Jack Wallace: Effects of Concussions on Human Biometrics

A digital badge is a new type of credential that allows you to show the specific skills you've gained through learning experiences. It's a clickable icon that can digitally display your work and accomplishments to key audiences, like future employers or graduate schools, when embedded on your digital resume, UB Portflio or LinkedIn.

Learn more about micro-credentials and digital badges from UB's Office of Micro-Credentials.

This project involved cross-examining patient medical data between concussed and healthy subjects, to learn more about the effects of concussions on the human brain. Here is what Jack had to say about the experience:

What I Did:

"In my research project, my main objective was to study a given dataset containing about 30 different measurable variables, conduct statistical tests to determine trends and relationships between different groups of the variables, and summarize my findings in a research poster that clearly states the relevant information my work has produced. While at first I felt like I was constantly struggling to find a course of action, by the end once I had tried many different things with varying levels of success I found it very easy to create my poster for presentation, as my familiarity with the data that I had built through trial and error made my conclusions easy to communicate and smooth-flowing. I now know more about how to conduct the individual responsibilities of a statistician calmly and effectively, and I think it is worthwhile for all students to conduct similar projects related to their prospective fields, as getting a glimpse of my future responsibilities but with a safety net of a mentor to help when I get stuck I believe was an invaluable experience."

What I Learned:

"My completion of the BERD Winter Research project has helped me to better understand the expectations that come with a career in data research and helped me build the tools I need to conduct that research individually and be able to communicate my findings effectively. Having a mentor to check in with whenever I was unsure about the expectations laid in front of me proved incredibly valuable, and he helped me revise my final presentation several times to make it as best as I could. Since I began the project, my ability to conduct my own statistical analysis without being told exactly what to do has increased dramatically, and the online nature of the work has made me more proficient with statistical software like R and Minitab and improved my familiarity with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. I think this experience will pay dividends for me in the future, as it has connected me with experienced and distinguished members of my ideal career field and given me insights as to what expectations for my work will be once I step into that field. I am also more confident than ever in my ability to proficiently use statistical programming services to my advantage when performing my statistical duties."