ERIC MACK
DATA SCIENTIST
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Education
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IBM Data Science Certificate, 2024
University of Idaho, Mathematics, M.S. 2004
University of Idaho, Music Theory, B.S. 2005 Magna Cum Laude
University of Idaho, Mathematics, B.S. 2002 Cum Laude
Work
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Data Scientist
University of Idaho Foundation, Moscow, Idaho
Full-Time, Remote
July 2024-Present
Serve as primary data strategist / advisor to offices of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
Apply data analytics techniques to enhance and strategize effective market segmentation
Co-chair new Predictive Machine Learning Team
Creatively explore data to find new insights and forecast future campaign strategies
Technologies: Python, Power BI, Microsoft Dynamic 365 CRM, SQL (SSMS, SSRS), Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams / Loops / SharePoint ecosystem
Full Professor of Mathematics
North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene Idaho
Supervisor: Damian Caires, Division Chair
August 2009-June 2024
Awarded Full Professorship 2020, Associate Professorship 2018, Tenure 2014
Teaching list, (Engineering, Calculus and Differential Equations Focus): Math in Modern Society; Beginning, Intermediate and College Algebra; Trigonometry; Pre Calculus; Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, II, and III; Ordinary Differential Equations; Linear Algebra; Mathematics of Musical Tuning
Created an innovative interdisciplinary course, “Mathematics and Aesthetics of Musical Tuning,” based on fifteen (15) years of private research, including writing original text and integrating OER resources
Built interactive mathematics models: Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, and the Quadrivium (historical Number Theory, Musical Tuning and Geometry). This led to contract work for Pearson Publishing
Co-founded, organized, and presented at a division colloquium series
Committee work: Academic Standards and Appeals Committee; Division Representative on NIC Curriculum Council; Founding Co-chair Outreach Committee; Selection committee member/liaison to North Idaho College for NASA ORBIT STEM scholarship through the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. (I helped students refound North Idaho College Engineering Club and served as advisor until an engineering instructor was hired); Member of miscellaneous MCSE hiring committees, PLC, and other division subcommittees as needed
Department Supervisor and Full Time Mathematics Instructor
Yakima Valley College, Grandview WA
Supervisor: Dr. Bryce Humphres, Dean of Grandview Branch Campus
August 2007-June 2009
Teaching list: Math for Elementary Education I and II, Beginning, Intermediate and College Algebra
Team-taught a linked pair of classes, remedial Math and remedial English, developed a unit about Lewis Carroll as a man, an author, and a mathematics professor within an integrated team-taught history course
Managed the math department at the Grandview branch campus: ran and operated the math study center, managed/mentored adjunct faculty, managed textbook orders, liaison to main campus, Mathematics Club advisor, helped organize Washington Association of Mathematics for Two Year Colleges conference hosted by Yakima Valley College
Co-founded Grandview Faculty Colloquium
Mathematical modeling: created an interactive math visualization website for Yakima Valley College under Title V Grant
Adjunct Mathematics Instructor
University of Idaho, Moscow ID
Supervisor: Dr. Monte Boisen, Division Chair
August 2004-August 2007
Teaching list: Math for Liberal Arts Majors, Pre Calculus, Survey of Calculus, Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, II, and III, Ordinary Differential Equations
Created mathematical modeling
Researched musical tuning and its history and application to mathematics, formulated an initial outline for a math and music textbook
Contracts and Management
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Tax Modeling, Business Analyst
Archer Strategic Advisors (remote)
March 2024-May 2024
Programming/Excel Impact calculator for Research and Development tax credit decision making. As a functional program, the calculator includes a 5-stage binary logic tree for qualification requirements relative to different sub-options and elections in order to quickly compare and select the variation of maximal benefit. It also includes a fixed-base percent calculation which involves ratios of running averages of R&D expenses to gross receipts for specific years up to 40 prior tax years.
Data Scientist
North Idaho College
February 2024-June 2024
Data Science/Python Performance model. Python code to integrate tutor log data with gradebook data for the Math Education Center providing actionable output. I built an ETL pipeline from CSV to Excel via Python data tools (Pandas, Matplotlib, Scikit-learn, Plotly Dash…) I ran the cleaned, merged data through ML models to analyze the impact of tutoring on final grades. I created a dashboard in Power Bi and presented division-level stats for the program review.
Lead Curriculum Developer for Mathematical Education
Chesterton Schools Network (remote)
September 2023-Present
Wrote a proposal (accepted) for a new 4-year math curriculum that aligns with the Quadrivium while still covering all aspects of modern Calculus
Consulting: write new lesson plans for the end of the Freshman year and all of the Sophomore year (to teach algebra and geometry in context of CAD and plan reading)
Interactive Visualization Consultant
Pearson Publishing Company (remote)
December 2022-July 2023
Provided recommendations for and prototypes of interactive models for the new edition of the award-winning textbook History of Mathematics: An Introduction by Dr Victor Katz
Pearson Publishing has requested more independent contract work regarding modeling Differential Equations.
Project Management, Real Estate
Owner and operator of Dragonsbane, LLC
October 2007-Present
Excel workbook: investment comparison tool for real estate vs. stock market investment forecasting. Granulated inputs at the monthly level for repair costs, improvements, extra mortgage payments, market fluctuation rates, built-in comparison of costs and outcomes for renting vs. ownership
Python/Excel/VBA (Personal real estate investing) Workbook to process financial data from savings, credit cards, and business accounts, insert metatags to sort into categories and subcategories, options for flagging outlier expenses and exclusion of particular values. Includes table look-ups.
