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Posted: 08 May 2023
Author:
Tags:
OR
Outreach
You know, it’s pretty incredible how I ended up in the field of Operations Research. A field that is able to connect my diverse interests and skills. The truth is, I had no idea this field even existed until my junior year of college. I didn’t wake up one day with a burning desire to become an Operations Researcher. No, it was a gradual and meandering journey filled with uncertainty and contemplation about my future. So, how did I find my way here?
I had a knack for math and science in middle and high school. Pursuing medicine seemed the obvious choice back then, but the sight of needles made me squeamish, so medicine was out. Instead, I thought maybe being an engineer would be a good fit, though I didn’t know which type. Then, by pure chance, I got a college pamphlet in the mail that talked about Industrial Engineering. It described the art of enhancing processes using mathematics, and I was captivated by the idea of utilizing math to address the chaotic and inefficient aspects of my own life. (if you don’t believe that math can be an art give this blog a read)
When I began my Industrial Engineering major, my IE 101 professor said, “Industrial engineers improve processes to help people.” Those words gave me hope I had chosen the right major and have stuck with me ever since. Additionally, my favorite classes were decision analysis and Introduction to Operations Research. I was blown away by the ability to break down complex decision problems into mathematical models, ultimately leading to optimal or “best” solutions. That class, paired with spontaneously starting undergraduate research my senior year of college, is what led me to apply for a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering with a focus on Operations Research.
Today, I love that my work spans various societal issues and collaborates with a diverse range of stakeholders and decision-makers. Admittedly, it can be frustrating at times when I’m not the ultimate decision-maker. However, I cherish the opportunity to collaborate with those who are willing to listen and strive for improvement. The policy changes and insights resulting from my analyses and models have the potential to positively impact entire groups of individuals within the systems I study.
Looking back, there are a few things that would’ve helped me discover what I love sooner:
Ultimately, my journey has taught me the power of Operations Research. It’s not merely a collection of skills and methodologies but a means to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. By embracing this field, I have found my purpose: to use mathematics and analysis to create a brighter future for individuals and society as a whole.
| Field | Focus | Gaps | Typical Careers after a Bachelors | Typical Careers after a Masters | Typical Career after PhD with an OR focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Focus on theoretical foundations of operations research tools | Stakeholder/applications, Decision making | data analyst, research assistant, actuarial analyst, statistical analyst | data scientist, financial analyst, operations research analyst, risk analyst, policy analyst, program coordinator | At a think tank, government agency, or tech company as a: Senior Researcher, Senior Operations Resercher, Senior Engineer/Statistician/Economist/Policy analyst OR In academia, starting as an Assistant Professor |
| Computer Science | Focus on coding required for solving many complex models, easier transition to Machine Learning problems | Stakeholder/applications, Decison making Mathematical foundations | software developer, web developer, database administrator, systems analyst, IT support specialist, Quality Assurance Specialist, Network administrator, Data analyst, research assistant | data scientist, research and development, advanced software development, system architect, project management | same as above |
| Industrial Engineering (the best option, though I am clearly biased) | Focus on process improvement | May need to supplement with some coding classes and/or methematical proof courses if not in degree program | Data analyst, research assistant, Process improvement engineer, operations analyst, logistics analyst, Quality engineer, Manufacturing engineer, data analysis, research assistant, economic analyst, financial analyst, policy analysis, risk analyst, investment analyst, data analyst, research assistant, policy analyst, program coordinator | Data scientist, Consulting, Process Improvement Analyst, Operations Manager, supply chain manager, operations research analyst, economic consulting, operations research analyst, risk analyst, policy financial analyst, advisor/consultant, research associate | same as above |
| Economics | Focus on application areas | Stakeholder/application, Mathematical foundations, Need to supplement with some coding classes | Data analyst, research assistant, economic analyst, financial analyst, policy analyst, risk analyst, investment analyst | Data scientist, research and development, advanced software development, system architect, project management | same as above |
| Public Policy | Focus on public policy applications, and understanding key decision stakeholders | Will likely need a minor in one of the other areas | Data analyst, research assistant, policy analyst, program coordinator | Data scientist, Consulting, Process Improvement Analyst, Operations Manager, supply chain manager | same as above |
If you want to learn more about what/why Operations Resarch you can read my joint INFORMS DEI blog post🤔 Why Operations Research❓ with Mary Ogidigben, Carmen Haseltine, Elizabeth Scaria click here to be redirected ot the INFORMS DEI Blog
Posted: 02 Jan 2023
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
New
Years
Resolutions
Goals
As a new and exciting year lies ahead, I am finding myself happy, nervous, excited, and a little sad. I know this year will bring new challenges and decisions in closing the current chapter of my life as a Ph.D. student and embarking on my new one in starting my first full-time position. This past year I accomplished a lot, both interpersonally and externally. This next year I hope to build on my progress and strive for the following resolutions:
I plan to revisit these resolutions throughout the year to help me in reaching my yearly goals:
In closing, I’m happy for all I have accomplished, a little sad to know I will not end this year in Madison, WI, and nervous and excited for what this new year will bring! I hope this brings you inspiration to write out your resolutions and goals and share them too.
