Who I am
My full name is Jessie Lee C. Santiago, but most people online know me as @JessieBroke. I’m based in Atlanta. I’m an engineer, a published robotics researcher, and a solo founder. Today I’m building BasedmintFitness and learning to build with AI. Before that I spent years in crypto infrastructure and decentralized storage. The full story, newest first, is on Work.
Evidence
- Identity mapping (Jessie Santiago → @JessieBroke → github/jessiebroke)
- Location (Atlanta), Program Manager, skills (Python, JS, React, C++, Arduino), robotics background: Devfolio
- Career arc (ex-engineer → podcast host → co-founder → founder): LinkedIn
- Solo founder of OMW Ventures, building BasedmintFitness: basedmint.org
Education and research
I hold a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University. I started the BS in 2009 and earned it in May 2013, then earned the MS in May 2015. My master’s thesis, Continuum Robots for Space Applications Based on Layer-Jamming Scales with Stiffness Capability, designed novel continuum robots for space inspection under Dr. Ian Walker. From August 2013 to May 2015 I was a Research Assistant at Clemson doing robotics research. Dr. Walker’s NASA funding paid for the lab’s R&D and my assistantship. I built machines from 3D-printed, CNC, and laser-cut parts with embedded controllers, served as a Teaching Assistant, and was active in IEEE Robotics.
That research produced two peer-reviewed publications: “Continuum robots for space applications based on layer-jamming scales with stiffening capability” (IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2015) and “Soft Robots and Kangaroo Tails: Modulating Compliance in Continuum Structures Through Mechanical Layer Jamming” (Soft Robotics, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2016).
Evidence
- BS EE started 2009, granted May 2013: self-reported
- Full name (Jessie Lee C. Santiago), BS+MS EE from Clemson, IEEE Robotics, FE Exam May 2015: SlideShare resume
- MS thesis (Continuum Robots for Space Applications…), May 2015, advisor Dr. Ian Walker: Clemson Digital Commons
- Research Assistant (Aug 2013 to May 2015), funded through Dr. Ian Walker’s NASA funding: self-reported; Dr. Ian Walker
- IEEE Xplore author profile: IEEE Xplore
- IEEE Aerospace Conference paper (2015): IEEE Xplore
- Soft Robotics journal paper (Vol. 3, No. 2, 2016): DOI 10.1089/soro.2015.0021
- Robotics researcher, engineering career, side projects in image-processing/ML: Bitcoin Podcast Network bio
A detour
From July 2019 to May 2020 I knocked out pre-med prerequisites at Georgia Gwinnett College. I then self-studied for the MCAT from May 2020 until I sat for the exam in October 2021, and scored a 506.
Evidence
- Pre-med prerequisites at Georgia Gwinnett College (Jul 2019 to May 2020), MCAT self-study (May 2020 to Oct 2021), MCAT score 506 (Oct 2021): self-reported
What I care about
I’m an engineer at heart. I pick up whatever skills the job requires as fast as I can and get to work.
I care about infrastructure that lasts: systems designed for durability over hype. I started in hardware and robotics, building physical machines that had to work in the real world. That instinct carried over into crypto. I’ve spent years building decentralized protocols because I believe they can create more resilient foundations for data, identity, and coordination.
Writing
Longer pieces on themes I keep coming back to:
- Quantum and Bitcoin: What Actually Breaks, When, and What Doesn’t
- What I Build
- The Hard Drive and the Bus
All posts are on the Writing page, and shorter working notes are on Notes.
Elsewhere
Email me at [email protected], or find me on X, GitHub, and LinkedIn. I’m open to remote contract work that fits my background. Everything else is on Elsewhere and Contact.