R Statiscal programing
JOHN MENSAH
Ph.D. Candidate at University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Population Ecologist| Environmental Data Scientist
Lincoln,NE
Summary
Recent anthropogenically caused climate change has the potential to threaten natural ecosystems. My research interest is to
combine observational and experimental studies and the development of statistical models to understand factors that drive
species abundance distribution and demographic dynamics in space and time and the associated response mechanism.
Currently, I am studying the response mechanism in plant vital rates associated with time-lagged effects of climate, and the
combined effect of insect herbivory and weather variables. I am looking for an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge
of Biology and skills in data analysis to solve real-world issues, ranging from climate change to ecology, agriculture,
molecular biology, and health. I am committed to excellence, hardworking, persistent, and dedicated to any task that I am
assigned. I can work in a team and independently with little or no supervision.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
01.2022 - Current
• Evaluated and graded examinations, assignments, or papers and recorded grades.
• Scheduled and maintained regular office hours to meet with students.
• I assisted students with analyzing laboratory results and plotting graphs to visualize their data.
• Taught students how to develop an appropriate scientific hypothesis, develop good scientific writing skills, data visualization, etc.
Summer Biostatistics Intern
Streck
La Vista, NE
06.2023 - 08.2023
- Developed automated codes ideal for conducting Precision and
- Stability analysis in R Statistical Software
- Completed an analysis to evaluate the Precision and Stability of Streck’s control materials for use with Sysmex XR 20/20 analyzers and the
- Beckman Coulter DxFlex
- Gained an in-depth understanding of the EP05, EP15, and EP25 documents which encapsulate the guidelines for global application of guidance established for setting up experimental design for Precision studies including multiple and single site precision analysis and
- Stability studies including open and closed vial analysis
- Gained experience with understanding and analyzing hematology data.
NASA DEVELOP
Analytical Mechanic Associates
06.2025 - 08.2025
• Wrote Javascripts to download lake water surface temperature from Google Earth Engine
• Downloaded and processed Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to assess ice phenology
• Analyzed trends in ice-phenology and water surface temperature
• Used Machine Learning models (Random Forest and XGBoost) to predict time-lag effect of air temperature on ice-phenology
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
01.2021 - 07.2021
- Developed functions for processing and cleaning data using R software for tracking and modeling purposes
- Applied Bayesian change point analysis model to detect breakpoints in flowering patterns of an herbaceous plant and weather conditions (droughts, temperature, and rainfall) over a period of 32year
- Gathered, reviewed, and summarized literature from scientific journals
- Estimated transition probabilities of an herbaceous plant using
- Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM)
- Developed a matrix population model (MPM) to determine the population growth of an herbaceous plant
- Applied Functional Linear Model (using the Generalized Additive
- Model) to evaluate how past weather conditions influence the current performance of an herbaceous plant.