Posted: 10 Feb 2022
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
taxes
resources
If you find the US federal tax filing system confusing, you’re not alone. It’s designed to be confusing in some ways. In 2019, Gimlet media recoded a whole podcast episode about why the US tax system is the way it is, titled: ReplyAll episode #144: a dark pattern. It’s pretty entertaining yet infuriating to listen to, so if you want someone to complain with you about your frustrations, feel free to give it a listen.
Things that are always true when filing your yearly taxes:
Things that change each year:
I hope this list helped demystify the tax filling system and helped you figure out how to file your taxes for free, in hopefully the least painful way. Good luck filling!
Posted: 30 Jan 2022
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
statistics
skill
updated: 2/25/22
Collaborative work with organizations often involves analyzing whatever data is available. These analyses can often lead to statistical testing to help understand and communicate what the data tells you about the organization’s processes or programs. With so many statistical tests and methods out there, it’s essential to choose the right one(s) for your study.
Before you start, consider how these frequentist statistics (i.e., statistical methods that estimate p-values) play a role in your study. The American Statistician Association has written two statements that highlight the concerns, considerations, and alternative/supplementary approaches when conducting scientific studies that utilize frequentist statistics (see [1], [2]).
Suppose you have decided to go ahead and use frequentist statistics and, more specifically, hypothesis testing for your study. In that case, the next natural question is, what test do you use? To choose a test, you must describe both the purpose of the test and the data you are analyzing, which are outlined as the following:
Now that both the test’s purpose and data are well defined, you are ready to choose a test—table 1 summarizes when to use various hypothesis tests. Additional information on choosing a statistical test and on the various statistical tests can be found in ([6],[7]).
Each test can be implemented using various software such as SAS, R, SPSS, and STATA. See [10] for examples of implementing the various tests in your desired software. Are we all done? Not quite, re-read [2] and read [11] for interpretation and best practices of reporting p-values.
| Purpose of Test | Continuous and normal data | Continuous, non-normal data OR non-continuous, discrete or ordinal data | Non-continuous, categorical data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compare 1 mean with a population value | One sample z-test/t-testa | one-sample median | exact binomial test |
| Compare 2 independent groups | Independent samples z-test/ t-testa | Mann-Whitney U/ Wilcoxon Sum of ranksb | Chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact testc |
| Compare 2 paired groups | Paired t-test | Wilcoxon signed ranks test/ sign test | McNemar’s test |
| Compare 3 or more independent groups | One-way Analysis of Variance | Kruskal Wallis test | Chi-squared test |
| Compare 3 or more paired groups | Repeated measures Analysis of variance | Friedman test | Cochrane Q |
footnotes:
a: If the sample size is small (e.g., n < 30), use a t-test.
b: The Mann-Whitney U test is the same as conducting the Wilcoxon Sum of ranks test, see [8]
c: See [9] for a disscussion on using a chi squred vs fisher test https://www.datascienceblog.net/post/statistical_test/contingency_table_tests/
[1] R. L. Wasserstein and N. A. Lazar, “The ASA Statement on p-Values: Context, Process, and Purpose,” The American Statistician, vol. 70, no. 2, pp. 129–133, Apr. 2016, doi: 10.1080/00031305.2016.1154108.
