RYAN BENNER SIMPSON 24 Wedgemere Road, Malden, MA 02148 | 978-697-1037 | [email protected] | [email protected] For more information about my research visit: https://sites.tufts.edu/naumovalabs/ Last Updated: 23 April 2020

EDUCATION

Tufts University, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy May 2021 Ph.D. Nutritional Epidemiology and Data Science Thesis Title: Time Series Applications for Infectious Disease Forecasting

Tufts University, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy May 2019 M.S. Nutritional Epidemiology and Data Science Cumulative Grade Point Average: 3.93 / 4.00

Yale University May 2017 B.A. Global Affairs, Concentration in International Development B.A Environmental Engineering, Concentration in Urban and Sustainable Agriculture

HONORS AND AWARDS

Tufts Institute of Environment - Environmental Research Fellow. Tufts University 2020 2020 Strategic Initiative Grant. American Statistical Association 2020 Data Intensive Studies Center Event Sponsorship. Tufts University 2020 Tufts Institute of Environment Event Sponsorship. Tufts University 2019 Tufts Friedman School Student Council Event Sponsorship. Tufts University 2019 Joan M. Bergstrom Student Award for Excellence in Global Nutrition. Tufts University 2019 Friedman Nutrition School Academic Scholarship. Tufts University 2018-19 Tufts Institute of Environment Event Sponsorship. Tufts University 2018 Tufts Friedman School Student Council Event Sponsorship. Tufts University 2018 Top 4 Graduates Under 30. Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School 2018 Class of 2018 Senior Dinner Speaker. Buckingham Browne & Nichols School 2018 Jonathan Edwards Richter Summer Fellowship. Yale University 2016 Tristan Perlroth Prize for Summer Foreign Travel. Yale University 2016 Yale Sustainable Food Program’s Global Food Fellowship Award. Yale University 2016 Yale Southeast Asia Studies Summer Fellowship. Yale University 2016 Yale Environmental Studies Summer Environmental Fellowship. Yale University 2016 Yale Men’s Soccer Robert “Doc” Holliday Unsung Hero Award. Yale University 2016 Yale Environmental Studies Summer Environmental Fellowship. Yale University 2015 Yale Men’s Soccer Robert “Doc” Holliday Unsung Hero Award. Yale University 2013

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Leading Student Researcher (PIs: Elena Naumova, Barbara Brizuela, Remco Chang) 10/2019 – Present National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovations in Graduate Education Program (IGE) Award #1855886, Solution-Oriented, Student-Initiated, Computationally-Enriched Training (SOLSTICE) The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, MA

• Trained and advised graduate students on data management, processing, analysis, and visualizations for effectively designing, evaluating, and disseminating data science research • Developed course teaching materials for teaching non-data science students how to develop research questions, specific aims, data management plans, analytical frameworks, abstracts, and publication manuscripts • Assisted in developing the course design of two graduate/doctoral student courses in advanced data analytics and effective data visualization and communication

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

Leading Student Researcher (PIs: Elena Naumova, Magaly Koch, Sucharita Gopal) 10/2018 – Present National Science Foundation (NSF) International Research Experience for Students (IRES) Award #1826939 & #1827024, US-Indonesian Research Experience for Students on Sustainable Adaptation of Coastal Areas to Environmental Change The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, MA

• Examined how big data analytics can help better understand interactions between ecological, economical, and political aspects to measure and assess nutritional health risks due to coastal hazards • Used remote sensing methodologies to evaluate fluctuations in land use types due to seasonal flooding and analyzed cross sectional survey data to validate coastal flooding effects on food/waterborne illness risk • Managed student research proposal formulation, hypothesis generation, data extraction, data analysis, abstract submission, and manuscript creation for 8 students ranging from undergraduate to PhD levels

Leading Student Researcher (PIs: Dr. Elena Naumova) 10/2017 – 03/20 Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) Hybrid Forecasting Competition (HFC), Contracted to Raytheon BBN Technologies Corporation Subcontracted to The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, MA

