About Me

I am currently a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Statistics at UC Berkeley advised by Bin Yu. An updated website coming soon! However, this site should provide some idea of my PhD work and background for those interested.

In summer 2021, I earned a dual PhD in Statistics and Operations Research at Penn State. There I was named a Scholar in the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Minority Ph.D. (MPHD) Program, a University Graduate Fellow, a Bunton-Waller Fellow – a fellowship given to promising graduate students from underrepresented cultural and ethnic backgrounds – and a member of the Biomedical Big Data to Knowledge (B2D2K) predoctoral training program.

Before coming to Penn State, I earned a B.S in mathematics from CSU Stanislaus graduating Summa Cum Laude and a M.S. in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado Denver with a focus in optimization and statistics. Here at Penn State I’ve had the opportunity to work with my advisor Francesca Chiaromonte (Statistics), co-advisor Matthew Reimherr (Statistics), and collaborate on multiple interdisciplinary projects with Kateryna Makova (Biology). One such work was recently featured in Penn State’s Science Journal for Winter 2020.

My research interests are primarily at the interface of computational statistics/machine learning and optimization applied to the “Omics” sciences. Generally, I develop techniques that utilize modern optimization tools for the analysis of large, complex, sometimes frustratingly noisy, data – frequently functional/longitudinal in nature. Working with an interdisciplinary group of statisticians, biologists, bioinformaticians, and health experts has instilled a very pragmatic edge to my work, and I emphasize stability, robustness, computational efficiency, and practical relevance when approaching each project and technique I develop. Additionally, as a trainee of the B2D2K program, I receive specialized training to tackle challenges posed when working with large amounts of sensitive, biomedical data – including scalability and data privacy for ethical use.
You can download my CV here.

In addition to research, I have a passion for teaching and mentoring. Before joining Penn State, I gained substantial teaching experience at UC Denver — where I was a mathematics/statistics instructor for 3 years and won an excellence in teaching award. Additionally, as a first-generation, Chicana/Filipina woman in STEM, I am all too aware of the challenges faced by individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Thus, I mentor similar aspiring scientists through programs such as Millennium Scholars and serve as a Senator in the Committee for Student Life. More recently, I became a student representative in the Graduate Educational Equity Program Advisory Group at Penn State. My track record of producing high quality research while engaging in service and outreach has been recognized through a Sloan Minority PhD Scholarship. I am always happy to provide advice, or just listen, to any current/incoming/prospective students. Please reach out, and lets chat!

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