The Data Analyst Who Found His Way

About Alex

As a data analyst with a passion for circular economy and sustainability, I help people and organizations make well-informed decisions. My interdisciplinary background in project management, industrial-organizational psychology, and environmental science set me apart. I didn’t start my career as a data analyst (or even intending to work with software), but my beginnings provide a unique perspective.

Unique Beginnings

On a service trip to Haiti in 2013, I was shocked by the complete lack of waste management infrastructure: no dumpsters, garbage trucks, recycling bins. A manmade disaster only compounded the earthquake of years past, where littering, dumping, and open burning resulted in a vicious cycle of crime; loss of natural beauty; and air, soil, and water pollution. The truth was in the data. Island nations will bear losses of almost $2.5 billion per year if they cannot transform the outdated make-take-waste model 1]. I became a lover of garbage, the most visual aspect of sustainability challenges. This experience sparked my passion for sustainability and led me to pursue a career in data analysis, where I use data to drive positive change.

As an undergraduate at Cornell University, I was (overly) enthusiastic to turn garbage into gold—but was quite successful in surrounding myself with recycling and compost.

  • I reinitiated a volunteer program to get students in front of garbage disposal bins and educating passersby on trash. (Yes, people listened!) Students were rewarded with free coffee after a certain number of volunteer hours.
  • I grew a networking group that brought local organizations together to share their progress in reducing garbage generation and increasing recycling and composting.

After a few consulting gigs, blogging, and self-exploration, I got a masters in sustainability management at Stevens Institute of Technology to round out the contours of my garbage-filled life. Although I studied environmental science, graduate school made me plainly aware of the planetary crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, ocean acidification, and so much more.

Professional Data Analyst

My experiences inculcated a passion to use data to tell stories that matter and express urgency for social action to the planetary crises—and show how to use data effectively. As a data analyst and researcher, I have:

  • Developed recommendations for the Trust for Governors Island by analyzing results on Excel of a waste audit conducted in 2018.
  • Published a 7-page report for the Facilities department of Stevens Institute of Technology analyzing results of a survey, recommending best practices for educating students on environmental sustainability in 2020.
  • Published a 10-page report profiling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), highlighting prominent sources and showing viability of achieving target by using R and Markdown.
  • Visualized for professors how well students incorporate sustainability into their capstone design projects, alongside their final grades, by using R and Markdown and presented results at a peer conference.

In addition to data analysis (or, rather, using analytical skills), I am an active blogger on “circular economy” (i.e. how we make high-quality products and ensuring they don’t end up in the trash) and mentor college students through my litter cleanup initiative, CleaNR New Ro. I present on sustainability regularly, covering environmental crime and translating research to social action.

This portfolio shows my thought process when reading through data—and how you can to. I am skilled in R, Python, Excel and VBA, Tableau, SQL, and HTML and CSS. I am well-versed in Git and can easily navigate the command line.

Personal Life

I was born in the US to a clinical psychologist father and religious educator mother. My surroundings grew me into a person highly concerned about the well-being of others, as well as my own personal growth. When I’m not volunteering, networking, or supporting community growth, I enjoy reading, learning for its own sake, and spending time with friends.

I absolutely love SpongeBob Squarepants. There’s not enough happiness in this world without silly humor. I also love Bojack Horseman and realize that humor can be tinged with some very depressing realities that we must accept. Mary J. Blige, however, is my rock, and Erykah Badu is, indeed, my Baduizm. Diverse music choices lets me explore new cultures, so I’m currently listening to an Israeli pop mix. (I love Mustafa Sandal and Tarkan, not to mention Amr Diab.)