Brandon Derr

About Me

My journey in data analytics started in my sophomore-level intro to research methods class. This class taught me basic research design and a few data collection techniques. I found that I really enjoyed the process of converting a general question about the world into a step-by-step guide for how to answer that question. My goal after taking this class became finding as many opportunities as possible to exercise and strengthen this skill.

My first real work with data outside of class came in the form of an internship at the Institute for Advanced Analytics and Security. I worked with a group of graduate students and faculty members from various fields studying the effect of extreme weather on climate change public opinion. This internship, more than anything else, taught me how to research with a team. I learned that research and analysis was not something that I could keep entirely in my own head. Rather, it was collaborative and required explicit documentation.

Alongside this internship, I also began work on my undergraduate thesis, an individual piece of academic research required by the USM Honors College. The process of completing the thesis is two years long, beginning with the selection of an advisor and culminating in a faculty review process. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the relationship between public opinion and discourse from political representatives. I used sentiment analysis to label Tweets from Senators and tied their speech back to their constituents' opinions. This process taught me everything about the data lifecycle, from gathering the raw data (using the Twitter API) to reporting results (with ggplot visualizations). Through this project, I won multiple competitive travel grants, enabling me to present my research at political science conferences around the country. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with my undergraduate degree in political science in 2024.

In my senior year of undergrad, I received an offer to continue my education at USM's Political Science MA Program as a research assistant under Dr. Iliyan Iliev. Dr. Iliev was my undergraduate thesis advisor and asked me to work with him on a research grant from the Department of Defense. We were funded through their Minerva Research Initiave and tasked with studying international violence detterence along with coleagues at UC Davis.

Today, I continue to study in the masters program at USM. As a research assistant, my day-to-day work mainly involves exploratory data analysis, reviewing academic literature, and statistical programming. In my free time, I work on personal coding projects and read as much as possible. On this site, you will find my CV/resume, personal and professional portfolio, and contact information. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email if you'd like to chat. I am always looking to meet new people in the data and programming world!