College of Arts and Sciences / Graduate Programs / Data Science MS / Faculty

Faculty

Full-Time Faculty


Diane Woodbridge

Program Director
(415) 422-4812

Diane Woodbridge is an assistant professor in the MS in Data Science program at the University of San Francisco. Her research interests include database management systems, data fusion and data mining in various domains including biomedical, geoscience and geospatial remote sensing. Prior to joining USF, Professor Woodbridge was with the scalable analysis and visualization department at Sandia National Laboratories.

Education:

PhD, Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, MS, Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, BS, Computer Science and Engineering, Sogang University, South Korea

David Guy Brizan

Assistant Professor
(415) 422-4813

David is an assistant professor at the University of San Francisco. His research interests are natural language processing, machine learning, and databases — specifically on the personal and cultural/demographic information transmitted during speech and typing. This research may lead to more accurate speech recognition systems. Prior to joining USF, David was a research assistant in the Speech Lab at Queens College and an instructor at Hunter College. He has previously worked for the City of...

Education:

PhD, Computer Science, CUNY Graduate Center (candidate), MS Computer Science, San Francisco State University, BS Computer & Information Science, Brooklyn College

Expertise:

Speech Processing, Applications of Machine Learning

Cody Carroll

Assistant Professor

Cody Carroll is an assistant professor with joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Master's in Data Science program (MSDS). He holds a PhD and MS in Statistics from the University of California, Davis and a BS in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. His methodological research interests focus on functional and longitudinal data, particularly in the context of human growth and aging, and his interdisciplinary work has spanned a wide range of...

Education:

UC Davis, PhD in Statistics, 2021, UC Davis, MS in Statistics, 2017, UT Austin, BS in Mathematics, 2014

Expertise:

Time warping & curve registration, Multivariate functional data, Statistical consulting, Communication through statistics

Stephen Devlin

Professor
(415) 422-6509

Stephen Devlin is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Master’s in Data Science program (MSDS). He has also served as department chair and director of the undergraduate data science program. Stephen has a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College in New York, and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Maryland. He was a C.L.E. Moore Instructor at MIT before moving to the University of San Francisco. His research interests include both pure and applied...

Education:

PhD, Mathematics, University of Maryland, 2001

Jeff Hamrick

Senior Director of the Data Institute, Senior Adviser to the University, and Professor
(415) 422-6810

Associate Professor of Finance Jeff Hamrick has been instrumental in developing USF's MS in Data Science (MSDS) program. His teaching also supports the university's Master of Science in Financial Analysis (MSFA) program. For the MSDS program, he has designed courses in linear regression analysis, time series analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, and SAS programming. In the MSFA program, he teaches econometrics and financial econometrics. Professor Hamrick contributes his extensive...

Education:

PhD, Mathematics, Boston University, Massachusetts, 2009, Certificate in Computational Science, Boston University, Massachusetts, 2009, MA, Mathematics, Boston University, Massachusetts, 2004, BS, Mathematics, minor in Applied Statistics, Stetson University, Florida, 2002, BBA, Financial Economics, Stetson University, Florida, 2002, BA, History, Stetson University, Florida, 2002

Yannet Interian

Associate Professor
(607) 279-5554

Yannet is an associate professor in the Master’s in Data Science program, and her research interests lie in the application of machine learning and deep learning to medical data. She holds a PhD in applied mathematics from Cornell University and a BS in mathematics from the University of Havana, Cuba. After a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley, she worked for five years as a data scientist at Google. Yannet co-founded Akualab, a start-up that helped organizations develop data-driven...

Education:

Cornell University, PhD in Applied Mathematics, 2006

Terence Parr

Professor
(415) 422-5707

Terence is a professor of computer science and is the creator of the ANTLR parser generator. He herded programmers and implemented the large jGuru developers web site, during which time he developed and refined the StringTemplate engine. Terence has consulted for and held various technical positions at companies such as IBM, Lockheed Missiles and Space, NeXT, and Renault Automation. Terence was an expert witness for Google in the Oracle v Google Android lawsuit. His passion is writing software....

