Relevant Work & Experiences

This page contains relevant work from previous classes and descriptions of research/internship experiences while at St. Olaf. Click on a link to view the work product, or simply read the short summaries below.

Relevant Course Work

FAMST 202: Immigrant Health Research Paper (paper link)

Introduction to Family Studies allowed me to write a research paper on any topic I wanted as long as it related to family dynamics. I chose to examine how migration impacts both the mental and physical health of immigrants and refugees as compared to native-born citizens. A recurring theme was the importance of culturally competent care, which connects to what I learned in my DUR statistical research class about mental health. This paper was directed towards question #1 of my guiding questions.

MSCS 398: Statistical Modeling Research Project (paper link)

This class was a Directed Undergraduate Research (DUR) program, which means I spent the semester doing group research with the guidance of our professor. My group chose to analyze how a slew of mental health indicators impact overall mental health. We used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to visualize and quantify those relationships. Not only was it the first time I got to take charge in a research setting, but it was also a great way to learn more on-the-ground statistical methods than are introduced in any other classes.

STAT 284: Biostatistics Research Proposal (presentation link and paper link)

Our research proposal was to study the effects of faith counseling on HIV screening rates in Tanzania. In the creation of our final project, we explored what components go into a successful proposal; we included a purpose for the study, literature review, thoughtful variable selection, ethical considerations, statistical and data handling plans, limitations, and possible funding sources.

STAT 316: Statistical Modeling Project (paper link)

Our final project was to find, clean, and analyze data of our choice using the methods we had learned in class. Working with one other partner, we chose to use CDC survey data curated by the University of Minnesota (original data is available here). We developed a Quasipoisson model to examine possible factors for why people don’t get mammograms as often as they should. Through this process, I was able to refine my statistical skills as well as delve into an interesting health issue.

Internship & Research Experiences

Collaborative Undergraduate Research & Inquiry 2018 (poster link)

This poster represents the culmination of my summer research in the CURI program with Professors Ashley Hodgson and Thomas Bernardin. We used Medicare claims data to develop a preliminary method for assessing patient complexity. This project allowed me to begin learning data tools outside of R and machine learning methods that expanded upon what I learned in my introductory computer science class.

Center for Interdisciplinary Research 2018-2019 (paper link)

There are several facets to being a CIR fellow. We had weekly meetings to discuss things like how to provide statistical consultation, recognizing errors, and other technical aspects that aren’t normally taught in class. I also held weekly office hours to assist teachers or students needing data science or statistical assistance. Third, and most importantly, I worked in a group of students to help a professor use her data to find answers to her research questions. We studied fossil coral data to try to determine if certain properties of the coral can be used as a proxy for oceanic environmental factors. The intricacies of pH and other environmental variables connected back to my chemistry classes, and the focus on climate change connected to my environmental studies class.

Summer Analyst, Analysis Group Inc. 2019

I was a summer analyst at an economic consulting firm. I was placed on a case team where I had the opportunity to analyze private company data in SAS and do a lot of data manipulation to try to answer the company’s questions. I was able to use my prior SAS experience and Medicare/Medicaid knowledge from CURI to enhance my work products.

Ole Innovation Scholars Program 2020

The OISP experience involved working with a local inventor who had a patent for a biomedical device and trying to evaluate the product – this involved market research, critically considering its strengths and weaknesses, finding potential company partners, etc. I worked with three other students to do this research and develop final recommendations for how the inventor should move forward.