Matt Staab

PhD · Physicist turned builder: physics, materials science and software.

Now GTM Engineer, Convex

Portrait of Matt Staab

Experience

  1. GTM Engineer

    Nov 2026–Present

    Convex, Nov 2026 to present

  2. Founder

    May 2026–Nov 2026

    CurbBid, May 2026 to Nov 2026

    • Built and ran software for home services SMBs, including websites, CRM and invoicing.
    • Operated multiple GTM motions, including individualized direct mail outreach and cold calling.

  3. Solution Architect

    Oct 2025–May 2026

    AirMettle, Oct 2025 to May 2026

    • Built proofs of concept for new products, including a camera-based radar alternative.
    • Attended conferences and prospected for customers and market feedback to improve product positioning.

  4. Postdoctoral Scholar

    Jan 2025–Oct 2025

    University of California, Davis, Jan 2025 to Oct 2025

    • Developed GPU-accelerated computational pipelines and numerical methods to extract new physical insights from ARPES data and electronic structures.
    • Explored how AI/ML and automated literature analysis can accelerate the study of materials parameters.

  5. Doctoral Fellow

    Apr 2023–Apr 2024

    Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Apr 2023 to Apr 2024

    • Built an autonomous, predictive, ML-driven control optimization system for ARPES experiments, cutting measurement requirements by ~90%.
    • Increased throughput on a high-demand beamline with real-time, distributed AI/ML pipelines.

  6. Graduate Student Researcher

    Jul 2019–Dec 2024

    University of California, Davis, Jul 2019 to Dec 2024

    • Applied AI/ML techniques to ARPES and XPS data to improve efficiency and reproducibility in electronic structure studies.
    • Created computational tools that saved researchers hundreds of hours and enabled new directions in experimental physics.

Education

  1. PhD in Physics

    Jul 2019–Dec 2024

    University of California, Davis

    • Researched the electronic structure of quantum materials using ARPES, with a focus on integrating AI/ML into experimental workflows.
    • Developed computational methods and automation tools that extended the scope and efficiency of photoemission spectroscopy.

  2. B.S. Physics and B.S. Astronomy

    Sep 2016–May 2019

    University of Texas at Austin

  3. Supporting coursework

    May 2015–Sep 2016

    Austin Community College

Projects

  • Electron Binding Energy Search

    xps.matthewstaab.com

    Find the binding energy of core electrons by material, or find possible materials by binding energy.

  • ARPES Cut Planner

    arpes-planner.matthewstaab.com

    Visualize and plan ARPES cuts in any Brillouin zone, with live updates for different photon energies and acceptance angles.

Papers