Christopher Altman

Christopher Altman

AI Alignment · Automated Falsification · Quantum ML · Space Telemetry Anomaly Detection · Superconducting Qubits

NASA-trained Commercial Astronaut · Research Lead (Quantum + AI)

Falsifying alignment assumptions through quantum-inspired testbeds

Our research program develops rigorous falsification frameworks for AI alignment claims, with particular focus on local recoverability assumptions in neural network editing. We combine quantum machine learning methods with classical testbeds to probe fundamental questions about function-representation decoupling, continuation interests, and the reliability of geometric proxies in model repair.

Current work spans quantum kernel methods for satellite anomaly detection, binarized quantum neural networks, Hamiltonian dynamics for data augmentation, and superconducting qubit simulation—each project designed to rigorously test specific technical claims under controlled conditions.

Transmon anharmonicity vs EJ/EC ratio (log-scale)

This codebase reflects active collaborations and coauthored work across AI alignment, quantum machine learning, and superconducting circuits. Repositories are maintained as reproducible artifacts; credit for specific contributions appears in papers, commit history, and project documentation.

Coauthorship

Research claims are anchored in publishable units: falsifiable hypotheses, experimental protocols, and measurable outcomes.

  • Paper-grade methods sections and result traces
  • Clear provenance: what changed, why, and what it implies
  • Attribution in manuscripts and repo history

Joint Codebases

Projects are structured so collaborators can reproduce, extend, or refute results with minimal friction.

  • Deterministic runs (seeds, artifacts, locked protocols)
  • Comparable baselines and diagnostic plots
  • Small, reviewable increments over time

Ongoing Threads

The emphasis is disciplined iteration: refine the claim, tighten the test, and keep the artifact honest.

  • Alignment falsification testbeds
  • Quantum kernels + telemetry/anomaly regimes
  • Device-oriented superconducting qubit studies

Collaboration inquiries: x@christopheraltman.com

Selected Publications

Superpositional Quantum Network Topologies
C. Altman, J. Pykacz, R. Zapatrin — International Journal of Theoretical Physics (2004)
Backpropagation in Adaptive Quantum Networks
C. Altman, R. Zapatrin — International Journal of Theoretical Physics (2010)
Spacetime from Quantum Topology
C. Altman, R. Zapatrin, in Spacetime from Quantum Topology, Ignazio Licata and Cecilia Flori, ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2016)
Accelerated Training Convergence in Superposed Quantum Networks
C. Altman, E. Knorring, R. Zapatrin — NATO Advanced Study Institute (Amsterdam)
Astronaut Development and Deployment of a Secure Space Communications Network
Principal Investigator — NASA NIAC/OCT; DARPA QUINESS (Macroscopic Quantum Communications)
+6.2%
BQNN parity advantage vs classical
~0.828
Heisenberg topology preservation
CI ≈ 0
Continuation interest post-recovery

Featured Repositories

Research Themes