Direct full renovation for residential homes used as both primary residences and investment properties
Manage project from conception, acquisition, project planning, scheduling, budgeting, completion and sale
Manage and own residential rental properties
Visualization Specialist
September 2004-June 2024
Visualization (NIC) Animated 3D Differential Equations models with editable parameters: Spring motion (Capacitor-Spring Analogy via LaPlace Transforms), tank mixture, terminal velocity, nonlinear two-variable systems
Visualization (NIC) Interactive continuous 3D graph showing gradient vectors, tangent plane, normal vector and path integrals
Modeling (personal project) Excel workbook: data modeling of non-algorithmic complex data using Group Theory to select between alternate tuning systems, then transpose and/or mutate a sequence of musical frequencies into any key and mode
Data Visualization/Audiolization (personal project) Rendering of the Collatz Conjecture musically, providing a multi-disciplinary analogy by which the progression can be understood
Computer Skills
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Microsoft Excel
SQL
Python and Python data tools (Pandas, Matplotlib, scikit-learn, Dash…)
MATLAB
Tableau, Power BI, and other visualization tools
Presentations and Talks Given
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Eric Mack, North Idaho College Mathematics Education Center Effectiveness
Spring 2024 (Visualizations and Oral presentation)
Time-series visualization of usage and correlation to grades.
Eric Mack, Quadrivial Matters: Integrated Chesterton Academies Math Curriculum in the Seven Liberal Arts Tradition
Summer 2023 (Successful White Paper and Oral presentation to Executive Chesterton Schools Network stakeholders)
Eric Mack, Archimedean Spirals and Rational Approximation (of Irrational Numbers), Washington State AMATYC conference - Spring 2021 (Oral presentation with slides and models)
Eric Mack, Students’ Attitudes Affect Learning in Calculus I: an innovative teaching practice mirroring the historic order of development by presenting derivatives before limits, virtual National AMATYC conference - Fall 2020 (Oral presentation with slides)
Eric Mack, Mathematics of Musical Tuning and Temperament, Washington State AMATYC conference - Spring 2018 (Oral presentation with slides and models)
Eric Mack, Accepted annual invitation to present a session on a math topic of my choice at the Spring STEM Expo hosted by the North Idaho College Engineering Club. Past topics included: Physics vs Perception of Sound - Spring 2016, Exhibit: Misc. Mathematical Models of Interesting Phenomena - Spring 2017, Completion and Closure: A history of Number Types - Spring 2018, Visualization and Audiolization of Sequences - Spring 2019 (Invited annual oral presentations with slides and models)
Eric Mack, Math and Music, NICx, a TED-like event hosted by the North Idaho College Philosophy Club - Fall 2015 (Oral presentation with slides and models)
Eric Mack, Findings on Learning and Using Wolfram Mathematica in the Classroom, informal North Idaho College math faculty presentation - Fall 2012
Eric Mack, Exhibit: Interactive Algebra Demonstrations (placed in four classrooms) for Grand Reopening of Seiter Hall, North Idaho College - Fall 2010
Eric Mack, Using Geometer’s Sketchpad in the Classroom, Washington State AMATYC Conference - Spring 2010 (Oral presentation with slides and models)
Eric Mack, Survey Data – Relative vs. Absolute Comparisons, Yakima Valley Community College Grandview Faculty Colloquium - Winter 2009
Eric Mack, Music Theory – A Mathematical View, University of Idaho Mathematics Department seminar - 2007
Professional Development
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Self-paced courses:
Spring 2021- Current
IBM Data Science Certificate, Spring 2024
Machine Learning
Introduction to Neural Networks
Programming with Python
Algorithms and Data Structures
Conference: Online Learning Consortium: Innovate 2024
Denver CO
Spring 2024
Open educational resources
Integrating AI into the teaching experience
Conference: Chesterton Schools Network
Minneapolis, MN
Summer 2023
Integrated classical education
Student formation
Conference: Washington Association of Mathematics for Two Year Colleges
Locations vary
2010-2023
Attended and/or presented for this conference 4 times, dates vary
Took particular interest in the keynote address, “Exploding Dots,” by Dr. James Tanton which led to private research into the Collatz Conjecture using musical models
Workshop: Teaching and Learning with AI
Boise State University
Spring 2023
Discussion and collaboration, practicing with Chat-GPT
Workshop: JEDIBL Inquiry Based Learning, a modern relabel of a classical approach
Academy of Inquiry Based Learning
Summer 2020
Four-week workshop
Discussed project-based learning vs. test-based learning
Formulated potential benefits: development of reasoning skills, reduction of test anxiety
Computer Science Skills update
North Idaho College
2018-2019
Directed study of second semester C++ course
Course audit: Programming Languages
Research Interests
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Probability Theory, including Stochastic Models (Markov Chains, uncertainty quantifications, etc.)
Complex and high-dimensional datasets
Quantum computing
P-adic numbers
Sound lasers and sound cameras, cymatics: applications and research, technological advances
Engineering prompts for Chat-GPT with the intention of pushing its boundaries in mathematics and theory
The distinction between human learning and machine learning, exploring the limitations of AI regarding non-stopping-time and nonlinear creative endeavors that are pseudo-algorithmic such as musical composition
Affiliations
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American Chesterton Society
American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges