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Daniel Alvarez

Alumni (MIDS 2020)

Focus

Data science, machine learning, data visualization, topical interests in economics and public policy applications

Specialization

Data Science

Biography

Academic and professional background:

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Affairs from Brown University, Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Advanced Policy and Economic Analysis from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and have spent my professional career focused on analytical work at and economic litigation consulting firm Cornerstone Research (2 years), the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (5+ years) and most recently at USAA (2+ years). Throughout my career, I have developed statistical programming routines and applied estimation methodologies in SAS, Stata and R, using macroeconomic and microeconomic behavioral data as inputs, across a variety of subject matter such as time series prediction, stress-testing estimation of financial counterparty risk, pricing analysis on large datasets, macroeconomic scenario development, model development for financial risks, as well as data validation.

Regarding my interests in data science and MIDS program in particular:

I believe that data science can be used for social benefit to discover, diagnose and design responses to real-world problems associated with large scale, incoherent and disparate data. The graduate program would allow me to build upon my professional experience with statistical programming, data analysis and aggregation, and advance my interests in becoming a versatile data scientist with the confidence to take on complicated data problems with social impacts and influence decision-makers. Postgraduation, I would like to apply data science algorithms to assess problems of different societal dimensions ranging from financial services delivery, healthcare, education delivery, energy consumption and demand, transportation and gathering input to inform public policy.

Other interests beyond data science:

I am an avid reader and listener of an assortment of podcasts and music.  I am a proud father and take pleasure in chasing after my daughter.  I enjoy watching and playing soccer (football). I also enjoy trying out forms of exercise that stretch my body and mind such as capoeira! 

Lastly, I am a native of Queens, New York and think its diversity is one of a kind and makes for the best concentration of food in the country.  

 

 

Last updated:

March 18, 2024