Yan-Ting (Vicky) Liau
yliau1@hotmail.com ◆ 480-2890869 ◆ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-liau/ ◆ Richardson, Texas 75080
Ph.D. Candidate in Geospatial
Information Sciences
Data Developer/Scientist with 10+
experiences specializing in spatiotemporal data collection, pre-processing,
management, analysis, and prediction. Data awareness, which enables advanced algorithm
developments for over 90% missing data in multiple applications, is the
strongest strength. Seeking to leverage my great analysis and prediction abilities
as a Data Scientist and contribute to the team.
CORE
COMPETENCIES
· Programming: Python, R, SQL,
Netlogo with BehaviorSearch, Matlab, etc.
· Statistical Modeling: Generalized
Linear Models, Hierarchical Model, Multiple Imputation, Eigenvector Spatial
Filtering Model, Kriging, Spatial Lag Model and Spatial Error Model,
Geographically Weighted Regression, Bayesian Analysis, Time Series Analysis,
Principal Component Analysis, Factor Analysis, Stepwise
Regression/LASSO/Ridge/Elastic-Net, etc.
· Image Processing: PCI Geomatica,
Erdas Imagine, eCognition, ENVI, IDRISI Kilimanjaro, etc.
· Geographical
Information Systems:
ESRI ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro, QGIS (with PyQt)
· Machine Learning
Algorithms:
Decision Tree, Random Forest, Neural Network Models, Support Vector Machines,
etc.
· Database: AWS Dynamodb, S3
(Simple Storage Service), RDS (Relational Database Service), Redshift
· Data Analysis
Tools:
(1) AWS: Kinesis, Lambda, SageMaker, Forecast; (2) Python: Tensorflow, PyTorch,
PyTorch Geometric, theano, Scikit-Learn, Scikit-Image, Statsmodels, PySAL; (3) R:
Glmnet, Spatstat, Tseries, Spdep, Gstat, etc.
EXPERIENCES
Graduate Teaching Assistant September
2015 – Present
The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
· Led and coordinated 2 lab members and won high
appreciation by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in GIS Day
· Motivated students with new skills and cultivate
5 out of 18 students (under-average capability) with self-learning ability
· Collected fine-resolution datasets via convincing
3 agencies, instead of synthetic data, to conduct experiments
· Critiqued the most influential factors, when
using spatially imputations, introduce the most biased results
· Developed the pioneer assessments to evaluate influences
of using spatial imputed values on regression analysis
· Identified limitations of using imputations in a
response variable, covariates and both types of variables with the least risk
· Propose algorithms of improving spatial
imputation methodology to originally deal with over 90% missing spatial data
National Water Center Research
Fellow June 2016
– July 2016
NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Tuscaloosa,
Alabama Area
· Formulated a new moisture index for detecting
flooding extents from images with 5% improvements
· Applied the moisture indices and filters for
improving segmentation and classifications of flooding extents by 10%
Graduate Research Associate for
National Institute of Justice Project April
2014 – September 2014
Center for Spatial Analysis, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
· Devised a new geocoding method with 20% more match
rates and 80% less time over the most widely used ESRI geocoder
· Investigated similarity measures for detecting
crime patterns in real-time
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Geospatial
Information Sciences August 2015 – May 2020(expected)
The University of
Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
Title: Use of Spatially Imputed Variables: Three Papers
Addressing Implications of Imputation-based Measurement Error in Spatial
Regression Analysis
Master of Arts in
Geography
August 2011 – December 2013
Arizona State
University, Tempe, Arizona
Title: Evaluation of Hierarchical Segmentation for
Natural Vegetation: A Case Study of the Tehachapi Mountains, California
· Identified the optimal segmentation for
individual trees over the most widely used software, eCognition
· Published independently in the peer-reviewed
journal, Remote Sensing with IF = 4.118 (2018)
Master of Arts in
Geography September 2008 – June 2010
National Taiwan
Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Title: Frontier Exploitation and Environmental Impacts: Case Study of
Environment Changes in Teh-Chi Reservoir, Taiwan
· Collected spatiotemporal data with over 400
citations across 50 years in order to handle predictions with large missing
data
· Pioneered the insight on drivers of
environmental changes to support predictions of long-term landscape changes
Bachelor of Arts in
Geography
September 2003 – June 2007
National Taiwan
Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
