Paul K. Wintz holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from UC Santa Cruz (2025). He researched nonlinear and hybrid control systems with formal stability and safety guarantees and developed mathematical methods and simulation tools for the analysis of feedback systems running on computationally constrained hardware. In 2022, he was finalist for Best Student Paper at the American Control Conference.
Research Interests
Nonlinear and hybrid feedback control with formal stability guarantees ⦁ Safe exploitation of uncertified controllers ⦁ Real-time, computationally-constrained cyber-physical systems ⦁ Reachability and asymptotic analysis of hybrid systems ⦁ Formal verification of dynamical and control systems
Education
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University of California, Santa Cruz — 3.93 GPA
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September 2018-December 2025
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PhD in Applied Mathematics
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December 2025
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M.S. in Scientific Computing and Applied Mathematics
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September 2020
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Westmont College — 4.0 GPA
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September 2014-May 2016
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B.S. in Engineering Physics with a Minor in Music
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Employment
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University of California, Santa Cruz
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Graduate Student Researcher, Applied Mathematics
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Spring 2021-Fall 2025
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- Designed control schemes to exploit uncertified (learning-based) controllers while retaining formal stability and safety guarantees.
- Developed Lyapunov-based and graph-based tools for analyzing asymptotic stability and reachability of hybrid dynamical systems.
- Built the SHARC simulator for studying how computational hardware affects real-time controllers.
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Arthrex California Technology
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Junior Software Engineer
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June 2016-September 2018
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- Designed and implemented features for surgical camera systems on Android and Linux.
- Created the prototype of the real-time video transformation software used in the Pano scope system.
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Hartnell College / UC, Santa Cruz
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Instructor, Undergraduate Mathematics
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Winter 2024; Fall 2025-Present
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- Taught calculus and linear algebra to classes of up to 270 students, with emphasis on applications to engineering.
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Honors
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🥈 Best Student Paper Award Finalist
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June 2022
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American Control Conference.
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🥇 Top Student Award / 🎖️ Outstanding Senior Award
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May 2016
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Westmont College / Department of Physics, Westmont College.
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Skills
Python ⦁ MATLAB ⦁ C++ ⦁ Nonlinear Control ⦁ Model Predictive Control ⦁ Linear Feedback Control ⦁ Hybrid Dynamical Systems ⦁ Set-valued and Non-Smooth Analysis ⦁ Simulation and Analysis Tool Development ⦁ Git ⦁ Docker