About
Jason Chandler Weeks
Knoxville, TN — Graduate Research Assistant — Computer Science
Research
I am a graduate researcher in machine learning, big data analytics, high performance computing, and geospatial analytics. I am pursuing my Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where I am a research assistant at the Global Computing Lab. My current research focuses on developing deep learning models for soil-moisture inference, and extracting explainable and interpretable insights from said models.
Engineering
I am also interested in software engineering, and have experience with a variety of programming languages and frameworks. I have a strong background in Python, and have experience with C++, R, and JavaScript. I am also proficient in using tools such as Git, Docker, and Kubernetes for software development and deployment.
Personal
In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, and brewing coffee. I am super passionate about distance running, and have completed the Knoxville Marathon in 2026. I enjoy training, and hope one day to be Boston Bound. I also enjoy hiking, often visiting new trails to hike and camp with my girlfriend in the Smokies.
Projects
SOMOSPIE
Traffic Signal Optimization Agents
SUMO · Reinforcement Learning · Python
Trained reinforcement learning agents to control traffic signals in a SUMO simulation of a full city road network, replacing conventional fixed-timer controllers with policies that adapt to real-time vehicle flow. Each intersection's agent learns from local queue length and waiting time to decide when to switch phases, coordinating implicitly with neighboring intersections to keep traffic moving rather than running on a static schedule.
Agent-controlled intersection adapting phase timing to live demand.
City-scale deployment across the full SUMO road network.
Travel Time
-13%
Collisions
-25%
Avg. Queue
230 → 55veh