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Sam Hillman
PhD researcher with a passion for delivering insights from data. Currently focused on social network analysis and statistical modelling in R, but keen to learn new analysis techniques and technology. Particularly interested in data cleaning, validation, and analysis pipelines, and gaining experience with Shiny and SQL. My previous career in sales and recruitment has given me experience in stakeholder and relationship management, and I enjoy working with both technical and non-technical teams.
Skills
Data Analysis: R (proficient), Python (familiar), SQL (beginner)
Data Visualisation: ggplot2 (proficient)
Scripting: Bash (proficient), Powershell (beginner), LaTeX (beginner), RMarkdown (proficient)
Statistical Techniques: Linear mixed effects modelling, linear and logistic regression, network modelling, model simulation
OS: Windows (expert), Linux (proficient)
Version Control: Git (proficient)
Soft Skills: extensive sales and stakeholder management experience, experienced in explaining technical concepts to non-technical colleagues
Education
current2019
PhD. Candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- PhD on “The impact of resource distribution and quality on wild mouse contact networks, parasite infection, and transmission”. Combining field work with social network analysis, simulation studies, and statistical and mathematical modelling.
20192015
BSc. (Hons) Ecology with a Placement Year
Cardiff University Cardiff- Specialising in Infection Biology and Epidemiology, Systems Biology and Modelling, and Global Change Biology. Awarded prize for best dissertation research.
Research Experience
current2019
PhD Researcher
Pedersen Group, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- “The impact of resource distribution and quality on wild mouse contact networks, parasite infection, and transmission”.
- Using novel biologging equipment developed by collaborators at the University of Oxford to track wild mouse movement and contacts, and using generated data to analyse social networks, space use, and parasite transmission.
- Main packages: dplyr, ggplot2, glmmTMB, igraph, tidygraph, ggraph
20192018
Undergraduate Researcher
CRIPES Group, Cardiff University Cardiff- Dissertation research project with Dr. Jo Lello on the effect of endemic co-infection on disease transmission of epidemic parasites. Working in a laboratory system with German cockroaches as a model organism and using collected data to build statistical models of disease transmission.
- Dissertation: Low levels of endemic parasite infection reduce the transmission potential of epidemic parasites in co-infected individuals
- Main packages: dplyr, ggplot2, coxme, multcomp, glmmTMB
20182017
Research Assistant
Ezenwa Lab, University of Georgia Georgia, USA- Placement year as a Research Intern with Professor Vanessa Ezenwa, working on an independent project on “The effects of anthelmintic treatment on non-target parasites in wild rodents” and assisting on a project on the causal relationship between personality and parasitism in wild rodents.
- Work included extensive trapping and handling of wild cotton rats and administration of behavioural assays, administration of anthelmintic drugs, collection of blood and faecal samples, and the processing and reading of faecal samples for parasite egg and oocyst intensity counts. Completed dissection and extraction of GI tract parasites and statistical analysis with R.
- Main packages: dplyr, ggplot2, glmmTMB
20172017
Research Assistant
CRIPES Group, Cardiff University Cardiff- Awarded a Cardiff CUROP grant to work as a summer student research assistant, working on ‘Investigating the effect of temperature on the in vitro growth rate of the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica’. Focused on samples from Welsh salmonid species and worked with Salmon and Brown Trout. ImageJ used for automatic and manual image processing of fungal growth rates and R for data analysis. Wrote macros for automatic image analysis and used R and Tidyverse packages for data processing and analysis.
- Main packages: dplyr, tidyr, ggplot2, glmmTMB
Industry Experience
current2021
Research Data Steward
Research Data Service, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Archiving research data and code, working with researchers on long-term data storage solutions.
20212021
Data Scientist
The Data Lab - Innovation Centre Edinburgh- PhD work placement, working for 3 months to help analyse financial data for a startup and incubator-related company. Worked under NDA conditions.
- Used various APIs to retrieve financial data as well as R for cleaning and analysis.
- Main packages: httr, dplyr, tidyr, ggplot2.
20172016
Clinical Trials Administrator
Wales Cancer Trials Unit Cardiff- Responsible for gathering and analysing confidential patient clinical data and establishing trends and patterns with data managers and statisticians. Part-time during studies.
20162016
Data Researcher and Administrator
Chartered Institute of PR, Wales Remote- Consultant for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Wales, working on data and database administration under strict NDA conditions. Part-time during studies.
