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Summary of Qualifications
Extensive experience:
- finding creative ways to solve problems with limited resources.
- thriving in urgent, high-pressure situations as they become more difficult and/or unstructured.
- learning complex systems/operations quickly, and immediately utilizing/executing them with competence.
- absorbing real-time information on the fly and modifying already-underway plans if necessary.
- observing, memorizing, and recalling details of events, lessons, and conversations.
- quickly establishing and developing interpersonal relationships with both colleagues and new contacts.
- both leading and following others with energy, confidence, and humor.
- communicating clearly and precisely via oral presentations, conversations, written reports, and electronic systems.
- teaching detailed, technical subjects to audiences ranging in size from one to hundreds, and in experience level from college students to medical doctors.

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Expertise
§ Computer

Operating Systems: Unix, Linux, *n*x; Mac OS X; MSFT Windows; DOS
Programming Languages: Java, Perl, C++, C, zsh/bash/tcsh/sh (also: Python, Ruby, PHP, Make, Tcl, Lisp/Scheme, Pascal, BASIC)
Application Languages: HTML, SQL, regexps, S-Plus/R, MATLAB, TeX/LaTeX (also: XML, CSS, JavaScript, Lex/Flex, Yacc/Bison, OpenGL, Motif, FLTK)

§ Languages

Spanish: proficient
Hebrew: extensive knowledge
Japanese: college-level introduction

§ Biomedical

4 research internships in biochemistry laboratories, working with radioactive, biohazardous, and neurotoxic materials; AHA/WA-certified in Basic Trauma First Aid/CPR

§ Athletic

4 years advanced study in mixed-martial arts/MMA (complete Shaolin kung fu); NAUI-certified in scuba diving; CHA-certified (intermediate) in horseback riding; parkour; novice skydiver

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Experience
Software Development Engineer / Analyst - Demand Forecasting Team, Amazon.com, Seattle, WA       (November, 2005 - present)

As a senior member of the Demand Forecasting team at Amazon, I conduct statistical research, software development, customer instruction, and 24-hour mission-critical support for the systems that govern our company's supply chain network. I construct from scratch, evaluate, and update complex models for forecasting future customer demand and inventory positions over 10,000,000 items across three continents. Every 1% improvement in Forecasting accuracy that I contribute can increase Amazon's free cash flow by as much as $1,000,000. Due to the always-on nature of Amazon.com's systems and my 24/7/365 support thereof, I have become uniquely experienced in diagnosing and repairing business-impacting cross-system and cross-team failures at a moment's notice.

Research/Teaching Assistant - Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA       (June, 2000 - August, 2004)
§ Teaching Assistantships

° Head Teaching Assistant (2x), Teaching Assistant (3x) - Computer Programming 1       (SUM 2002, SUM 2003, WIN 2004, SPR 2004, SUM 2004) Developed curriculum, lectures, assignments, projects, seminars, and exams. Taught college, graduate, and post-graduate students privately, in sections, and in 150-person lectures. Evaluated students' progress and assigned grades.
° Head Teaching Assistant - Life & Death Computing       (SUM 2001) Responsibilities as above, plus a 3-hour lecture on my M.S. research. Students were professional computer scientists seeking M.S. degrees. Devoted significant overtime hours to accommodate their wide variety of academic and technical backgrounds. Nominated for Bob Bandes student teaching award.

§ Research Assistantships

° Machine Learning / Data Mining       (June, 2002 - December, 2003) Modifed the standard, generative Bayesian network learning algorithm to learn discriminatively, producing models with higher accuracy on queries users are most likely to pose. Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Machine Learning, 2004 with Pedro Domingos, Ph.D. Extensive experience dividing complex problems into manageable pieces, prioritizing and allocating limited resources to each task, and improvising when no resources remained.
° Computational Biology       (June, 2001 - April, 2002) Significantly extended the capabilities of a previously published algorithm (REDUCE) for detecting transcription factor binding motifs in the S. cerevisiae genome. As a result, a more general, complex, and practical version of the problem can now be solved. Master's thesis written under Walter L. Ruzzo, Ph.D.
° Simulation       (June, 2000 - June, 2001) Implemented a fine-grained cancer simulation for modeling the effects of anti-cancer drugs (real and hypothetical) on the cell-by-cell and metastatic development of the disease. Work done with Ira Kalet, Ph.D.

