Work with thought leaders and academic experts from University of Minnesota

Dr. H. Colleen Sinclair is a highly educated and experienced psychologist with a passion for understanding human behavior and relationships. She received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2004, after completing a triple major at the University of Colorado Boulder in 1996. Throughout her career, Dr. Sinclair has held various academic positions, including Research Professor at Louisiana State University and tenured Associate Professor at Mississippi State University. She has also served as a Research Associate at Carnegie Mellon University, where she conducted research on human-computer interaction. Dr. Sinclair's research interests are broad. She applies the scientific method to help make the world a better place. She maintains a successful research portfolio exceeding $160 million in funding including being a part of a team to receive the biggest NSF grant in history to improve collaborations between industry and academia to shape the future of energy. She has published numerous articles and has been invited to present her research around the world. In addition to her academic work, Dr. Sinclair is also a sought-after consultant and speaker, providing expertise on topics such as communication skills, conflict resolution, and relationship building. She is known for her engaging and dynamic presentations (see TED talk), which draw upon her extensive research and personal experiences. Dr. Sinclair is committed to using her knowledge and expertise to help individuals and organizations tacke the problems of today to make for a better tomorrow. With her impressive education and experience, she continues to make significant contributions to the field of psychology and the understanding of human behavior.

Wellington Oliveira, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. He joined the Dias Lab in August 2023, where his research focuses on developing and applying eco-friendly analytical methods to investigate the role of lipid oxidation products in the formation of flavor and off-flavor compounds in foods. Dr. Oliveira earned his Ph.D. in Food Science and completed postdoctoral training in Food Analysis at the University of Campinas, Brazil. His doctoral research centered on the development and validation of analytical methods utilizing chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. He also served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Food Technology (ITAL) in Brazil, where he explored flavor markers in coffee using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, olfactometry, and sensory analysis. Additionally, Dr. Oliveira has held visiting researcher positions at Fraunhofer IVV in Germany, specializing in olfactometry and volatile compound analysis; and at the University of Zaragoza in Spain, where he focused on identifying migrants from food contact materials and off-flavors using both low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry alongside olfactometry.

Experienced Research and Development business leader with a track record of successful innovation and significant cost savings identification and execution. Leader in development of focused product strategies and continuous improvement collaboration across functional and technical teams. A passion for developing, mentoring, and leading people in a partnership-focused, cross-functional team environment. Strong influence and advocacy skills capable of operating at the senior-most levels within a Fortune 500 company. Significant experience with change implementation leadership and entrepreneurial connectivity.

●        Experienced in creating and launching new and innovative solutions to bring efficiency and a greater potential for growth. ●        Utilizes technical knowledge to rebuild processes and tools in order to better measure customer insights and drive better decision-making. ●        Skilled at communicating complex projects and their goals to varied audiences, from internal teams to key clients.

**Research Expertise** Computer architecture, high-performance parallel processing, computer systems performance analysis, approximate computing, computing with emerging technologies, and storage systems. **Biographical summary** David J. Lilja received a Ph.D. and an M.S., both in Electrical Engineering, from the [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,](http://www.uiuc.edu/) and a B.S. in Computer Engineering from [Iowa State University](http://www.iastate.edu/) in Ames. He is Professor Emeritus of [Electrical and Computer Engineering](http://www.ee.umn.edu/) at the [University of Minnesota](http://www.umn.edu/) in Minneapolis. He previously served as a member of the graduate faculties in [Computer Science](http://www.cs.umn.edu/), [Scientific Computation](http://www.scicomp.umn.edu/), and [Data Science](http://datascience.umn.edu//).  He served ten years as the head of the ECE department at the University of Minnesota, worked as a research assistant at the Center for Supercomputing Research and Development at the [University of Illinois,](http://www.uiuc.edu/) and as a development engineer at [Tandem Computers Incorporated](http://www.tandem.com/) in Cupertino, California.  He received a [Fulbright](http://www.fulbright.org/) Senior Scholar Award to visit the University of Western Australia and was a visiting Professor at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He has chaired and served on the program committees of numerous conferences.  He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for contributions to the statistical analysis of computer performance. He also is a registered Professional Engineer.