Teaching and Research Assistant
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science, KNUST
Kumasi
08.2019 - 07.2020
- Tutored or mentored students in need of additional instruction
- Assisted with undergraduate student research by helping design research, collect data in the field, analyze data, and guide students in writing their thesis
- Evaluated and graded examinations, assignments, or papers and recorded grades
- Informed students of procedures for completing and submitting classwork
- Led discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
Education
Micro Masters in Statistics And Data Science - Statistics And Data Science
MITx | EdX Online
Cambridge, MA 01.2024 - 09.2024
Ph.D. - Biological Sciences (Plant Population Ecology) And Statistics
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 01.2021 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Forestry
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology
Kumasi, Ghana, West Africa 08.2015 - 05.2019
Skills
- Time series analysis
- Bayesian analysis
- R software programming
- Machine learning
- Python programming (mid-level proficiency)
- Google Earth Engine
- GIS and Remote Sensing
- Data wrangling and engineering
- Functional Data Analysis
- Power analysis
- Computational Modeling
- Academic Research
- Quantitative Research
- Statistical Probabilities
- Course Materials Creation
- Activity Organization
- Lecture Presentation
Timeline
NASA DEVELOP
Analytical Mechanic Associates
06.2025 - 08.2025
Micro Masters in Statistics And Data Science - Statistics And Data Science
MITx | EdX Online
01.2024 - 09.2024
Summer Biostatistics Intern
Streck
06.2023 - 08.2023
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
01.2022 - Current
Ph.D. - Biological Sciences (Plant Population Ecology) And Statistics
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
01.2021 - Current
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
01.2021 - 07.2021
Teaching and Research Assistant
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science, KNUST
08.2019 - 07.2020
Bachelor of Science - Forestry
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology
08.2015 - 05.2019
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
On-SiteRemoteHybridImportant To Me
Career advancementCompany CultureHealthcare benefitsPersonal development programsTeam Building / Company RetreatsWork-life balanceCertification
- ARSET CERTIFICATE - Invasive Species Monitoring with Remote Sensing. NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Issue date: October 2024)
- 6.86x: Machine Learning with Python-From Linear Models to Deep Learning (a course of study offered by MITx, an online learning initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Verified Certificate Issued on July 28, 2024). Valid Certificate ID: 2575f5f43b1b400b8180289299a699f8
- 6.419x: Data Analysis: Statistical Modeling and Computation in Applications (a course of study offered by MITx, an online learning initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Verified Certificate Issued on July 28, 2024). Valid Certificate ID: 951df57407154cfe8b2ddceac2f0e95a
- 6.431x: Probability - The Science of Uncertainty and Data (a course of study offered by MITx, an online learning initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Verified Certificate Issued on April 13, 2024). Valid Certificate ID: 9509dce74dd94215998fe62f54d53b21
- 18.6501x: Fundamentals of Statistics (a course of study offered by MITx, an online learning initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Verified Certificate Issued May 17, 2024). Valid Certificate ID: 5ac0be434b604a50b9b3b01582b6cf25
- Spatial Data Science: The New Frontier in Analytics (with emphasis on the application of ArcGIS and Python). Esri Training (Completed on October 7, 2023).
- Short course on Forecasting for Decision-Making: An Epidemiological and Ecological Perspective (emphasis on Bayesian Statistical Analysis). Hosted by the Canadian Ecological Forecasting Initiative at the Fields Institute, Toronto, Ontario from July 24-28, 2023.
- Data for Better Lives: A New Social Contract – edX. Massive Open Online Course by the World Bank Group.
- edX Verified Certificate for The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (August 12, 20201). Online learning initiative of Boston University. Verified certificate ID: cc7ce1494fa34463887446a836a46592.
- CITI Program verified Responsible Conduct of Research & Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research (May 7, 2021). Record ID: 42385911A.
Accomplishments
Publications
- Mensah, J. N., Louda, S. M., Keeler, K. H., & Tenhumberg, B. (2025). Delayed effects of water-limiting conditions influence the ramet demography of a native iterocarpic thistle. bioRxiv, 2025-05.
- Bisselou, K. S., Hilbers, B. G., & Mensah, J. N. (2025). A Simple Mixed‐Effects Modeling for the Precision of Automated Differential Cell Counters Using R. Clinical and Translational Science, 18(5), e70254.
- Nsor, C. A., Perry-Amissah, M., Mensah, J. N., Boadi, S., Asigbase, M., Addae-Wireko, L., & Acolatse, R. (2025). Birds' co-occurrence is mediated by diet, habitat type, and anthropogenic disturbances in Ghana's Central Region. Avian Research, 16(3), 100251.
- Nsor, C. A., Dei, N. A. A., Mensah, J. N, Acolatse, R., & Danquah, E. (2023). Bird community structure and habitat association in Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary, Ashanti Region (Ghana). Wildlife Research.
- Nsor, C. A., Acolatse, R., Mensah, J. N., Oppong, S. K., Dompreh, D., & Addai-Wireko, L. (2022). Structural assemblages of plant species in the Owabi Ramsar Wetland in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 47(1), 100-114.