• Applied time series methods to develop weekly forecast models to describe, explain, and predict potential infectious disease outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies worldwide using publicly-available databases • Conducted frequent forecasts to assess influenza outbreaks within Latin America, food/waterborne outbreaks within the United States, cholera outbreaks within Yemen, and famine emergencies within Somalia • Designed educational training material for novice forecasters to conduct effective, reliable, accurate, complex, valuable, clear, and adaptive forecasts for early warning forecast surveillance systems • Predicted the pandemic potential of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and geographic transmission trajectory from Southern China in July 2019 prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic; news related to these predictions can be found here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/u-s-intel-agencies-warned-rising-risk- outbreak-coronavirus-n1144891

LEADERSHIP

Co-Chair, Tufts Analytics Without Borders 2020 Conference The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. 02/2020

• A forum for students, researchers, academics, business professionals, and government officials to share, discuss, and explore data analytics in collaboration with Bentley and Bryant Universities • Aimed at promoting transdisciplinary research, broadening interdisciplinary collaboration, and encourage clear, effective data analytics communications • Managed conference budget including the ascertaining of all conference monies via four grants: Tufts Institute of Environment Event Sponsorship, Tufts Friedman School Student Council Event Sponsorship, Data Intensive Studies Center Event Sponsorship, and American Statistical Association Strategic Initiative Grant • Attended by over 200 students, from 15 universities from across the world with ~40 guest speakers and over 20 conference sessions over the 1.5 day conference • Created and maintained conference website: https://sites.tufts.edu/naumovalabs/tawb2020/

Co-Chair, Nutrition Data Summit The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. 10/2018

• The inaugural event for increasing awareness of the importance for integrating data sciences in the field of nutrition and public health research • Incorporated interactive technical training workshops, oral research presentations, panel discussions on applied data sciences in nutrition, nutrition data science career panels, and a humanitarian food crisis simulation • Managed conference budget including the ascertaining of over 50% of conference budget via two grants: Tufts Institute of Environment Event Sponsorship and Tufts Friedman School Student Council Event Sponsorship • Attended by over 150 students from 10 universities from across the New England region with ~30 speakers and over 20 session spanning the 2.5 day conference.

PAGE 2 OF 7

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

PUBLICATIONS

1. Simpson RB, Alarcon Falconi TM, Venkat A, Chui KHH, Navidad J, Naumov YN, Gorski J, Bhattacharyya S, Naumova EN (2019). Incorporating calendar effects to predict influenza seasonality in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Epidemiology and Infection 147, e268, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0950268819001511 2. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Alarcon Falconi TM, Chui KHH, Naumov YN, Gorski J, Bhattacharyya S, Naumova EN. (2019). Calendar effects to forecast influenza seasonality: A case study in Milwaukee, WI. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 11(1). DOI: 10.5210/ojphi.v11i1.9739

Manuscripts under review 1. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Naumova EN. Seasonal Synchronization of Foodborne Outbreaks. Submitted to Nature Scientific Reports on 10 March 2020. 2. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Alarcon Falconi TM, Naumova EN. Foodborne Illness Trends and Seasonality: An analecta of visualizations. Submitted to Nature Data on 25 March 2020.

Manuscripts in preparation 1. Simpson RB, Gottlieb J, Zhou B, Hartwick M, Naumova EN. Turning access into action: The ACTS indicators for evaluating time series surveillance data. Anticipated Submission to Nature Communications in May 2020. 2. Simpson RB, Gottlieb J, Zhou B, Hartwick M, Naumova EN. The importance of data richness for improving early outbreak detection. Anticipated Submission to World Health Organization Bulletin in May 2020. 3. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Gottlieb J, Hartwick M, Naumova EN. Seasonal synchronization of influenza across 40 Pan American countries. Anticipated Submission to Nature Scientific Reports in June 2020.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

