Tracy Holsclaw is a statistical consultant (emphasis in Bayesian modeling) and data scientist with a Machine Learning background. She has worked to model data in both the private and public sector.  As an applied statistician, she has worked in a number of fields finding optimum solutions to many real world problems.  

Previously, she was a Postdoc at UC Irvine as a joint appointment in the Statistics and Computer Science departments under the advisement of Padhraic Smyth (Machine Learning). Her research focused on applying statistical models to spatio-temporal stochastic weather generators and modeling discrete time series for behavioral science data. The statical models tended to include stochastic process models, imparticular Gaussian processes and hidden Markov models. Her projects have included applications in cosmology, climatology, behavioral science/psychology, medicine, and engineering.

She earned her PhD in Bayesian Statistics and Applied Mathematics under the advisement of Herbie Lee and Bruno Sanso (UC Santa Cruz). The statistical research was based on modeling derivative curves with Gaussian processes. This method was applied to fitting the dark energy equation of state which is currently a problem on the forefront of cosmology. She has further research interested in Bayesian models and inference. Some of her favorite courses were in modeling and inference. Some favorite special topics include: Bayesian non-parametrics, spatial models, correlated data structures and hierarchical modeling, DLM time series models, stochastic processes, experimental design, GLM, and regression.

She has also taught several mathematics and statistics courses at the University level, along with leading many sections and computer labs. She enjoys being around students and would like to continue to teach courses in the future.

• Education
   
• Other interests:
  • Block You iPhone App Game Design through Skejo Studios
    Won Casual Connect Conference as an Indie Showcase Prize 2013
    Created and designed the game idea. App was built by my husband.
  • DogGoes.com and the Dog Park Finder iPhone app
    The iPhone app was featured as a New and Noteworthy Favorite by Apple in 2010
    My husband and I built this website starting in summer 2007. I did the data mining for dog parks; it is the most comprehensive list of dog parks in the USA (over 2500 listed). Users regularly contribute photos and reviews.
     
• Volunteer work:
  • Helped teach a hands on science course for disadvantaged youths
  • Tutoring for disadvantaged and high risk youths
  • Advising young college students
  • Led conversational English for Japanese exchange students