Education:

PhD in Computer Engineering, Purdue University '93

Expertise:

Software engineering, Programming language design and implementation, How programmers communicate with machines to build new software

Michael Ruddy

Assistant Professor

Michael Ruddy is an assistant professor in the Master in Data Science program. His research interests are in deep learning in image processing and applications of geometry to image science, data science, and statistics. He is passionate about creating a respectful and inclusive environment in his courses, in which students feel comfortable collaborating, taking risks, and making mistakes. Professor Ruddy received a PhD in mathematics from North Carolina State University in 2019 (with advisers...

Education:

North Carolina State University, PhD in Mathematics, 2019, University of Tennessee at Martin, BS in Mathematics, 2014

Shan Wang

Assistant Professor
(415) 422-2966

Shan is an assistant professor at the University of San Francisco and currently teaching full time for USF's Data Science programs. Her research interests are nonparametric estimation, prediction models, and applied statistics. Shan also works closely with experts from different fields. She has experiences in NIH and NSF grants in cancer research and GIS. She holds a PhD in statistics from Purdue University (IUPUI campus) and a BS in mathematics from Fudan University in China.

Education:

PhD, Statistics, Purdue University, 2015, BS, Mathematics, Fudan University, 2009

James Wilson

Associate Professor
(415) 422-6505

James is an Associate Professor of Statistics and Co-Director of the BS in Data Science program at the University of San Francisco. He has joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the MS in Data Science program, where he has developed and taught courses in Bayesian statistics, machine learning, data science, and network analysis. In research, James develops new statistical and computational techniques to model, analyze, and explore high-dimensional and relational (...

Education:

PhD, Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina, 2015, MS, Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, 2010, BS, Mathematics, Campbell University, 2008, BS, Chemistry, Campbell University, 2008

Part-Time Faculty


Michael Brzustowicz

Adjunct Professor

Michael Brzustowicz is a physicist turned data scientist. After a PhD from Indiana University, Michael spent his post doctoral years at Stanford University where he shot high powered X-rays at tiny molecules. Jumping ship from academia, he worked at many startups (including his own) and has been pioneering big data techniques all the way. Michael specializes in building distributed data systems and extracting knowledge from massive data. He spends most of his time writing customized, multi-...

Education:

PhD, Indiana University

Nicholas Ross

Adjunct Professor

Nicholas Ross received his PhD from UCLA's Anderson School of Management in 2012. His research interests revolve around how asymmetric information affects decision making and using data to understand those effects. Most recently he has worked on a number of cloud-based systems which use machine learning and other data science techniques to extract information from complex data sources. Prior to receiving his PhD, Nick worked as a litigation consultant at Bates White in Washington DC and San...

Education:

Ph.D., Anderson School of Business, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 2012, M.A., Economics, University of California, Davis, California, 2007, B.A., Applied Mathematics, Honors, University of California, Berkeley, California, 2002

Jason Shu

Adjunct Professor

Jason has a deep background in data science. He currently works as SVP of Data Science at Aki Technologies and previously served as Head of Data Science and Analytics for FinTech data solutions provider Womply. He spent twelve years at The Boeing Company in engineering, operations research, strategy, and business development. Jason previously served as an Advisory Board Member to the Data Institute.

Education:

MBA, Georgetown University, MS, Analytics, University of San Francisco, MS, Systems Engineering, USC, BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois

Nathaniel Stevens

Adjunct Professor

Nathaniel is interested in using data to make decisions, solve problems, and improve processes. Specifically, his research interests lie in methodological development at the intersection of data science and industrial statistics; his publications span topics including experimental design and A/B testing, social network modeling and monitoring, survival and reliability analysis, measurement system analysis, and the development of estimation-based alternatives to traditional hypothesis testing....

Education:

PhD, Statistics, University of Waterloo, 2015, MMATH, Statistics, University of Waterloo, 2011, BMATH, Statistics, University of Waterloo, 2010, Minor, Pure Math and Psychology, University of Waterloo, 2010