1. Simpson RB (2020 - Cancelled). An association between peaks of foodborne infections and food recalls. Tufts Friedman Student Research Conference. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Boston, MA. 2. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Zhou B, Naumova EN. (2019). Synchronization of Foodborne Disease Seasonality. Symposium on Networks in Food Systems & Nutrition. University of Vermont. Burlington, VT. 3. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Naumova EN. (2019). Foodborne Infections: Methods for Characterizing Seasonality. Analytics Without Borders Conference. Bryant University. Providence, RI. 4. Zhou B, Simpson RB, Naumova EN. (2019). Visualizing Disease Seasonality: Challenges and Solutions. Analytics Without Borders Conference. Bryant University. Providence, RI. 5. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Marshak A, Naumova EN. (2018). Techniques for Forecasting Infectious and Foodborne Diseases. Global Health Weekly Seminar. Tufts University School of Medicine. Boston, MA. 6. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Marshak A, Alarcon Falconi TM, Naumova EN. (2018). Calendar Effects and Influenza: Lessons from Milwaukee, WI. 2018 Winter Boston Chapter Meeting. American Statistics Association. Boston, MA.

POSTER CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

1. Langlois B, Simpson RB, Anyanwu O, Marsh E, Taylor S, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Using the Indonesian Family Life Survey to Evaluate the Indirect Impacts of Climate Variations on Fishery and Farm Productivity: An Example Exploring Natural Disasters and Migration. ASN 2020 Conference. American Society of Nutrition. Seattle, WA. 2. Fisher K, Taylor S, Simpson RB, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Assessment of adult weight status by body mass index (BMI) and the association with socio-demographic factors and commonly eaten foods in Indonesia between 2014-2015. ASN 2020 Conference. American Society of Nutrition. Seattle, WA. 3. Simpson RB, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). An association between peaks of foodborne infections and food recalls. ASN 2020 Conference. American Society of Nutrition. Seattle, WA. 4. Anyanwu O, Simpson RB, Langlois B, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Demographic and Psychosocial Correlates of Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration in Indonesia. ASN 2020 Conference. American Society of Nutrition. Seattle, WA. 5. Simpson RB, Babool S, Tarnas M, Kaminski PM, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Intentionally Broken Barriers and Cascading Risks of Cholera Spread in Yemen from 2016-18. 2020 Annual CUGH Global Health Conference. Consortium of Universities for Global Health. Washington, DC.

PAGE 3 OF 7

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

6. Babool S, Tarnas M, Simpson RB, Kaminski PM, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Understanding of the Cholera Outbreak Patterns in Yemen's Governances during the Civil War, 2016-2018. 2020 Annual CUGH Global Health Conference. Consortium of Universities for Global Health. Washington, DC. 7. Tarnas M, Babool S, Simpson RB, Kaminski PM, Naumova EN. (2020 – Cancelled). Risks of Cholera Transmission Amplified by the War Conflicts in Yemen, 2016-2018. 2020 Annual CUGH Global Health Conference. Consortium of Universities for Global Health. Washington, DC. 8. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Babool S, Naumova EN. (2019). Foodborne Outbreak Calendar Synchronization: A Time Series Analysis Application. 7th International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics. Elsevier. Charleston, SC. 9. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Naumova EN. (2019). Visualizing Disease Seasonality: Comparisons Across Space and Time. 17th Annual Freeman Symposium on Infectious Diseases. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 10. Simpson RB, Zhou B, Naumova EN. (2019). Seasonality of Foodborne Infections: The Relationship Between Peak Timing and Amplitude. 17th Annual Freeman Symposium on Infectious Diseases. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 11. Venkat A, Simpson RB, Marshak A, Naumova EN. (2019). Complex Decision-Making Rules for Famine Forecasting. 17th Annual Freeman Symposium on Infectious Diseases. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 12. Simpson RB, Waskow A, Venkat A, Zhou B, Naumova, EN. (2019). Foodborne Outbreak Calendar: Applications of Time Series. International Conference on Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases. World Academy of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Boston, MA. 13. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Zhou B, Naumova EN. (2019). Forecasting Influenza in Data-Rich and Data-Sparse Environments: Applications of Triangulating Disease Seasonal Patterns. International Conference on Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases. World Academy of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Boston, MA. 14. Venkat A, Marshak A, Simpson RB, Naumova EN. (2019). Global Evidence on the Seasonality of Enteric Infections, Undernutrition, and Livestock Ownership. International Conference on Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases. World Academy of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Boston, MA. 15. Simpson RB, Alarcon Falconi TM, Venkat A, Chui KH, Navidad J, Naumov YN, Bhattacharyya S, Naumova EN. (2019). Incorporating Calendar Effects to Predict Influenza Seasonality: A Case Study in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2004- 2009). 2019 ISDS Annual Conference. International Society for Disease Surveillance Conference. San Diego, CA. 16. Simpson RB, Venkat A, Marshak A, Naumova EN. (2018). Exploring Calendar Effects on Influenza. 16th Annual Freeman Symposium on Infectious Diseases. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 17. Venkat A, Simpson RB, Marshak A, Naumova EN. (2018). Signature Forecasting for Infectious Disease: A Comparative Study of WHO FluNet Records. 2018 New England Statistics Symposium. New England Statistics Society. Amherst, MA. 18. Venkat A, Simpson RB, Naumova EN. (2017). With Great Data Comes Great Responsibility: Big Data Applications for Forecasting Complex Events. Tufts Data Intensive Studies Center (DISC) Fall Symposium. Tufts University. Medford, MA.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Statistical Consulting Tufts Medical Center Hepatology Department, Boston, MA 10/2019 – Present • Analyzing population surveillance data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2011-2019 for associations between communicable disease outcomes and hemochromatosis status • Extracted, aligned, and merged individual annual data files, conducted matched nested case-control analyses within Stata software, and supervised graduate student in carrying out statistical analyses Research Technology. Tufts Technology Services (TTS). Tufts University, Boston & Medford, MA 10/2018 – Present • Assisted undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in questions related to statistical analyses, data visualizations, and statistical study design • Provided statistical training material and guidance for Stata statistical programming software Department of Community Health. Tufts University, Medford, MA 10/2018 – 05/2020 • Assisted undergraduate students in the hypothesis formulation, data analytical planning, statistical analyses, and statistical programming for completing Senior Theses Undergraduate Academic Resource Center. Tufts University, Medford, MA 10/2018 – 05/2019

