Jordan Thayer
@jordanthayer.com
AI researcher, consultant, professional speaker, video and tabletop gamer, and trans woman.
https://jordanthayer.com/
https://jordanthayer.com/
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Jordan Thayer
@jordanthayer.com
· Nov 8
Hi, I'm Jordan. I did my PhD in heuristic search, one of the less famous subfields of AI. You use it to plan and control robots.
These days, I'm a developer and consultant. I make AI systems and speak on what AI is and how to use it.
I'm also an avid gamer, reader, and outspoken trans lady.
These days, I'm a developer and consultant. I make AI systems and speak on what AI is and how to use it.
I'm also an avid gamer, reader, and outspoken trans lady.
Being homesick for a place that doesn’t always know what to do with you is a strange experience. I’ll probably write about that more someday. For now, some thoughts on Hoosiers, curiosity, and the silly business of being alive.
jordanthayer.com/on-being-a-h...
jordanthayer.com/on-being-a-h...
On Being a Hoosier – Jordan Thayer
jordanthayer.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Being homesick for a place that doesn’t always know what to do with you is a strange experience. I’ll probably write about that more someday. For now, some thoughts on Hoosiers, curiosity, and the silly business of being alive.
jordanthayer.com/on-being-a-h...
jordanthayer.com/on-being-a-h...
I tried explaining the concept of school resource officers and 'lock down' drills that are just active shooter exercises to the other academics in my lab last week.
Holy shit, I'm the proverbial boiled frog. As angry as I am about US gun laws, their shock and disbelief at our reality was jarring.
Holy shit, I'm the proverbial boiled frog. As angry as I am about US gun laws, their shock and disbelief at our reality was jarring.
February 2, 2026 at 3:09 PM
I tried explaining the concept of school resource officers and 'lock down' drills that are just active shooter exercises to the other academics in my lab last week.
Holy shit, I'm the proverbial boiled frog. As angry as I am about US gun laws, their shock and disbelief at our reality was jarring.
Holy shit, I'm the proverbial boiled frog. As angry as I am about US gun laws, their shock and disbelief at our reality was jarring.
I caught a snowflake on my tongue this morning.
January 24, 2026 at 8:16 AM
I caught a snowflake on my tongue this morning.
Nothing makes you feel like an academic quite like sudo apt install texlive-full
January 15, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Nothing makes you feel like an academic quite like sudo apt install texlive-full
Julmust is pretty good. I lack the words to describe its taste effectively. It's sweet, but not like cola.
Also, as an enjoyer of regional sodas, my new home having a seasonal drink that's effectively part of the national identity is awfully nice. They really know how to make a gal feel welcomed.
Also, as an enjoyer of regional sodas, my new home having a seasonal drink that's effectively part of the national identity is awfully nice. They really know how to make a gal feel welcomed.
January 13, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Julmust is pretty good. I lack the words to describe its taste effectively. It's sweet, but not like cola.
Also, as an enjoyer of regional sodas, my new home having a seasonal drink that's effectively part of the national identity is awfully nice. They really know how to make a gal feel welcomed.
Also, as an enjoyer of regional sodas, my new home having a seasonal drink that's effectively part of the national identity is awfully nice. They really know how to make a gal feel welcomed.
Happiness is a warm paper. Fresh off the printer.
January 13, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Happiness is a warm paper. Fresh off the printer.
It's weird. I revisit each of these about once a year, or every other year. Each one reminds me of some significant time in my life, or major life experience or super important person.
The games, of course, are great on their own, but the nostalgia isn't strictly speaking for the game.
The games, of course, are great on their own, but the nostalgia isn't strictly speaking for the game.
January 12, 2026 at 2:54 PM
It's weird. I revisit each of these about once a year, or every other year. Each one reminds me of some significant time in my life, or major life experience or super important person.
The games, of course, are great on their own, but the nostalgia isn't strictly speaking for the game.
The games, of course, are great on their own, but the nostalgia isn't strictly speaking for the game.
I left my house for the last time this morning. There are many things I could say about that, but here's the big one:
Every time I feel panicked, or like I've made a huge mistake, I just take five minutes to read the news. I still feel mildly panicked of course, but boy howdy, not about leaving.
Every time I feel panicked, or like I've made a huge mistake, I just take five minutes to read the news. I still feel mildly panicked of course, but boy howdy, not about leaving.
December 23, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I left my house for the last time this morning. There are many things I could say about that, but here's the big one:
Every time I feel panicked, or like I've made a huge mistake, I just take five minutes to read the news. I still feel mildly panicked of course, but boy howdy, not about leaving.
Every time I feel panicked, or like I've made a huge mistake, I just take five minutes to read the news. I still feel mildly panicked of course, but boy howdy, not about leaving.
After ~10 years in industry, I'm returning to academia as a postdoc at Linköping University. Back to heuristic search algorithms—including how LLMs can provide search guidance or help define domains.
Really looking forward to returning to teaching and fundamental research.
Really looking forward to returning to teaching and fundamental research.
December 8, 2025 at 2:24 PM
After ~10 years in industry, I'm returning to academia as a postdoc at Linköping University. Back to heuristic search algorithms—including how LLMs can provide search guidance or help define domains.
Really looking forward to returning to teaching and fundamental research.
Really looking forward to returning to teaching and fundamental research.
And additional thanks to @techbash.bsky.social for putting on such a lovely conference. There are still a few days left, and I'm really looking forward to the remaining talks.
November 5, 2025 at 4:44 PM
And additional thanks to @techbash.bsky.social for putting on such a lovely conference. There are still a few days left, and I'm really looking forward to the remaining talks.
Thanks to everyone that attended my AI workshop yesterday. I really appreciated the questions and discussion.
November 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Thanks to everyone that attended my AI workshop yesterday. I really appreciated the questions and discussion.
This is absolutely fucking delightful and I need to share it with the handful of people who will get it.
October 31, 2025 at 12:34 PM
This is absolutely fucking delightful and I need to share it with the handful of people who will get it.
Happy Halloween everyone.
October 31, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Happy Halloween everyone.
A brief reminder as our current hellscape careens off the fiscal cliff:
If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't. Couldn't have possibly been what you saw. This is America, the land of plenty. Who would need to steal food in one of the richest nations on Earth?
If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't. Couldn't have possibly been what you saw. This is America, the land of plenty. Who would need to steal food in one of the richest nations on Earth?
October 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
A brief reminder as our current hellscape careens off the fiscal cliff:
If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't. Couldn't have possibly been what you saw. This is America, the land of plenty. Who would need to steal food in one of the richest nations on Earth?
If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't. Couldn't have possibly been what you saw. This is America, the land of plenty. Who would need to steal food in one of the richest nations on Earth?
Reposted by Jordan Thayer
a trans girl in vermont was kicked off her swimming team and committed suicide and at the very same time, the discourse in d.c. today is about whether the democratic party should’ve abandoned her sooner in order to win votes
a day in an american life
a day in an american life
October 27, 2025 at 11:27 PM
a trans girl in vermont was kicked off her swimming team and committed suicide and at the very same time, the discourse in d.c. today is about whether the democratic party should’ve abandoned her sooner in order to win votes
a day in an american life
a day in an american life
Won the office chili cookoff. Guess it's time to enter my tradwife grifting era.
October 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Won the office chili cookoff. Guess it's time to enter my tradwife grifting era.
Hey, good news, I'll be giving a tutorial on off the shelf AI tools (the non-generative stuff) at @techbash.bsky.social this year. We'll talk about machine learning, optimization, planning systems, and a little SAT solving. Looking forward to seeing some of you there!
October 13, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Hey, good news, I'll be giving a tutorial on off the shelf AI tools (the non-generative stuff) at @techbash.bsky.social this year. We'll talk about machine learning, optimization, planning systems, and a little SAT solving. Looking forward to seeing some of you there!
From now on, whenever I embark on something particularly amazing or silly, this is how I will be referring to it.
October 2, 2025 at 1:20 PM
From now on, whenever I embark on something particularly amazing or silly, this is how I will be referring to it.
Agentic coding tools (and LLMs more broadly) have all the energy of an undergrad who is more interested in a passing grade than actually correct systems or mastery of the underlying concepts, and I am sick to death of pretending that's not the case.
August 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Agentic coding tools (and LLMs more broadly) have all the energy of an undergrad who is more interested in a passing grade than actually correct systems or mastery of the underlying concepts, and I am sick to death of pretending that's not the case.
Thanks to everyone who attended @kcdc.bsky.social and a special thanks to the folks that put it on. That quality of conference is a huge amount of labor, and it was an amazing event.
If I didn't see you there this year, here's hoping I see you there next year!
If I didn't see you there this year, here's hoping I see you there next year!
August 18, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Thanks to everyone who attended @kcdc.bsky.social and a special thanks to the folks that put it on. That quality of conference is a huge amount of labor, and it was an amazing event.
If I didn't see you there this year, here's hoping I see you there next year!
If I didn't see you there this year, here's hoping I see you there next year!
Just a couple more days. I'm driving out tomorrow, but my talk about highway maintenance will have to wait until Thursday. In the interim, I'll be speaking about data structures and Big O notation and wandering around the hallway track. Please come say hello!
August 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Just a couple more days. I'm driving out tomorrow, but my talk about highway maintenance will have to wait until Thursday. In the interim, I'll be speaking about data structures and Big O notation and wandering around the hallway track. Please come say hello!
I suppose I should use the little title card generators they gave me too. I'll be giving that Data Structures talk on Wednesday. I'm really excited about it. Still can't believe it gets accepted, so quick, before they realize their mistakes.
August 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM
I suppose I should use the little title card generators they gave me too. I'll be giving that Data Structures talk on Wednesday. I'm really excited about it. Still can't believe it gets accepted, so quick, before they realize their mistakes.
In a week I'll be out @kcdc.bsky.social. I'm giving a workshop on data structures and a talk on how AI planning approaches can be used to plan for highway maintenance. There's a big slate of content I'm really excited for. You can get tickets here: www.kcdc.info/tickets
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
August 6, 2025 at 5:40 PM
In a week I'll be out @kcdc.bsky.social. I'm giving a workshop on data structures and a talk on how AI planning approaches can be used to plan for highway maintenance. There's a big slate of content I'm really excited for. You can get tickets here: www.kcdc.info/tickets
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
In less contentious and depressing conversations, I gave an internal talk on how I use LLMs for the work I do that's not writing source code, like blogging, presentations, and planning how to work events: youtu.be/e5wCxM8zA60?...
LLMs for Not Coding Brownbag
YouTube video by Jordan Thayer
youtu.be
July 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
In less contentious and depressing conversations, I gave an internal talk on how I use LLMs for the work I do that's not writing source code, like blogging, presentations, and planning how to work events: youtu.be/e5wCxM8zA60?...
I took some time out of writing about AI in our industry to write about marginalization. It's got a super uplifting title, but I promise it's not just venting or bitching. It's an anectdote laden discussion of being othered and advice on how to avoid that.
jordanthayer.com/every-day-br...
jordanthayer.com/every-day-br...
Every Day Brings New Horrors – Jordan Thayer
jordanthayer.com
July 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I took some time out of writing about AI in our industry to write about marginalization. It's got a super uplifting title, but I promise it's not just venting or bitching. It's an anectdote laden discussion of being othered and advice on how to avoid that.
jordanthayer.com/every-day-br...
jordanthayer.com/every-day-br...