The brain functions as an intricate, interconnected communication system in which patterns of activity are continually changing in time and space. This activity can be measured using electroencephalography (EEG), where electrodes sample the electric fields that are generated by the brain. In electrocorticography(ECoG),

a type of intracranial EEG, an electrode grid is placed directly on the surface of the brain. Why put electrodes directly on the brain rather than on the scalp? It is sometimes necessary to verify the location of the onset and spread of epileptic seizures when surgical intervention is being considered. While this data is collected for clinical reasons, it can also be used for research purposes. In fact, by using electrocorticography  data, the patterns of communication and activity in the brain  can be abstracted as a "functional network" which is amenable to statistical and graph theoretic analyses. Currently, I am exploring the behavior of these functional networks during and between epileptic seizures. A better understanding of the brain's functional connectivity will contribute to clinical applications such as seizure prediction, detection, and characterization, as well as answering basic questions in neuroscience.

Education:

PhD Bioengineering, May 2012

University of Pennsylvania

MS Electrical Engineering, May 2005

University of Illinois (UIUC)

BS Computer Engineering, May 2003

with High Honors

University of Illinois (UIUC)

Employment and Experience:

Epic Systems Corporation in Madison, WI

June 2005 through August 2007

       • Software Research and Development

                o Designed and implemented significant cross-application enhancements

                o Client-server performance optimization

                o Visual Basic and Intersystems Caché

                o Developer liaison for installing customers

                o Internationalization point-person for application team

                o Numerous customer presentations, web demos, and breakout sessions

                o Numerous internal presentations on time management, coding best-practices

                   and industry knowledge

University of Illinois (UIUC), Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

August 2003 through May 2005

       • Graduate Teaching Assistant for Computer Engineering II

                o machine-level programming with x86 assembly

                o real-time data acquisition and control through I/O devices

College of Dupage in Glen Ellyn, IL

Summers 2001 through 2003

       • Instructor for "Kids on Campus" within Continuing Education

       • Curriculum Designer for future courses

       • Taught 200+ classroom hours to grades 5th-8th

                o Introduction to Java

                o Visual Basic 6.0

                o Introduction to Digital Electronics, and more.

Language/OS:

Matlab, Java, C++, Visual Basic, x86 assembly, HTML, Mac OS X, Unix/Linux, Microsoft products, and more.