Assistant Data

Mark A. Olson, PhD.

Summary

I bring experience working with business, engineering and research institutions. Using technical and mathematical knowledge and statistical and computer skills I can supply statistical analysis and computer programming to solve complex problems. My knowledge of economic systems provides a structure for interpretation. My experience allows me to immediately jump into projects.

Among my statistical expertise are data analytics, data crunching, analysis of repeated measures and categorical data, multivariate and nonparametric methods, visualization and presentation of results. I have spent long hours organizing and working with data to provide a concise picture to stakeholders.

Advanced skills in statistical programming with over twenty years of experience: R, SAS, SPSS, Stata, GAUSS, Matlab, Mathematica, and others.

Advanced skills in computer programming: C/C++, Fortran, Java, VB, HTML, PHP, Pearl, SQL, UNIX, and Windows. Well practiced in understanding and debugging large programs. I have built optimization programs, genetic algorithms, client/server applications, numerical simulations and web applications.

Significant experience working with government agencies, management of group projects and numerous publications.

Professional Experience

Self-Employed, Freelance 2017 to Present

Economic, Statistical and Software Consultant

Structural design for online trading of advertising spots. Provided database structure, optimization algorithms and code, structural design and prototype. Data analysis for experimental data. Ongoing construction of R package and book for data analysis.

Grand Canyon University – Phoenix, AZ 2014 to 2017

Online instruction of economics and statistics; built software to automate necessary tasks, provided analysis of student performance data, construction and linking of performance databases.

Self-Employed 2008 to Present

Economic, Statistical and Software Consultant

Provided expert statistical and economic consulting. Designed experiments and analyzed data for client projects. Accomplishments include the study of communications spectrum allocation and congestion for the Federal Communications Commission; research into electric power and gas pipeline joint ventures in Alaska; designed and built and software for optimized online trading for information systems and pollution permitsl.

George Mason University – Fairfax, VA 2001 to 2008

Research Faculty (2002 to 2008)

Interim Director, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science (2001 to 2002)

Managed the successful creation of the Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science at the university, the experimental laboratory of Nobel Laureate Vernon Smith. Provided statistical analysis and advice for numerous projects. Oversaw, over the course of one year, the design, construction, operation, development of computing systems and human resources for the center. Managed the on-time and at budget construction of the center. Coordinated the integration of the center into the university structure. Upon completion of center development I conducted research with a focus on communications, energy, optimal mechanism design and statistical methods. Implemented networking, programming, hardware and software systems for complex economic analysis and client/server experimental software. Developed computer laboratory functions in coordination with the economics, computer science and business departments.

University of Arizona – Tucson, AZ 1997 to 2001

Research Scholar, Economic Science Laboratory

Directed staff and managed economic research. Managed predictive and historical statistical analysis projects. Published research in the areas of energy, telecommunications and other areas of study.

Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making

Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1992 to1996

Senior Researcher

Performed experimental tests of combinatorial auctions for the allocation of rail transportation rights for the Netherlands Ministry of Transportation. Conducted experimental study of improvements for the Alsmeer flower auction. Analyzed the design of the Dutch radio frequency auctions for the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Radio communications Agency. Analyzed massive bid data from the Alsmeer flower auction.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory – Pasadena, CA 1992 to 1996

Technical Staff, Economic Analysis Group

Conducted economic and statistical analysis for engineering design and logistics. Provided cost analysis, logistics, systems management and engineering design for Space Station Freedom. Designed and analyzed mechanisms and rules for the allocation of time on the deep space communications network. Provided research for procedures and rules for the allocation of resources for the Deep Space Network, a worldwide network for large antennas and communications facilities that support interplanetary spacecraft missions.

Staff Economist, Telecommunications Group, Arizona Corporation Commission, 1984-1985

Economist, AT&T Communications, 1983-1984

Research Assistant and Instructor, Department of Economics, University of Arizona, 1980-1983

Research Assistant and Instructor, Department of Statistics, University of Arizona, 1980-1983

Mathematical Statistician and Computer Programmer, Bureau of the Census, 1979-1980

Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN., 1996 – 1997

Visiting Researcher, Department of Economics, Economics Science Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1991

Professional Profile

Education Ph. D., Economics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

M.S., Statistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

B.A., Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Citizenship US

Computer Skills Operating Systems: Sun Solaris, Unix/Linux and MS Windows

Languages: C/C++, Java, Fortran, python and Pascal

Statistical Programming: S, R, R-scripts, python, SAS, SPSS and Stata

Web: HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Java, PHP

Computation: Gauss, Mathematica and Matlab

Scripting: Shell, Perl and SQL

Memberships American Statistical Association

Institute of Mathematical Statistics

Econometric Society, Economic Science

ACM, IEEE

Publications Over 20 published, peer reviewed articles and reports.

References

Vernon L. Smith

Professor of Economics and Law, Chapman University

Telephone: 714-***-****

E-mail: ******@*******.***

David P. Porter

Professor of Economics and Mathematics, Chapman University

Telephone: 714-***-****

E-mail: *******@*******.***

Mark Bykowsky

Office of Strategic Planning, Federal Communications Commission

Telephone: 301-***-****

E-mail: ****.********@*****.***

Kathy K. Archer

Asst Professor Economics, Grand Canyon University

Telephone: 480-***-****

E-mail: ************@*****.***

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