Snapshot

I'm fortunate that both my number one ability and interest coincide -- working with numbers. Knowledge really is power. I spend way too much time on the Internet. A knowledge of sports is universal guy speak. You can talk to complete strangers about sports for hours on end. A chick that knows a thing or two about sports is totally hot. I'm appalled at the level of ignorance in this country and the power the media has over the ignorant. Why don't more people now know that the Gulf of Tonkin attack was completely fake? The direct result was to escalate troops in Vietnam which ultimately resulted in 58,000 deaths? It really makes me question the rest of our nation's history. I am fascinated by all things spy related, especially dealing with the KGB during the Cold War. If I could live anytime in history, I would live in the late 60s, listen to amazing music and make bad decisions. History Channel and ESPN classic are more addictive than crack. If I could live anywhere, it would be near water. I do not know anything more relaxing than sipping a beer on a hot day while at the lake. I need to travel more and work less.

Bio

Growing Up -- Minnesota

I was born in 1982 just outside of New York city in a town called Putnam Valley. However, I spent all of my formative years in a town of about 15,000 in northern Minnesota called Hibbing. If you think you know what cold is, you really don't. I most miss the feeling of going to the lake and a friend's cabin over the summer or just playing and rolling around in the snow in the winter. Classic rock enthusiasts better know Hibbing as the location of Bob Dylan's upbringing. (Hear him reference it here ). I didn't fully appreciate this fact until I moved. My growing up could be summarized by my love for: all things Nintendo (especially Mario), Sports and WWF Wrestling. Looking back, it's shocking how many of my idols were on steroids. I also played the piano intensely and discovered a knack for numbers. I was always fast with computation and to this day I love any form of academic competition. When I was 25, I participated in my first Spelling Bee in 13 years and I won! I graduated from Hibbing High School in 2001, pursuing mostly nerdy extracurriculars, including: Math Team (3-time All-State), Tennis Team, and Knowledge Bowl (2-time All-State). Knowledge Bowl was far and away my favorite activity and I still am a sucker for trivia contests.

Education

College -- Bay Area, California

I next moved to the Bay Area, California to attend Stanford University. Stanford was undoubtedly the most unique experience of my life. For one, the campus is 8,400 acres -- second largest campus in the world area-wise. You would think it's a resort. Second, the student body is a mix of incredibly bright and driven students along with Olympic-caliber athletes. And third, it's 70 degrees every day! In the "winter" students are studying in bathing suits. I graduated with Honors with a degree in Mathematical and Computational Sciences in June of 2005. My advisor was Brad Efron.

Grad School -- Philadelphia

The following autumn, I started a Ph.D. in Statistics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Philly is a truly underrated city. Being a history enthusiast, I love how it's preserved so much of its colonial feel. Being also a sports fanatic, it has the most passionate (some might say insane) fans I have ever encountered. The craziest night I have ever experienced was on Broad Street the night the Phillies won the 2008 World Series.

Work

The summer after my 3rd year of my Ph.D., I worked for Google in Santa Monica, California just a few short blocks from the ocean. Google's the most amazing place I've ever been both for its intensely smart and motivated employees and the amazing perks. Southern California is an experience and one I would recommend to everyone for at least awhile. I don't think I could live there long term but there was something intimately cool about feeling that breeze looking out into the vast Pacific. I will be starting my first full time job at the main Google office in Mountain View in September of 2009. Words do not describe how excited I am for this. Google has been a dream job of mine and it's an immensely satisfying feeling to fulfill a dream. I plan to live in San Francisco.

Why Statistics

This is a question I'm often asked and sometimes ask myself. Statistics is a unique discipline for anyone with a knack for numbers. It allows you to play in almost any backyard by dabbling with data. Want to cure cancer? We've got a spot for you. How about make a fortune on Wall Street? You bet. Love working with manufacturing and industry? You can help improve quality . How about serving your country with national security and defense? Yep, there's those too.