[2] R. L. Wasserstein, A. L. Schirm, and N. A. Lazar, “Moving to a World Beyond ‘p < 0.05,’” The American Statistician, vol. 73, no. sup1, pp. 1–19, Mar. 2019, doi: 10.1080/00031305.2019.1583913.
[3] “Types of Statistical Data: Numerical, Categorical, and Ordinal,” dummies. https://www.dummies.com/article/academics-the-arts/math/statistics/types-of-statistical-data-numerical-categorical-and-ordinal-169735 (accessed Feb. 07, 2022).
[4] “Which statistical test should you use? | XLSTAT Support Center.” https://help.xlstat.com/s/article/which-statistical-test-should-you-use?language=en_US (accessed Feb. 07, 2022).
[5]“Parametric and Non-parametric tests for comparing two or more groups | Health Knowledge.” https://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/research-methods/1b-statistical-methods/parametric-nonparametric-tests (accessed Feb. 07, 2022).
[6] Wills, A. Research Methods and Statistics. Online Course Acessed 2/2/2022.http://www.bristol.ac.uk/medical-school/media/rms/red/which_test.html
[7]A. Ghasemi, and S. Zahediasl. “Normality tests for statistical analysis: a guide for non-statisticians.” International journal of endocrinology and metabolism 10, no. 2 (2012): 486. doi: 10.5812/ijem.3505
[8] “Mann–Whitney U test,” Wikipedia. Jan. 31, 2022. Accessed: Feb. 07, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mann%E2%80%93Whitney_U_test&oldid=1069150075
[9] “Testing Independence: Chi-Squared vs Fisher’s Exact Test,” Oct. 17, 2018. https://www.datascienceblog.net/post/statistical_test/contingency_table_tests/ (accessed Feb. 07, 2022).
[10] “Choosing the Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata, SPSS and R.” https://stats.oarc.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/whatstat/ (accessed Feb. 25, 2022).
[11] J. Storopoli. “Bayesian Statistics with Julia and Turing”. p-values. 2021. https://storopoli.io/Bayesian-Julia/pages/2_bayes_stats/#p-values
Posted: 15 Apr 2021
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
Health
COVID-19
For anyone still looking on where to get vaccinated in Madsion, WI I have compiled the following list:
Local pharmacies’ sign up contact forms. Fill it out and they will call/email you to set up an appointment when they have availability:
Call to make next avialible appointment: SMMHealth:
Check the following daily:
If you need a specific type of vaccine (i.e. Moderna, Pzfizer, J&J) you can use this tool to see which pharmacies carry which vaccines: https://vaccinefinder.org/search/
For more options or for searching for vaccines outside of madison you can use the Wisconsin DHS preovider map for more options: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-map.htm
Posted: 11 Jan 2021
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
NIJ_RAP
Criminal
Justice
The NIJ RAP application is due 1/25/2021. Please look at the website to learn more about the program itself. NIJ also offers fellowships most years for those currently looking to fund their graduate research on criminal justice.
I received an email the other day from someone who was thinking of applying to the NIJ RAP program asking for application tips. I was eager to help demystify the application process that I experienced last year and typed up an email with various tips. It also got me thinking… Typically, I am not someone to reach out to random people to ask for tips/advice and I have always admired those that can. Maybe it’s my social anxiety of talking to a complete stranger, maybe its the act of asking for a favor without anything to offer in return, maybe its my lack of self-confidence that my questions are good questions and that I deserve this highly qualified person’s time/advice, maybe all of the above. Either way, this crippling hesitance to ask people or even knowing who to ask, shouldn’t be (although it often is) the determining factor for what opportunities I come across or how well prepared I am when I apply. I understand that in today’s society my hesitance to reach out puts me at a disadvantage, but I think this is a piece of the puzzle when thinking about the lack of diversity in higher education and of top positions in government and business. Gaining the knowledge and confidence to apply for these positions and opportunities often relies on who you know and talking with individuals in similar current positions. If you do not have access to those individuals or if you, like me, experience barriers in reaching out to strangers in those positions, it can limit you. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without asking my friend about their experience in applying and being a PhD student and similarly I know I was a main source of inspiration for another friend of mine to attend graduate school.
