of ethically sourced goods
  • Organized documentary screenings, speakers, and discussions to raise awareness of modern-day slavery