Raman Shah

About Raman Shah

As an independent data scientist, I improve operations by measuring them. I work primarily with governments and social enterprises to massage internal processes, reveal statistical clarity, and grow technical capacity.I\'m formally educated in hard science. I earned a Bachelor\'s in chemistry from Caltech and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from The University of Chicago. Between these degrees, I completed a two-year commitment with Teach For America, teaching high school mathematics on the Southwest Side of Chicago.I\'ve worn many hats since then: software engineer at an analytics startup, computational scientist managing an academic research group, and principal data scientist in Capital One\'s model risk office. My passions are to build things and to help people grow. I quit my day job in 2018 to live these values even more fully and haven\'t looked back.At its best, my work happens at the interface of the human and technical, threading a needle between a frontline worker and an operational leader. The staffing is constrained, the world fast-changing, and the technology a mix of old and new systems with rough edges where they meet. The worker, holding the world together with vital institutional knowledge, is exhausted. The leader, forced to take risks without timely information, is flying blind.Instead of hawking yet another packaged software solution to add to the mix, I craft small-scale custom repairs to workflows alongside existing teams and existing technology. Unlocking the decision-making tweaks waiting within an organization takes a certain alchemy of clean code, correct math, and common sense. The best changes have a low profile at first glance but have deep human consequences. Between technical exposure and newfound breathing room from automation and process improvement, the worker feels empowered, recognizing the germ of a transformation in their skillset. The leader feels a quiet new confidence in their operational decision-making. Complexity melts away, revealing a game-changing clarity of thought.It never gets old.I live in Rhode Island; remote-first since long before the pandemic, I work everywhere. Away from the desk, you may find me baking sourdough, turning wrenches, birdwatching, or playing the violin.

Experience

1. Owner

   Raman Shah Data Science, Llc

   Mar 2018 — Present · Providence, RI, US

   I improve operations by measuring them.Here\'s how:Massaging internal processes: Technology can revolutionize what people get from the institutions that serve them. But usually, not everything under the hood fits perfectly. Through high-touch process improvement facilitation and small-scale bespoke tool development, I reconcile these imperfections, making workers\' lives easier and helping technology reach its potential.Revealing statistical clarity:\"Are all systems go? If not, what\'s wrong?\" Reports, dashboards, and performance metrics promise a clear answer - but all too often, they just add to the noise. I bring a decade of advanced statistical expertise to craft the visualizations, metrics, and decision tools that actually prioritize work more effectively.Growing technical capacity: In the organizations that do the most good, it\'s often so hard to add staff that productivity is paramount. As a veteran teacher, rather than air-dropping shiny products, I strive to co-create solutions, building institutional capacity by teaching workers new superpowers.If you want to use your data to run better, we\'ll probably have something useful to talk about.

Education

• University of Chicago

  M.S., Physical Chemistry

  2008 — 2009

• Caltech

  B. S., Chemistry

  2002 — 2006

• University of Chicago

  Ph.D., Physical Chemistry

  2008 — 2014

Skills

• Plasmonics
• Machine Learning
• Scientific Computing
• Numpy
• Science
• Scipy
• High Performance Computing
• C++
• Unix Shell Scripting
• Fortran
• Python
• Curriculum Development
• Nanoparticles
• Physics
• Simulations
• Data Analysis
• Chemistry
• Machining
• R
• Quantum Mechanics
• Mathematics Education
• Sql
• Linux
• Mathematical Modeling
• Nanomaterials
• Physical Chemistry