Tech team profiles: Filippo Anzuini

MARCH 28th, 2025

BRAID’S TEAM

<aside> 💡 Welcome to another article in our series of Tech Team Profiles! Here, we’ll introduce you to the team building Braid’s automated engineering design technology. Fililppo is a Researcher at Braid with a background in astrophysics and high performance computing.

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Briefly describe your career thus far.

I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees in Physics at La Sapienza University of Rome in Italy before moving to Australia to do a PhD in Physics at the University of Melbourne. After that, I worked as a research fellow at Monash University for a short term and then for roughly two years again as a research fellow at the University of Melbourne.

At the beginning of my PhD, I was working on magnetohydrodynamics, but I later shifted my focus to dense matter, particularly neutron stars. Neutron stars are extremely compact objects with densities that are unimaginable and impossible to reproduce on Earth. Studying them is challenging, but they hold the key to many unanswered questions in physics.

For most of my PhD, I focused on computational problems related to theoretical physics. As a research fellow, I built a large computational code from scratch, which was challenging but educational. I applied this to primordial cosmology, solving complex nonlinear partial differential equations to understand the interactions of theoretical particles with primordial magnetic fields. The goal was to determine whether these interactions left observable footprints that we can detect today.

Eventually, I decided to leave academia. It’s not an ideal place—you have to move constantly, career progression is difficult, and there are very limited positions with too many competing interests. I was tired of it and decided to make the leap to industry.

Filippo with a shy kangaroo in Australia.

What originally sparked your interest in physics?

It’s actually funny because, after my final high school exam in Italy, I told myself and my parents, “I’m so glad I’m never going to see math again!” My original plan was to study Eastern languages—Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. I loved reading, especially Dostoevsky, and thought I’d pursue a career in literature or humanities.

However, I was advised to choose something I couldn’t easily learn on my own. While you can study a language independently, high-level physics and math require structured education. That convinced me to go into physics, and I developed a real passion for it when I started university, especially for astrophysics. The questions being asked in that field fascinated me, and I was willing to put in the hard work to understand them.

What’s the most interesting paper you’ve read in the last three months?

I’ve been reading papers on theoretical dark matter candidates and their interactions. This topic is closely related to my research. It’s interesting to see how researchers make bold assumptions in theoretical models to generate observable effects. However, when you actually run simulations, it becomes much harder to produce meaningful results. There are many theories, but they always have to be checked against real data, which is the challenging part.

Visiting the shrines in Nikko, a small town in the mountains north of Tokyo.

Do you have any interesting hobbies?

I used to swim competitively for about 13 years, so I can at least survive in water! I also enjoy playing volleyball, though I’m not very good at it. One thing I’d like to get back into is reading literature. When you work in science, it’s hard to find time to read anything outside of technical material. I’d love to revisit the humanistic side of my interests. I also enjoy socializing—going out, having a drink, and spending time with people.

What’s your favorite area of Tokyo?

Shinjuku is one of my favorite places. It’s very touristy, but I love the energy—it makes you feel anchored in the present moment. The flow of people, the constant movement, and the dynamic atmosphere are unlike anywhere else. Shibuya is also great, and in general, Tokyo is so massive that there’s always something new to discover. It feels like an endless adventure.

Why did you decide to join Braid?

A friend of mine at the University of Melbourne knew someone using one of Guido’s codes for high-energy physics, which led me to discover Braid. I looked into it and, despite some difficulty figuring out exactly what the company was doing, I got the impression that this was one of the best possible transitions from academia to industry.