Work Experience

Research Experience

I am currently a Research Assistant at the Wayne State Integrative Bioscience Building (iBio), where I contribute to multiple research initiatives focused on population health, data science, and public health outcomes. I am also an integral part of the Phoenix project team, contributing to groundbreaking initiatives that bridge the gap between scientific research and practical applications in healthcare. The Population Health OutcomEs iNformatIon eXchange (PHOENIX) project is dedicated to advancing our understanding of population health dynamics across the Midwest region, including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

PHOENIX is Wayne State's Virtual Platform Team that develops use-inspired research and surveillance tools in Google Cloud. Phoenix creates structural dynamics in the cloud to deliver data from points 'A' to 'B' for purposes of population health research and surveillance, and we provide expertise concerning the vulnerabilities of that expectation. The PHOENIX Website includes an interactive map that serves as a dynamic platform for users to explore population percentages related to various metrics, including medical, social, natural, built, and vital statistics. Leveraging advanced geospatial analysis techniques provides users with a comprehensive view of population health indicators at different geographic levels, such as counties, cities, and tracts.

Contributions

1. PHOENIX Virtual Data Warehouse ([IRB-22-02-4397]) - Supported operations on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), ensuring data quality across 40+ sources through data inventory checks and codebook reviews, improving data organization and discoverability in GCP buckets.
2. Data Curation & Web Scraping - Curated 10+ novel datasets using web scraping techniques to enhance research capacity and data-driven insights.
3. Systematic Review on Energy Resilience & Health Outcomes - Screened 300+ news articles and peer-reviewed studies, contributing to an in-depth review of the intersection between energy resilience and public health.
4. Opioid Prescription Surveillance Research - Contributed to descriptive epidemiology research on opioid prescribing in Michigan (2019-2022), supporting the development of an abstract presented at Michigan Family Medicine Research Day (2024): Lund, M.A., Vora, J., Osborne, K., Streberger, S., & Bauer, S.J.
5. Data Science & Professional Development - Attended the posit::conf (2024) international data science conference in Seattle, Washington, to expand expertise in Quarto Websites and data visualization techniques.
6. Aggregated yearly data from the Mobile Health Unit Site_info Excel spreadsheet and reshaped CDC datasets for improved analysis and usability.

Leadership Experience

Additionally, I worked as a Lead Instructor for the WSU College of Engineering and Computer Science K-12 Summer Camp & Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP). In this role, I led interactive STEM-based workshops, engaging students in coding with Apple Swift Playgrounds, robotics, drone technology, and more. Through hands-on activities and experiments, I helped foster a fun and educational learning environment, inspiring students to explore engineering, computer science, and technology.

• Robotics: Students worked with Spike Robots and engaged in building and programming robots, gaining firsthand experience in mechatronics and automation.
• MinecraftEDU: Exploring the educational potential of Minecraft learning chemistry, electrical, and civil engineering, students combined creativity with problem-solving in a virtual environment.
• Spheros and Drones: Mastering the art of controlling Sphero robots and drones, students experienced the thrill of piloting and programming these devices.
• Apple Swift Playground: Introduced students to app development, where they learned to code interactive experiences using iPads and Apple's Swift programming language.
• Animations: Unleashing creativity, students delved into Blender and Stop Motion animation, bringing their imaginations to life through digital platforms.
• 3D Printing: Understanding the fundamentals of 3D printing, students translated their ideas into tangible creations.
• Makey Makey: Students transformed everyday objects into touch-sensitive inputs, learning about circuits, conductivity, and creative problem-solving.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Students explored automation by creating simple bots, understanding how RPA streamlines repetitive tasks, improves efficiency, and reduces human error.

The Summer Camp and STEM programs is not just a learning experience, it is a platform for fostering a love for STEM fields and instilling a sense of excitement for the possibilities within computer science and engineering.

Acquired Skills