Got a question about the background Wesley R. Elsberry brings to the school board for Eaton Rapids Public Schools? This page likely has the answer.
Wesley’s educational background:
- Bachelor’s of science, zoology, University of Florida (senior project on differentiating oxic and anoxic invertebrate marine meiofaunal communities)
- Master’s of science, computer science, University of Texas at Arlington (thesis on integration and hybridization in artificial neural network modelling)
- Doctorate (Ph.D.), wildlife & fisheries sciences, Texas A&M University (dissertation on biosonar sound production in Atlantic bottlenose dolphins)
- Post-doc, evolving intelligence project (Templeton grant), Michigan State University (research on the evolution of movement strategies in an artificial life platform and generation of robotic controllers from the evolved programs)
Wesley’s jobs, affiliation, projects, & activities:
- Data scientist, RealPage, Inc. (2012-present, econometric forecasting, data visualization, and algorithm development)
- BEACON Center affiliate, MSU (2015-present, adviser to educational software projects: Avida-ED and Salmon Run)
- Licensed falconer (1983-present, Master Falconer designation since about 1990)
- President, TalkOrigins Archive Foundation (2002-present)
- President, Florida Citizens for Science (2020-present)
- Member, Michigan Citizens for Science (2008-present)
- Blogger, ‘The Austringer’ (2004-present)
- Blogger and co-founder, ‘The Panda’s Thumb’ (2004-present)
- Instructor, Lifelong Learning Academy (USF Sarasota/Manatee, 2014-2015, ‘Animal Behavior’ and ‘Science and Society’)
- Co-authored paper with Jeffrey O. Shallit, accrued an Erdös number of 2 (2011)
- Scientific programmer, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (2009-2012, developed new normalized database structure for the State of Florida’s Manatee Mortality Database)
- Visiting Research Affiliate, Digital Evolution Laboratory, MSU (2007-2009, artificial life movement strategies)
- Scientific Developer, port of research visual fusion code from DADISP to MATLAB (2006)
- Consultant to the Plaintiffs, ‘Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District’ (2005, Middle District of Pennsylvania, provided natural language analysis and preparation of attorneys for opposing expert witnesses)
- Information Project Director, National Center for Science Education (2003-2007, infrastructure and responses to pseudoscience threatening K12 public school science curricula; initiated formation of ‘Florida Citizens for Science’ in 2005)
- Behavioral Research Programmer, Scientific Applications International Corporation (contracted with the Navy Marine Mammal Program, 1998-2003, technical support and programming for testing hearing in whales, dolphins, and sea lions, and biosonar in whales and dolphins)
- Web Developer, produced first pages for the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at TAMU (1994-1996)
- Graduate Assistant Teaching/Graduate Assistant Research, Texas A&M University (1994-1998, Intro to Scientific Programming Lab Sections)
- Research Office Assistant, Texas Institute of Oceanography at TAMU (1995-1996, coordination of research applications)
- Research Programmer, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (1991-1993, Paragraph 16(b) contracts with USAF for pilot mapping systems)
- Systems Analyst, General Dynamics, Fort Worth (1989-1991, programming the F-16 ‘Falcon’ Fighter Fire Control Computer)
- System Operator, ‘Central Neural System’ Bulletin Board System (1989-1997, dial-up BBS messaging via RBBSNet and FidoNet, served Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Neural Network, and evolutionary computation code and resources, many still stored at the Carnegie Mellon University archives)
- Research Associate, Advanced Robotics Research Institute (1988-1990)
- Treasurer, Metroplex Institute for Neural Dynamics (1988-1991, user group on artificial neural networks and emergent computation)
- Member, College Bowl Varsity Team, University of Texas at Arlington (1987-1989)
- Public Relations Photographer, ‘Shandscript’ Magazine (1984-1986)
- Hyperbaric Chamber Attendant, Jerome Johns Hyperbaric Facility, Shands Hospital (1985-1986)
- Biologist II, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida (1985-1986, physiology, histology, and epidemiology of fin whales)
- Lab Technologist III, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida (1983-1985, audio-visual and photography support)
- Studio Technician, Media Image Photography (1982-1983, B&W printing processes, copy work, and assistance in studio and location work with Randy Batista)
- Florida Teacher’s Certificate (1982, version for non-majors)
- Staff Photographer, Independent Florida Alligator Newspaper (1981-1982, assignments and feature art, and contributing to the Associated Press Wire Photo service)
- Member, College Bowl Varsity Team, University of Florida (1979-1982)
- Survey Crew Rodman, Superior Paving (1976-1979)