Brendan Moran worked on performance optimization for the pq-code-package/mldsa-native repository, focusing on the fips202 cryptographic implementation. He refactored the squeeze and absorb functions to use mld_keccakf1600 primitives, replacing ad-hoc C code with optimized byte-manipulation routines. This approach improved throughput and maintainability, particularly enhancing compatibility with 32-bit architectures. Brendan’s work strengthened the integration with the Keccak permutation, enabling more efficient cryptographic operations and laying groundwork for broader architecture portability. Utilizing his expertise in C, cryptography, and low-level programming, he delivered a targeted feature that addressed performance bottlenecks without introducing new bug fixes during the development period.