ELDITA TARANI

• Planned, modified and executed research techniques, procedures and tests as well as innovative products and projects to meet project goals.
• Synthesize original and pre-existing data to create informative materials for stakeholders to understand project results.
• Informing the design of research projects and methodologies,
• overseeing research vendors and transforming outcomes into concrete actions.
• Informing and conceptualizing innovative projects and products that accelerate digital transformation and green recovery in Kosovo.
• Analyzing existing and new research data and transforming them into actionable insight that inform “Digital Transformation Portfolio” and projects within UNDP.
• Gather, arrange and correct research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations for stakeholders, including Kosovo local and central government.
• Designed new assessment tools and methods to meet individual project needs.
• Led research in guiding the Policy Framework for Sustainable Tourism development, which involved planning, modifying and overseeing the execution of research techniques involving different qualitative and quantitative procedures, tests and analysis.
• 
  
• Proven professional with experience performing, designing, overseeing, executing and interpreting research and results to meet organizational goals. Assess strengths and shortcomings of various research methods and apply .... Developed of original projects resulting in X number of attendees and X implemented...

• Core team member leading research-based usability knowledge acquisition and informing product development.
• Determine user needs by conducting task-focused analyses using literature review, surveys and interviews.
• Worked with project representatives and team members to test business requirements.
• Lead a team of designers and software engineers
• Leading partner, co-managing a team of designers and software engineers in developing user-friendly SAAS and CRM digital products.

• Co-founded and managed the national STEM education program known as “Junior Geeks”, funded by the “Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund” award I received from the US Department of State.
• Designed the vision, strategies and activities of the program including the digital platform, curriculum and impact assessment, that aimed at improving STEM skills for young school students.
• Created and led program events such as the ‘Innovation Challenge” and “Science Camp”, where I taught statistics and the research method.
• Successfully transitioned the program to a local leader to sustain and expand

• Designed the methodology for using qualitative tools to asses accessibility of infrastructural, social and educational aspects for disabled students in Kosovo high schools.
• Led the discussion and data collection with focus groups, populated by high school students with disabilities, parents and education staff, to uncover accessibility parameters that mediate students success and achievements.
• Used strong and eloquent speaking skills in delivering questions to survey participants by phone and prompting responses to complete questionnaires.
• Analyzed and reported findings from 7 focus groups which were integrated to a nation-wide report called "Do not assume my needs".

• Supported the Kosovo Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) in advancing the Open Data Initiative by offering analytical (research), technical and policy analysis expertise.

• Supervised the conduct of the “Kosovo Open Data Readiness Assessment Report" and prepared subsequent report presentations.

• Led two user focus groups for the assessment.

• Conducted needs assessment research to identify capacity building requirements for various Open Data stakeholder groups.

• Organized the first Kosovo “Open Data Visualization Challenge”

• Collaborated with stakeholders concerning data exchange and technology integration.

• Designed and implemented a hands-on training programs for government officials on Open Data.

• Authored and disseminated a "Kosovo Open Data Manual"

• Facilitated a workshop titled: ‘Kosovo Government Open Data Usability’ aimed at exchanging ideas between data users and openers.

• Prepared a research-based family-strengthening action plan/strategy for the Community Advising Group in Fushë Kosovo.
• Facilitated 3 workshops, including a number of focus groups and interviews with CSO’s, to collect qualitative data, relevant in informing the community Action Plan.
• Leveraged on-site observation and personal interviews to identify team and individual strengths.
• Compiled evaluative research data and gave professional presentations highlighting finds and recommended optimizations.
• Designed a psychological intervention plan for children/parents with mental challenges, currently living under social welfare
• Performed psychological evaluations and interventions for the beneficiaries of SOS “Family Reinforcement Program”
• Organized mental wellbeing support groups and psychosocial activities with children and teenagers in Fushë Kosovë

• Conducted desk review and medical staff interviews on public health trends and policies in Kosovo.
• Presented research findings to inform the development of health research programs and a resource mobilisation strategy.
• Informed grant proposal writing which resulted in funding for neonatal care research and education, winning 85,000 Euro.
• Tutored AHED staff in basic research principles and analytics.

• Conducted qualitative interviews with 45 women entrepreneurs - project beneficiaries, to evaluate the project outcome.
• Assisted in coding and analyzing of the qualitative data obtained in determining trends and relevant parameters.