Student Intern - Systems Research, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA       (June-September, 1999)

Updated and re-engineered over 23,000 lines of C++/Motif for a graphical user interface (GUI) to a ballistic missile threat generation software package. Met changing specifications and time constraints from the Joint National Integration Center's Special Programs Center and the Missile Defense Agency. Authored a technical project report and final TODO list under Marilyn Hawley.

Software Intern - Metron, Inc., Reston, VA       (May-August, 1998)

Researched modern naval mine warfare extensively. Designed, implemented, and reported on a computer-based (Visual C++) model for optimized naval mine clearance (NMC) operations. Analyzed an appendix to a classified Defense Department document and briefed supervisor, Tom Stefanick, Ph.D., on its contents.

Research Assistant - Duchossois Cancer Research Center, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL       (May-August, 1995; May-August, 1996; May-August, 1997)

Completed research on five molecular oncology projects, with increasing independence and authority each summer, culminating in co-authorship of a published manuscript with Nancy Zeleznik-Le, Ph.D., and Lasker Award & National Medal of Science winner, Janet Rowley, M.D., D.Sc. Mastered most modern biochemical research, lab safety, and contaminant-control techniques, and taught them to a resident M.D. starting her research rotation.

Research Assistant - Cummings Life Science Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL       (May-August, 1994)

Volunteer full-time lab assistant for Rochelle Esposito, Ph.D. Learned several molecular biology research techniques. Performed and completed independent research on one project.

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Other Interests and Memberships

Member - American Mensa       (2008-present)
Admissions Interviewer, Western Washington - Yale Alumni Schools Committee       (1999-present) Meet candidly with high school senior applicants, evaluate their likelihood of success at Yale College, and report to the Yale University Admissions Committee. Serve as ambassador to area high schools.
Director, Section Leader, Soloist, Baritone/Tenor - UW Unleashed       (2001-2003) Mixed a cappella singing.
Bass/Baritone/Tenor - UW University Chorale (2003-2004), Seattle Symphony Chorale (2000-2001), Seattle Pro Musica (1999), Yale Glee Club (1998-1999)

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Education

University of Washington, Seattle, WA       (1999-2004)

° Ph.D. candidate, Computer Science and Engineering
° M.S., Computer Science and Engineering. GPA: 3.77       (March, 2002)
° UW Computer Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship - Sole Recipient       (1999)
° National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship - Honorable Mention       (1999)
° Relevant Coursework (purple text indicates topics in which I have completed original research) Algorithms: Theory, design, analysis Artificial Intelligence: Search, knowledge representation, inference (Bayesian nets, non-monotonic logic), machine learning, planning Compilers: Lexing, parsing, lattice-theoretic dataflow analyses, optimizing intra- and interprocedural transformations, register allocation, instruction scheduling Computational Biology: Sequence analysis, expression microarray analysis, motif finding Database Management Systems: Data models; query languages; relational, object-oriented, object-relational, & semi-structured databases (XML); data storage & indexing; query execution & optimization; data mining; transactions Digital Signal Processing: Discrete-time representation and manipulation of signals and systems Graphics: 2D/3D rendering, compositing, animation, 3D physical simulation Networks: Message formats & protocols, security, physical media, routing, mobile networks & ad-hoc routing, distributed interactive simulations (multi-user network applications) Programming Languages: Theory, implementation, and formal semantics of functional, object-oriented, and declarative languages Statistics: Design and analysis of experiments, applied regression Theory: Automata, computability, complexity

Yale University, New Haven, CT       (1995-1999)

° B.S., cum laude, Computer Science & Mathematics, with Distinction in the Major. GPA: 3.72       (May, 1999)
° Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society       (1999)
° National Merit Scholar       (1995)
° Relevant coursework: Computer Science: Algorithms, bioinformatics, operations research, programming, theory Mathematics: Calculus, linear algebra, abstract algebra/group theory, analysis, graph theory, advanced probability theory, theory of statistics, propositional and first-order logic, discrete math, number theory, differential equations Related: Dynamics, thermodynamics, optics, and electromagnetic physics and laboratories; general, organometallic, organic, and bio-chemistry and laboratories; genetics; economics; linguistics; history of science