- Nsor, C. A., Mensah, J. N., & Agumenu, V. (2021). Riparian vegetation dynamics in protected and unprotected areas, Kumawu District—Ashanti Region (Ghana). Tropical Ecology, 62(3), 329-346.
- Nsor, C. A., Mensah, J. N., Barnes, V. R., & Akomatey, P. K. (2021). Anthropogenic drivers of plant species coexistence in selected riparian systems, Kumawu district, Ashanti region (Ghana). Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 36(1), 323-344.
Presentations
- Mensah, J.N, Crone E.E, Lesica, P., Tyre, A.J, and Tenhumberg, B (August 2025). How long to monitor plant demography to detect signal of weather variables? ESA Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Oral Presentation (Population Ecology section)
- Mensah, J.N, Svata, L, Keeler, K, and Tenhumberg, B (August 2024). Contribution of weather variables to the
demographic dynamics of the thistle species, Cirsium undulatum. ESA Annual Conference in Long Beach - California, USA. Oral Presentation (Statistics section) - Mensah, J.N, Svata, L, Keeler, K, and Tenhumberg, B (March 2024). Exploring the effect of weather variables on temporal dynamics of Cirsium undulatum demography in two Prairie Grasslands. Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Seminar Presentation.
- Mensah, J.N, Svata, L, Keeler, K, and Tenhumberg, B (March 2023). Effect of plant size and insect herbivory on Cirsium undulatum(Wavyleaf Thistle). Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Seminar Presentation.
- ·Mensah, J.N, Crone E.E, Lesica, P., Tyre, A.J, and Tenhumberg, B (August 2022). Past events determine current performance: Prolonged dormancy and weather. ESACSEE Annual conference in Montreal, Canada. Poster presentation.
- ·Mensah, J.N, Crone E.E, Lesica, P., Tyre, A.J, and Tenhumberg, B. (December 2022). Past events determine current performance: Prolonged dormancy and weather. British Ecological Society Conference, Scotland. Oral presentation.
- Mensah, J.N, Crone E.E, Lesica, P., Tyre, A.J, and Tenhumberg, B. (October 2021). The role of variation in weather variables in shaping plant life histories: whole plant dormancy and flowering. Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Seminar Presentation
Volunteer Activities
- Reviewer for Journal of Freshwater Ecology
- Copy editor and Reviewer for the Journal of Emerging Investigation.
- Member of the Climate and Justice Team of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Lincoln, NE. I have been involved in writing funding proposals for Tree plantation activities; and developing carbon footprint reduction guidelines for church members.
Software
Python programing
Microsoft suits
ArcGIS (actively learning)
Tableau
Power BI
Google Earth Engine
MathLab
Awards
- Awarded $1000 funding to attend ESIIL 2025 Innovation Summit, dubbed: Environmental Tipping Points and Transformations. Hosted at University of Colorado, Boulder campus (September 23 - September 25, 2025)
- Awarded $1550 by the Myrle M. Burk Botany Memorial Fund
- Scholarship to attend the 3rd Annual Environmental Data Science Summit hosted by NCEAS on February 4-6, 2025, at the Cabrillo Pavilion in Santa Barbara, CA.
- Graduate Student Travel Award ($500; sponsored by Warren and Edith Day)
- The Carl W. Gugler Memorial Award for Second Place in Poster Presentation at the BIOGSA Symposium (School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska – Lincoln)
- Dr. John F. Davidson Memorial Fund ($1445; May 2024) Recipient.
- Dr. John F. Davidson Memorial Fund ($990; May 2023) Recipient.
- Blair Paxton Udale Fund for Life Sciences ($1000; May 2022) Recipient.
- National Science Foundation Scholarship Award (August 2020 – July 2021) – Dr. Brigitte Tenhumberg's Lab, University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Recipient
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