• Assisted a team of researchers in designing a methodology for investigating the prevalence of PTSD in the post-war Kosovo.
• Collected quantitative and qualitative data by interviewing more than 70 subjects and administering self-report questionnaires.
• Supervised a team of 7 research assistants on the field to ensure random sampling

• Advised young talents and innovators in devising inventive and social tech products using NASA open data
• Mentor for Digital Girls of the Year Innovation Center Kosovo, Kosovo, Advised young girls – oriented in a tech careers, in developing and pitching tech products/solutions in a two-day challenge

• Designed a scientific method to investigate the effects of awe in rumination and depressive states using online data collection methods which required creative experiment interface programing using Qualtrics and Mechanical Turk
• Executed a set of experiments including mood manipulation tasks and analyzed the data for a pool of 293 participants “Facebook, Puzzles, and Other Distractions: Are People Escaping the Self?”, Social Studies Lab, San Jose State University, Fall 2015
• Assisted in running the participants in the laboratory setting which included acquiring consent, monitoring the flow of the experiment and completing debriefing procedures
• Performed literature review and data cleaning procedures “Creativity and Mental Illness”, Dr Greg J
• Feist laboratory, San Jose State University, Fall 2014
• Analyzed the autobiographical profiles of 50 prominent creative personalities for mental illness symptoms to provide data which was used in correlational analysis conform hypothesis testing requirements
• Mentoring, Conferences and Volunteer Work
• Lecturer for the Junior Geeks module “Scientific Research and Data Analysis” US Emb
• Kosovo, 2019
• Devised a detailed curriculum and conducted three separate day-long lectures and exercises for high school-students all over Kosovo, aiming to inspire and educate this demography on scientific research methods and data analysis
• Panelist in the ‘Open Data in Public Administration’ conference Novus, Kosovo, 2019
• Presented the main achievements in opening government data in lieu of the ‘Support to Public Administration Reform’project
• Mentor for Pristina Startup Challenge Innovation Center Kosovo, Kosovo, 2019
• Advised teams of young talents and innovators in devising inventive products that would compete for startup funding
• Judge for Pristina Startup Live challenge Innovation Center Kosovo, Kosovo, 2019
• Judge the pitches of 12 teams who were competing for their startup funding under the Pristina Startup Live competition

• Assisted in researching the effects of depression and toxic stress in altering memory performance and hippocampus volume
• Conducted literature review and assisted in research protocol preparation as well as running participants in the lab.
• Leading the journal club several times, presenting papers and conference poster presentation for lab related projects
• Designed an experimental method to investigate the effects of awe in rumination and depressive states, using online quantitative data
• Programmed experiment interface using Qualtrics and Mechanical Turk.
• Executed a set of experiments including mood manipulation tasks and analyzed the data for a pool of 293 participants
• “Facebook, Puzzles, and Other Distractions: Are People Escaping the Self?”, Social Studies Lab, San Jose State University, Fall 2015
• Assisted in running the participants in the laboratory setting which included acquiring consent, monitoring the flow of the experiment and completing debriefing procedures
• Performed literature review and data cleaning procedures “Creativity and Mental Illness”, Dr Greg J
• Feist laboratory, San Jose State University, Fall 2014
• Analyzed the autobiographical profiles of 50 prominent creative personalities for mental illness symptoms to provide data which was used in correlational analysis conform hypothesis testing requirements
• Mentoring, Conferences and Volunteer Work
• Lecturer for the Junior Geeks module “Scientific Research and Data Analysis” US Emb
• Kosovo, 2019
• Devised a detailed curriculum and conducted three separate day-long lectures and exercises for high school-students all over Kosovo, aiming to inspire and educate this demography on scientific research methods and data analysis
• Panelist in the ‘Open Data in Public Administration’ conference Novus, Kosovo, 2019
• Presented the main achievements in opening government data in lieu of the ‘Support to Public Administration Reform’project
• Mentor for Pristina Startup Challenge Innovation Center Kosovo, Kosovo, 2019
• Advised teams of young talents and innovators in devising inventive products that would compete for startup funding
• Judge for Pristina Startup Live challenge Innovation Center Kosovo, Kosovo, 2019
• Judge the pitches of 12 teams who were competing for their startup funding under the Pristina Startup Live competition

• Assisted students with coursework for psychology and statistics, such as writing research papers and designing methodologies
• Evaluated more than 180 term papers for psychology classes while providing feedback to improve writing and research skills
• Delivered guest lectures for introductory psychology classes as well as tutored students in statistical analysis

• Authored a number of print and online articles regarding culture and science in Kosovo

• Blogger Kosovo 2.0, Kosovo, Authored a number of print and online articles regarding culture and science in Kosovo

• Assisted in the program evaluation, data analysis and implementation of the National Anti-Tuberculosis project
• Helped analyze program roadblocks and provided/analysis of statistical data relevant to project flow and progress tracking
• Assisted in implementing trainings and capacity building recommendations for the program staff