Therefore, to get more information out there and share my experience for anyone that is interested, I have decided to post my application tips here for anyone digging hard enough to find. Below are some tips for applying to the NIJ-RAP program:
First I want to say, Congratulations on deciding to apply for the NIJ RAP program. I am only a few months in and even though it’s only been a virtual experience so far, it has been extremely valuable experience and the people are amazing to work with! Even if you don’t get the assistantship, it is an excellent exercise to reflect on what you have done so far and your future career goals. This can help you picture your future career and be a starting point for other future applications. (Fun Fact: I had used my failed application to the NSF graduate fellowship as a starting point for my NIJ application. You will thank yourself later.)
Statement of interest essay When I applied it asked for a 2 page statement of interest. Mine was 2 pages single spaced and made sure the font was big enough for anyone to read. I wrote it a lot like a typical cover letter. Coming from industrial engineering, I made sure I was careful when explaining how my past projects could apply to research/work I could do at NIJ. I also added why I was interested in terms of why now and how it fit into my overall career path and ended on a thank you. This is the document is the one that can showcase your attitude, personality, and passion/interests, so don’t be afraid to talk about. Describe how you are both qualified and interested in the RAP. Every sentence had a purpose. Here is my statement of interest essay, to give you an idea.
Public Safety Challenge essay The application asked for no more than 5 page essay asking about the greatest challenge or set of challenges that threaten public safety of our time. It also asked for future research questions in understanding and addressing the identified public safety challenge. My essay was 5 pages total including 2 pages of references (single spaced with 30ish references). I heavily relied on research and ideas that I knew a lot about and already had some references for. I would suggest focusing on something that you have knowledge or expertise in and can generate interesting or novel solutions/ideas about, (or at least write about a topic you would like to learn more about and can come up with some cool ideas or solutions to). I remember when I was writing this essay, I thought it was almost to general at times and questioned the validity of some of the solutions I came up with, and I want to tell you that’s ok! It’s research, no one knows the answer until someone tries it and as long as you have some reference supporting your ideas, I think it is at least worth some consideration. Also, if your suggestions are general because there isn’t enough research to support a more specific approach, then you’re most likely on the right track of where some research questions need to be answered!
How did I structure the Public Safety Challenge essay? I spent the first paragraph describing/defining the set of challenging public safety concerns. I then identified three key research areas (about a paragraph on each on) that were connected to my overarching challenge and discussed why and how each of these were challenging to solve and/or challenges these research areas currently face. Lastly, I proposed three general solutions or research areas (about a paragraph each) that could address or be applied to one or more of the identified challenges. When talking about these solutions I also commented on barriers that are currently preventing them from working or other advancements that might need to be made in tandem for the solutions to work.
How to submit? I would suggest trying to finish up your part of the application package about 5-ish days before it’s due so you or your advisor can find the right person to submit the application on your behalf. I believe it needs to be turned in by someone at your university’s graduate school/college and not your specific department. (Note: I might be wrong, my advisor was the one who figure out how to submit it.)
What are they looking for in an applicant? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. If you want my opinion that I’ve gathered from my short time here, I think they are looking for motivated, hardworking individuals that are excited to learn more about and become a part of a wide range of criminal justice research. It seems NIJ is always looking for new ideas or different perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to showcase your unique research, how it brought you to applying to the NIJ-RAP, and what ideas excite you about the future of criminal justice research in general or your field.
How many hours a week is the RAship? You, your university, and NIJ work this out once you’re accepted. Hours very, I work 3 days a week for NIJ, other RAs work 2.5 days a week, some work more or less. For me, I work two days on my dissertation work (plus weekends if needed) and 3 days on NIJ work. Overall, it depends on what you and your advisor are willing to do to let you work and get paid for.
How are you balancing the RA with other responsibilities? I am a 4th year student and plan on graduating in a year or year and a half from now. A huge factor in balancing the RAship is my advisor, I wouldn’t be able to do it for so many reasons without her support. Dr. Albert is just as excited about the experience I am getting working at NIJ as I am. She understands the importance and the commitment I have made in being an RA at NIJ and has been amazing at being supportive and understanding. When I started, we talked about timeline for the reminder of my degree, while considering the time I am available to work. So far, I have been meeting our goals for that timeline and it has been working well.
