About me
Data-literate scientist who strives to excel.
You might wonder, "Why does a plant in vitro biologist present himself as a data scientist?" The answer is straightforward: a profound understanding of data enhances our ability to learn from experience. Mastering data manipulation significantly increases the likelihood of deriving actionable insights from empirical evidence. While understanding complex phenomena can be challenging, data serves as a crucial tool to help us comprehend and articulate our experiences effectively.
Evolution of Data Literacy
My passion for data dates back to my earliest memories. Whether it was collecting baseball cards or analyzing statistics in classic JRPGs, data has always captivated me. Shortly after beginning my professional career, I realized the profound impact that data can have on solving business problems.
Like many, Microsoft Excel was the first tool that enabled me to interact with business data. I had basic proficiency from my Bachelor of Science degree at UCSB, but it wasn't until I observed coworkers proficient in various functions that I realized its full potential. Witnessing the ease with which they handled data motivated me to enhance my data literacy. I began reading books on Excel and developing creative solutions to workplace problems using spreadsheet formulas. While I take pride in the fundamental solutions I implemented, my experience with Excel served primarily as a foundation for expanding my expertise in diverse data technologies.
As I delved deeper into working with data, my interest in learning a programming language grew. One of my favorite business books, The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt, which delves into the Theory of Constraints and how statistical fluctuations impact manufacturing environments, sparked my curiosity about constructing a mathematical model of my lab's production system. I had reached a pivotal moment where my desire to solve complex problems outweighed the challenge of mastering a new subject. Driven by this motivation, I chose to learn R and began my journey by immersing myself in the literature.
RStudio quickly became the most utilized program on my computer. As Production Manager at Tissue-Grown Corporation, I employed R for a wide range of tasks, including production optimization, calculating stochastic product variable costs, creating dashboards with key production metrics, and scheduling. In my role as Research Director, I extended this work to focus on experimental design and research. I have extensive experience with major libraries within the Tidyverse for data manipulation and visualization, Shiny for developing online dashboards and applications, RMarkdown for dynamic reporting, and many more.
The next major step in my data literacy journey was investing time in learning the text editor Emacs. A text editor is an essential tool for interacting with your development environment, and productivity hinges on the speed at which you can manipulate text. Emacs offers an efficient system for managing text buffers exclusively through keyboard shortcuts. Once you memorize the various hotkey combinations, you can perform all text manipulation and buffer management tasks at a significantly faster rate than with a point-and-click interface. For instance, my ability to copy-and-paste text from ChatGPT to a python file is approximately 5-10 times quicker using Emacs compared to the normal way of using a mouse. While Emacs has a steep learning curve, committing to it as your primary editor can profoundly enhance your ability to work with textual data on a computer.
A similar increase in efficiency came from switching to Linux and using Bash to interact with my computer. If precise control over your computer setup is your goal, Bash is indispensable. While navigating the filesystem may not be critical for a single statistical analysis script, it becomes essential for tasks like web development and complex, multi-part software projects. Bash allows you to navigate and manage your computer's filesystem using code, providing a level of control and automation that significantly enhances productivity.
With these three major tools at my disposal, I was able to efficiently manage a hybrid role as a Research Scientist and Data Analyst in a tissue-culture laboratory in California, all while living in Park City, Utah. This arrangement allowed me to enjoy skiing, hiking, and practicing BJJ with my family, while remaining close to a major airport. I would spend 3.5 days every two weeks working in the lab, and the remainder of the time working remotely, leveraging data to enhance the company's profitability.
While R is a powerful language, it does not possess the broad applicability of Python. R is not well-suited for tasks such as web development, interacting with electronics, and various other important computer applications. My journey with Python began when I sought to build a cost-effective plant growth chamber to leverage experimental design for optimizing environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. CircuitPython made it straightforward to write a Python program to read data from sensors and control the various electronic components necessary to manage the plant growth environment.
I continue to use Python for a variety of tasks, including fun projects at home with Raspberry Pi, developing this website using Django, data manipulation with pandas , machine learning with scikit-learn, and interacting with large language models using the Transformers library. Many projects featured on this blog are implemented in Python, reflecting my commitment to leveraging it for future data-centric work. Python offers a wealth of problem-solving tools, making it an indispensable part of my current and future workflow.
As we discuss the evolution of my professional capacities, it is impossible to ignore the impact modern large language models have had on my daily workflow. The barrier to entry for using programming languages has drastically decreased with generative AI. Interfacing with technology has become easier than ever, and this trend will only accelerate as the technology matures. Engaging with generative AI will become a significant aspect of every professional activity in the future.
While AI will undoubtedly disrupt a programmer’s or data analyst’s workflow, I am excited to leverage my skill set in this evolving landscape. Although tools like ChatGPT can generate complex programs quickly, they lack the vision and capability to tackle larger, multi-faceted problems. My expertise in multiple programming languages and proficiency with Emacs enable me to effectively and efficiently utilize large language models to solve most-any data-related task.
The hottest new programming language is english.
My constant curiosity and desire for excellence drive me to continually learn new technologies. Learning is a never-ending journey with immense rewards. Whatever challenge lies ahead, I am confident that with hard work, I can adapt and thrive.
About My Life
My free time is largely occupied with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, skiing, and reading LitRPG books. My family and I spend numerous hours training at our Jiu Jitsu academy and skiing at whichever nearby resort offers the best park. We also cherish the opportunity to go backpacking and disconnect from the ever-present world of data, immersing ourselves in nature.
In 2023, I was promoted to a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). For those unfamiliar, BJJ might be one of the most unique and primal hobbies in existence. A typical session involves a warm-up, followed by instruction and practice of a specific technique, culminating in sparring sessions. While there are rules to ensure a level of civility—such as no biting, striking, groin attacks, or heel hooks— the sparing feels very much like combat. At first it is terrifying and savage. The sport leverages knowledge to commit violence. A smaller weaker athlete with more knowledge will dismantle a stronger man without experience.
I am quite pleased with the progress I've made in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after six years of dedicated practice. Much like in my professional life, I have invested heavily in extracurricular education to improve my skills. Off the mats, I have watched hundreds of hours of instructional videos and spent just as many hours training and struggling on the mat. My Jiu Jitsu has become formidable, yet as a purple belt, I am only at the beginning of my journey. The wealth and depth of technique in BJJ are staggering. I love this journey and eagerly anticipate its next evolution. Oss!
My other major hobby, and the reason my family is in Utah is because skiing and snowboarding are a huge part of our lives. After graduating into a difficult job market for people with biotech degrees, I spent five years living rent-free from my parents while I acted like a I had a job as a ski instructor, parasail boat crewman and SAG actor. While not great for my professional journey, it was an amazing time. I had the least responsibility of my life and the most freedom and got to spend hundreds of days shredding at the mountain. My wife is an excellent snowboarder and we fell in love on the slopes. We hope to pass on our shared love for skiing to our son, who started skiing at the age of one.
In the summers, we enjoy backpacking in the Sierras and the Uintas, and occasionally rock climbing. Some of the most beautiful places I’ve seen are hours away from cell service and roads. While I love technology, there’s something essential about disconnecting from society and embracing simplicity. Spending a week by mostly walking, building shelter, preparing food, and pumping water can rechage the batteries as well as anything.
Recieve Notice of New Blog Posts
Please add your email address here if you would like to be notified when updates are posted to the blog.