A results-driven and disciplined strategic thinker with a passion for people analytics and social sciences. Self-motivated and collaborative leader with a proven ability to develop innovative methods and products to identify and solve business problems, improving financial and operational outcomes and enhancing employee experiences and engagement. Extensive experience using statistical data modeling and analytical tools combined with behavioral science and technology to describe, explain, and predict human behavior and business performance for global firms. Data analytics professional with a strong work ethic who is highly skilled in qualitative data analysis, advanced quantitative statistics, and research. Problem solving colleague with compelling storytelling, attentive listening, and strong written and verbal communication. Highly skilled at translating research findings into practical business insights and ability to communicate effectively about them to leaders. Management experience with teams of 2 to 20 employees with significant cross-functional experience, strong Human Resource and business knowledge, and intellectual curiosity, creativity, and personal integrity. Ability to articulate an actionable People Analytics strategy roadmap to ensure the right people, processes, and technology are in place. Dedicated to coaching staff to acquire analytics skills and business acumen.

I am a PhD in kinesiology with expertise in data analysis, human factors, virtual reality, and biomechanics. <br> My educational journey includes a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science (2013), where I engaged in research projects on 2D motion analysis and physical testing for diverse populations. Subsequently, I obtained a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health (2021), focusing on Perceptual-Motor Control and Learning. My research explored how attention impacts the kinematics and coordination of volleyball athletes and novices, resulting in my thesis, a peer-reviewed article, and a conference presentation. I also bring extensive experience from my full-time volleyball coach career (2013-2018), earning the Best Coach of the Year award in 2015 and participating in state, national, and international tournaments. During that time, I continued my research and published nine peer-reviewed papers between 2014 and 2020, with a primary focus on performance analysis in volleyball, sports planning, and recovery. In summary, I offer 12 years of scientific research experience, encompassing design, execution, analysis, and reporting. My expertise spans eight years in human motion analysis, including kinematics, kinetics, and EMG. With three years of virtual reality experience, I've designed virtual environments and experiments to investigate how humans interact with that technology. My data analysis proficiency includes classic parametric and non-parametric tests, modern techniques like Bootstrapping and Permutation Tests, Statistic Parametric Mapping, Cluster Analysis, and time series methods (ARIMA, ARMA). Additionally, I have a solid grasp of machine learning, encompassing supervised and unsupervised learning, as well as natural language processing. My skills extend to data visualization, with proficiency in Python (matplotlib and seaborn), R (ggplot2, plotty), GUI using R – Shiny, and Power-BI. I'm well-versed in coding with Matlab, R, Python, and C#. My key attributes include creativity, a strong desire for continuous learning, and my ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Currently, I am learning a new programming language (DART) and exploring philosophy 😊.

R&D leader experienced in leveraging science and engineering resources to deliver innovative, differentiated, consumer-oriented products that drive business growth.  Experienced operating in a resource-limited startup venture, in fast-paced privately-owned private entrepreneurial business, as well as leading cross-functional teams at large CPG.  Skilled in collaborating with Business to develop and execute product innovation roadmaps.  Recognized business acumen.  International work experience (USA, Latin America, Europe, and Asia).  Bilingual (English and Spanish).  Project management skills.  Holder of 30+ patent applications.  Areas of expertise: Strategy Development and Implementation; Product & Process Development; Team Leadership & Staff Development; Innovation Management; Business and Operations Management; Food Science, Engineering, Health and Wellness

As an organic chemist, I am interested in developing new sustainable synthetic reaction methods. I was trained as an organometallic chemist using transition metals to develop new catalytic methods. These methods involved nitrogen containing heterocycles and boronic acids as well as C-H and C-C sigma bonds. I have been at Augsburg since 2013 and worked here part-time before that while doing graduate and post-graduate work across the river at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I am passionate about teaching and mentoring in the classroom, laboratory, and in research settings. I have been influenced greatly by my own Liberal Arts education and the wonderful professors I was able to learn from and work with. I appreciate that we train our students to be strong chemists with a sense of purpose and service to others. My research group is focused on the development of green synthetic methods. Currently, we have projects using a catalyst for multi-component reactions and the synthesis of biodegradable polymers for the educational laboratories. The polymer research has been done in collaboration with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Polymers. Finally, I am extremely proud of the success of all my former group members as they continue to be successful following graduation in their lives.

