Hi, I’m Jake Sansom

Welcome to my homepage! I am a Ph.D. candidate studying computer and cognitive science at the University of Michigan. I am co-advised by Professors Joyce Chai and Honglak Lee. I aim to computationally model the reasoning processes and memory systems that enable humans to learn from direct instruction and small amounts of experience.

Here is a link to my curriculum vitae. (Last updated September 2026)

Updates

• Fall 2026: I am co-organizing the NeurIPS 2026 Workshop on Test-Time Continual Learning.
• Summer 2026: I passed my preliminary exam and advanced to candidacy!
• Fall 2025: My project, focused on evaluating LLMs’ ability to learn via naturalistic interactions with human users, was accepted into the NeurIPS 2025 Workshop on Multi-Turn Interactions in LLMs. Paper

Brief Biography

I was born in Austin, TX, raised in Birmingham, AL, and subsequently returned to Texas to attend the University of Texas at Austin (Hook’em Horns!). While there, I studied computational engineering, a degree program focused on numerical methods for the simulation of physical phenomena. Under the tutelage of Dr. Michael Sacks at the Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation, I spent two years developing computational models of heart tissue. Meanwhile, I began to cultivate a deep interest in cognitive science. I participated in the Polymathic Scholars Honors Program, which enabled me to hand-design a field of study which I called “Architecture of the Mind.” This work culminated in my senior thesis, which I wrote under the advice of Dr. Michael Mauk. After college I spent two years in San Diego, CA working for Northrop Grumman. While there, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of products, most of which leveraged my knowledge of digital signal processing. In September of 2022, I decided to return both to school and to my love of cognitive science to obtain my master’s degree in computer science from the University of Michigan. I am now pursuing both a Ph.D. in computer science and a certificate in cognitive science.

When not working, I enjoy staying active by running and cycling.

Contact Me

Please feel free to contact me! My email address is linked on the sidebar, but here is another link for good measure.