PAGE 4 OF 7

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

• Provided individual tutoring to undergraduate students of Tufts University (and graduate students at the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences) on statistical theory, methods, and programming

Agriculture and the Environment United States Provisional Patent # US 2018/0305226 A1 10/2017 – 04/2020 • Developed in collaboration with co-inventors Paulina Kaminski, MPH and Allec Willis, MA • Engineered small-scale, point-of-exit water purification device using ultraviolet light for portable attachment to water faucet or in-pipe germicidal water disinfection • Designed with helical spiraling to increase the irradiance of ultraviolet light through water, which encircled enclosed light, to result in 99.99% disinfection of RNA virus pathogens such as cryptosporidiosis • Featured in the Buckingham Browne and Nichols (BB&N) School Bulletin as “Top 4 Under 30” BB&N graduates due to invention design • See more at: https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/fe/4d/ef/7593404858db66/US20180305226A1.pdf

Living Landscape Coordinator and Head Researcher, Yale University West Campus, Orange, CT 10/2014 – 08/2017 • Leading engineer and project manager for the development of integrated student research on the Yale West Campus with a focus on project-based learning integrating student education and hands-on engineering experience • Developed 5-year business plan for the transition of campus grounds and urban garden into the Living Landscape Laboratory and assisted in building student and administrative interest for this transition • Completed all manual labor required for the clearing, recovering, and maintaining of ~26 acres of landscape, community gardens, student research projects, and walking trails • Featured in the Yale West Campus news report in honor of efforts taken in creating the Living Landscape Laboratory: https://westcampus.yale.edu/news/yale-student-creates-his-own-path-through-campus-landscape

National Parks Board Center of Urban Greenery & Ecology Intern, Singapore, Singapore 05/2016 – 08/2016 • Awarded the following fellowships for supporting summer travel: o Jonathan Edwards Richter Summer Fellowship Award o Tristan Perlroth Prize for Summer Foreign Travel o Yale Sustainable Food Program’s Global Food Fellowship Award o Yale Southeast Asia Studies Summer Fellowship o Yale Environmental Studies Summer Environmental Fellowship • Examined agricultural and community gardening programs from across the world to improve the communal integration of various ethnic groups within Singapore • Recommended evidence-based agricultural techniques and landscape elements for the National Parks Board to develop and integrate into urban agriculture and community gardening projects throughout the city