Shonna is the CEO + Coufounder of Fractional Insights, a expert advisory and research firm and is a part-time professor at Georgetown University. An award-winning organizational psychologist and executive, Shonna is a recognized thought leader in HR, psychology, and business. With a background in consulting and executive leadership roles, Shonna has advised organizations on people strategy and transformation across various sectors. At BetterUp, she stood up and led teams in behavioral science, strategic partnerships and alliances, and executive advisory, driving research-backed insights to enhance organizational performance. She received her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology and Statistics from the University of Minnesota. She is the author of two award-winning books -- The Practical Guide to HR Analytics and The Coaching Shift: How A Coaching Mindset and Skills Can Change You,Your Interactions, and the World Around You. She has published peer-reviewed journal articles, handbook chapters, magazine and blog articles, as well as over 60 technical reports. Her insights have been featured in prestigious publications like the Handbook on the Practice of Industrial / Organizational Psychology, Talent Management Handbook, Handbook of Employee Selection, Psychological Bulletin, Personnel Psychology, Human Performance, and International Journal of Selection and Assessment. She has also been cited in renowned media outlets such as CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, and Axios. <br>

My passion lies in cultivating high-performance teams and nurturing cross-functional partnerships that fuel growth and transformation. My unique ability to deliver actionable insights has repeatedly catalyzed product and strategy improvements, driving measurable success. <br> Key Proficiencies: 🚀 Strategic Operations Management 🌐 Digital Health Strategy 📊 Data-Driven Decision Making 🧬 Scientific & Medical Writing 🔬 Clinical Research Management 💻 High Technical Aptitude 💰 Financial Acumen 📈 KPIs & Performance Metrics 🏆 Quality Improvement 🚀 Rapid Growth Strategies Specialties: 🩺 Medical Sciences 🧠 Behavioral Health 🌐 Digital Health Solutions 🧘‍♂️ Psychiatry 🏋️‍♂️ Obesity & Weight Loss Interventions 🍽️ Eating Disorders 🧪 Translational Research I'm dedicated to advancing the intersection of technology and healthcare to enhance patient outcomes, and I'm always eager to connect with like-minded professionals. Let's collaborate to drive innovation and create lasting impact in the digital health space. Feel free to reach out—I'm open to networking, partnership opportunities, and engaging discussions on the future of healthcare and technology.

Research scientist and engineer passionate about climate change, sustainability, energy transition and deep decarbonization of economy \- Process Modeling\, Life Cycle Assessment\, Techno\-economic Analysis \- Novel Energy and Environmental systems\, Hydrogen and derivatives\, Low\-carbon fuels\, Deep tech\, Circular Economy\, Carbon removal\, Carbon Capture\, Utilization and Storage \(CCUS\)\, carbon neutrality\, net\-zero carbon \- Management Consulting\, Energy and Sustainability Strategy

I have worked on host-microbiome interactions in mice investigating signature/keystone bacterial genera in a clinical outcome, as well as microbiome analysis from environmental samples. Furthermore, I have analyzed 16S amplicon sequencing data, Shotgun metagenomic data, and differential gene expression. I have been part of microbiome data analysis for our collaborators working on resident urobiome of women with rUTI, microbiome associated colorectal cancer, Leukemia, hematopoietic cell and kidney transplant, and on bacterial epiphytes on *Cladophora* algae. My research has been accepted/published in peer-reviewed journals such as *Nature Immunology*, *Gut Microbes*, *Plant Physiology and Biochemistry*, *The Plant Journal*, *PLoS One*, *Research in Microbiology*, *Microbiological Research, Journal of Plant Physiology* etc.

Yashodhan Dhore is an experienced business leader with a strong background in analytics and data management. He has extensive experience working with large organizations in a variety of industries, including healthcare, banking, and consumer goods. In his current role as Head of Analytics at UnitedHealth Group, he is responsible for leading a team of analysts and data scientists in developing and implementing data-driven solutions to improve business outcomes. Previously, he served as Director Analytics at Deluxe Corp, where he led a team of analysts in developing predictive models to support marketing and product initiatives. He also has experience working in the financial industry, having served as Analytics Manager at US Bank. In this role, he was responsible for developing and implementing data-driven solutions to support the bank’s lending and forecasting activities. In addition to his work in the private sector, Yashodhan has also served as an advisor to the C-suite at AnalyticsAI, a startup that provides data-driven decision-making solutions to businesses. He holds an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.

Clinical chemistry, clinical toxicology, forensic toxicology, laboratory medicine, in vitro diagnostics

I am a macroeconomist and economic historian who specializes in taking complex topics and translating them into clear, actionable language.