Worked on the pq-code-package/mldsa-native repository to optimize the fips202 cryptographic implementation, focusing on performance and portability for 32-bit architectures. Refactored the squeeze and absorb functions to replace ad-hoc C code with optimized byte-manipulation routines, leveraging mld_keccakf1600 primitives for improved throughput and maintainability. This approach strengthened the integration with the Keccak permutation, enabling more efficient cryptographic operations and laying groundwork for broader architecture support. The work emphasized low-level programming and performance optimization in C, with no major bug fixes during the period, and contributed a foundational feature that enhances both compatibility and future extensibility of the codebase.