Lazarus Intern, Yale Sustainable Food Project, New Haven, CT 05/2015 – 08/2015 • Awarded the Yale Environmental Studies Summer Environmental Fellowship for supporting summer expenses • Managed the crop rotation, maintenance, and harvesting of all summer crops, managed livestock and farming events including food outings, and transported, priced, and sold all crops at New Haven Wooster Square Market • Designed and build hillside irrigation system that captured, filtered, and recycled rainwater collected from atop farm pavilion for reducing water footprint on farm

International Development Consultant, WaterHealth International, Hyderabad, India 02/2017 – 05/2017 • Tested various water contaminants during field-based research in Hyderabad, India to evaluate the contamination level of household and borehole water sources • Research, designed, implemented, and evaluated point-of-exit water disinfection device used for germicidal disinfection of water using ultraviolet irradiance

PAGE 5 OF 7

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

Consultant, Alliance to End Hunger, Washington DC 09/2016 – 12/2016 • Co-author of Presidential Memorandum for the Trump Administration Transition Board regarding USAID intervention funding and resource allocations • Co-author of Monitoring and Evaluation Review of the USAID Feed the Future Program for the Trump Administration Transition Board

EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES

Reviewer, Nature Journal of Public Health Policy 03/2020 – Present Review approximately one submitted paper every two weeks Review publications submitted on influenza vaccination, time series, seasonality, foodborne illnesses, and COVID-19

Assistant Reviewer 10/2019 – 03/2020 Journals including Climate Change and Nature Journal of Public Health Policy

Acknowledgements Urena-Castro K, Avila S, Gutierrez M, Naumova EN, Ulloa-Gutierrez R, More-Guevara A. (2019). Seasonality of Rotavirus Hospitalizations at Costa Rica’s National Children’s Hospital in 2010-2015. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), 16(13), 2321. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16132321

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1. Data Visualizations and Effective Communication. Graduate course, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Teaching Assistant (Spring 2020) 2. Advanced Data Analysis. Graduate course, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Teaching Assistant (Fall 2019) 3. Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research II. Graduate course, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Teaching Assistant (Spring 2019) 4. Statistical Methods for Nutrition Science and Policy. Graduate course, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Private Tutor (Fall 2017, Fall 2018) 5. Regression Analysis for Nutrition Policy. Graduate course, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Private Tutor (Spring 2017, Spring 2018)

INVITED PRESENTATIONS AND GUEST SPEAKING

Tufts University Friedman School Weekly Seminar Series Title: Novel techniques for infectious disease forecasting. Co-Presenter: Elena Naumova 04/2020 Title: Techniques for forecasting infectious and foodborne diseases. 09/2018

Guest Instructor on Data Science & Time Series Analysis Course: Advanced Data Analysis. Fall 2019. Director: Elena Naumova 11/2019 Course: Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research II. Fall 2019. Director: Gitanjali Singh 09/2019 Course: Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research II. Spring 2019. Director: Tania Alarcon-Falconi 01/2019

Buckingham Browne and Nichols Alumni Guest Speaking Event: Class of 2018 Senior Dinner Speech 05/2019 Event: EcoBash, an event to raise environmental awareness to students 01/2018

American Statistical Association, Tufts Graduate Student Chapter Title: Forecasting famine and infectious outbreaks. Co-Presenter: Aishwarya Venkat, Anastasia Marshak 05/2018

PAGE 6 OF 7

RYAN BENNER SIMPSON

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Statistics: Basic to advanced topics such as time series analysis, regression models (harmonic, logistic, multivariate, linear mixed-effects, change point), repeated measures, and epidemiological analyses such as matching studies and nested case-control studies Scientific communication: Data visualization for scientific publications, conference presentations, and general audience specifically related to assessments of trends, seasonality, and associations of seasonal features such as peak timing and amplitude Software: STATA, SAS, ArcGIS, ENVI, Wordpress Languages: Intermediate in Arabic and Chinese

PAGE 7 OF 7