Thomas J. Pfaff Resume

About Me

(Resume PDF Version)

Contact

Thomas J. Pfaff
Ithaca, NY 14850
thomas.pfaff@sustainabilitymath.org
LinkedIn

Miscellaneous Information

Academic Vita
Patent
sustainabilitymath.org
Briefed by Data

Summary

Dedicated, self-motivated, curious, and highly knowledgeable academic with over 20 years of experience in mathematics, probability, and statistics, as well as expertise in data science, spatial statistics, and data visualization. Able to demonstrate strong verbal, written, and graphical communication skills for the purpose of working in interdisciplinary teams and communicating findings to various stakeholders.

Skills

ArcGIS Pro, R, Machine Learning, SQL, Spatial Statistics, Statistics, Probability, Mathematics, Modeling, Data Visualizations, Systems Thinking, Communication, Critical Thinking, HTML, and Latex.

Background

I am self-motivated and combine a range of technical skills, management skills, and experience with personal skills to succeed in a variety of settings. As a matematics and statistics educator, I have a history of communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences, and I will be effective at communicating within teams, with clients, and with other stakeholders.

Data doesn't exist in a vacuum. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a wide range of content knowledge through numerous publications spanning different areas of mathematics and statistics, including traditional and applied mathematics, probability, and spatial statistics, as well as essays on higher education and two published books. I've supervised student projects in exercise science, environmental science, climate change, and baseball. With over 5 years and 600 posts on sustainabilitymath.org and briefedbydata.substack.com I am familiar with multiple data sources and data in a variety of contexts.

I have a Ph.D. in mathematics (stochastic processes), an M.S. in applied statistics, but also a B.S. in exercise science. I have a patent for strength training equipment specifically designed for rowers. I’m an accomplished gardener. I rowed in college. I've hiked the Adirondack High Peaks, ran a marathon, and skated an inline marathon. I am competitive and curious, and I continually challenge myself.

I have a strong foundation in data analysis and problem-solving, which positions me well to excel in supporting decision-making through data and modeling.

Experience

Professor of Mathematics | Ithaca College | 2001-present

Director of the College Honors Program | May 2013 - December 2016

    • Initiated and facilitated the implementation of a new strategic plan, including a refined vision, mission, and goals.
    • Created the Honors Career Readiness Certificate in collaboration with the Office of Career Services.
    • Collaborated with the Faculty Director of Service-Learning to help provide and support civic engagement opportunities for students.

Principle Investigator | National Science Foundation Grant Multidisciplinary Sustainability Modules: Integrating STEM Courses | June 2009–May 2012

    • Headed a team of four academics from different disciplines, resulting in multiple publications and presentations.

Portfolio

    • Interactive Map: A map of Saw-whet Owls captured by biologist John Confer that were captured a second time by another biologist.
    • Exploring Data: All Saw-Whet Owls from the USGS North American Bird Banding Program Data Set. Each histogram is the longitude of the second capture of an owl based on a 5-degree bin of original banding.
Saw-Whet Owl Map
Owl Recapture Lon
Ithaca Snowfall
Normal Deviations
College Financials

Education

Degrees

    • Syracuse University, Ph.D., Mathematics (Stochastic Processes)
    • Syracuse University, M.S., Applied Statistics
    • Syracuse University, M.S., Mathematics
    • State University of New York at Cortland, B.S., Mathematics
    • Ithaca College, B.S. Exercise Science

Professional Development

    • Datacamp: Completed 40 courses, 4 tracks, and 3 projects with over 169,690 XP.