Teaching Experience
I am passionate about teaching and enjoy teaching complex concepts. During my PhD I work as a demonstrator (Teaching Assistant), assisting undergraduate students with statistics, laboratory practical work, computational methods, and field work
current
Mentoring and Supervision
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Supervised and mentored two undergraduate researchers working on final year Honours dissertation research, teaching statistics and R. Hired and supervised two research assistants for 2021 field season. Mentored NERC REU summer research intern.
2021
Principles of Ecology
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Teaching various field skills and data analysis in R to undergraduates
2021
Field Ecology
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Teaching various field skills and data analysis in R to undergraduates
2020
Genomes and Genomics
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Primarily focused on teaching genomics, helping teach Linux, bash, and command-line tools as well as wet-lab skills.
2020
Evolution in Action
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Assisting with undergradute practicals, focused on computational methods in genetics
Selected Publications, Posters, and Talks
2021
Paper: Effects of anthelmintic treatment on target and non-target parasites in cotton rats
In prep- Paper on dynamics of within-host parasite communities in wild wood mice.
- Used mixed-effects models (GLMMs) in R
2021
Paper: Impact of supplemental resources on space use and contact network structure in wild wood mice
In prep- Paper on space use, social network, and contact network structure in a wild population of wood mice
- Used social network analysis and mixed-effects models (GLMMs) in R
2021
Paper: Effect of weather and climatic variables on trapping success of small mammals
In prep- Paper on the effects on weather and climate variables on trapping success in wild small mammals
- Used machine learning (random forest) for feature / variable selection in R
2021
Where the wild mice are: combining multiple data sources to test how resource distribution changes space-use and contact networks
ASAB Easter Meeting 2021- Contributed talk for the The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Spring Meeting
2021
Where the wild mice are: combining multiple data sources to test how resource distribution changes space-use and contact networks
EEID 2021- Poster presentation for the Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease annual conference
2020
The effects of resource distribution on parasite transmission
BSP 2020- Poster presentation for the British Society For Parasitology annual conference
2020
Using both proximity loggers and capture-mark-recapture methods to determine if resource availability and distribution changes space use, movement, and contact network structure in wild wood mice
BES 2020- Poster presentation for the British Ecological Society annual conference
2019
Does resource availability change movement, contact network structure, and potential for parasite transmission in wild wood mice?
BES 2019- Poster presentation for the British Ecological Society annual conference
2018
Effects of anthelmintic treatment on target and non-target parasites in wild rodents
BES 2018- Poster presentation for the British Ecological Society annual conference
2018
The effects of anthelmintic treatment on non-target parasites in wild rodents
EEID 2018- Poster presentation for the Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease annual conference
2018
The effects of anthelmintic treatment on non-target parasites in wild rodents
CEID 2018- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases Member Retreat, Georgia, USA
awards
2021
Davis Expedition Fund
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh- Awarded £7500 grant from the Davis Expedition Fund to fund two research assistants for my 2021 field research
2019
Centenary Prize
Cardiff University Cardiff- Awarded for best Biological Sciences Final Year Research Project
2018
Certificate of Merit
Cardiff University Cardiff- Awarded by Cardiff University for high academic achievement during my placement year at the University of Georgia
2017
Professional Training Year (PTY) Bursary
Cardiff University Cardiff- Awarded £600 bursary for Professional Training Year (PTY) work at the University of Georgia.
2017
CUROP Research Grant
Cardiff University Cardiff- Awarded Cardiff Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (CUROP) grant to work on investigating the effect of temperature on the in vitro growth rate of the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica. Grant worth £1600.
training
Network analysis in R, Physalia Courses, 2021
Contact Network Epidemiology, University of Washington, 2021
Spatial Statistics in Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Washington, 2021
Mathematical Models for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Wellcome Trust, University of Cambridge, 2021
Linux for Genomics, University of Edinburgh, 2020
Social Networks Analysis Workshop, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 2019
Assessing the Environment course (including GIS), Cardiff University, 2018
Computational Modelling workshop, University of Georgia, 2018
R Programming and Statistics with R, Datacamp, 2018
Data Manipulation with R and Intermediate R, Datacamp, 2017
Python for Data Science, Datacamp, 2017
Good Clinical Practice (Primary Care) Certification, NICE, 2016