Is it better for me to do the RA later or earlier in my PhD program? I would say it doesn’t matter, it’s a great experience regardless of what stage you are at. A lot of past RAs were at the dissertation stage, and many that aren’t extend their RA-ship multiple years until they graduate. (That’s why some RAs work multiple years). Note: the RAship might extend your graduation time, but it is well worth the experience! For me, this first year shouldn’t extend my time (it has limited the amount of work I can do with my advisor, but remember I am picking up other research experiences.). If I decide and can extend my RA-ship another year or half a year, it will impact my graduation date, but my advisor and I agree it is worth the experience, should I decide to go that route.
Other Resources? I am unaware of any other tips, but you can review the webinar NIJ hosted late last year and email NIJ’s RAP manager at NIJ_RAP@usdoj.gov with any questions. Also feel free to reach out to me via email or the contact form on my home page if you have any other questions or would like to chat.
Best of luck on your application! I know it’s a lot to prepare, but it’s worth it if you get it!
Posted: 13 Nov 2020
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
VBA
skill
The other day I found myself championing Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). VBA is such an amazing tool to learn because as long as a computer has Microsoft Word or Excel installed on it, you can use it. Any business can benefit from incorporating some VBA code or form and I have utilized it in almost all of my past internships (the only one that didn’t utilize it was because it was using python and other languages to manage their data files.) I hope you find this post inspiring to find a use of VBA in your day-to-day work as the applications of VBA are endless! Also feel free to reach out if you’re having VBA issues you’d like some help with.
How have I used VBA in the past? In my first internship at Lennox International, I created a macro to help me enter mind-numbing weekly safety reports into a spreadsheet faster. When I worked at Shure Incorporated, the team avidly use VBA to do a variety of things: parse through data files exported from various devices, create weekly reports and graphs, rerun data analyses etc. During my undergraduate research experience I created a VBA macro that generated labels for farmers to print out on a QL-700 Brother label printer. In another case, I wrote some VBA code for a friend that helped them reformat the data that came from their GPS tool that reformatted the data in a way that ArcGIS could input the data. It took me a couple hours and saved my friend tens of hours of repetitive copying and pasting data into the format they needed. Additionally, when in need of some help with project planning for Randomized Control Trial that recruited multiple organizations, I created some VBA code that made a PERT flowchart based on steps in a project implementation to help identify bottlenecks. None of these implementations are perfect, but they show case some different uses of VBA then you might be used to.
Below is a list of resources to help you start or enhance your VBA knowledge. I will continue to add to the following list as I come across other great free VBA resources, feel free to send me a message to help this list grow!
Step-by-step instructions: -Setting up VBA for the first time
Here are a list of free courses to work through:
Free external exercises and examples to practice your skills:
Free VBA Cheat sheets:
Posted: 11 Nov 2020
Author: Veronica White
Tags:
misc
Many may not know this, but I have spent much of my life in choral groups, where I have sang more than my fair share of holiday carols. For the first time this week I saw 1974’s Mame, which is a musical movie adaption of the movie Auntie Mame. About halfway through the film the familiar tune of “We Need a Little Christmas” started playing. In this scene, the characters decide to celebrate Christmas early, in fact, two weeks before thanksgiving early. It serves as a happy distraction of the Great Depression that has left Auntie Mame’s large house stripped of all but a few furnishings. They characters revel in joy and good cheer as they decorate one of the characters in tinsel and lights in lieu of a tree.
Watching this scene play out, I couldn’t think of something more perfect for what all of us could use today. In Reply-All’s podcast episode #168 “happiness Calculator vs. Alex Goldman, they discuss the hedonometer, which measures the average “happiness” of English-speaking twitter users. At one point Alex asks, what do the researchers use as a unit of happiness, or how do they communicate how “happy” is one day from another. Funny enough, the researchers say their preferred unit is a “Christmas Day”, as this is the largest, most consistent spike they have seen over time. The show then goes on to discuss how this year has been one of the “least happy” years since they started using the hedonometer in 2008.
Today, we are just about two weeks away from Thanksgiving, in the middle of a pandemic, where much seems uncertain heading into what is sure to be a bleak winter, we are in need of some Christmas level cheer.
Below is a list of songs and resources that I have found uplifting. If you know of something that could make this list even better, send me an email or fill out my contact form with a link to the source.(list updated 3/4/22).