Alberto Jose Ramirez

PhD Student in Economics specialising in econometrics, applied economics, data science, and computational economics. I am currently working on my thesis involving structural economics to generate and estimate a model on family investments in education and migration using the Indonesian Family Life Survey dataset. The structural estimation's objective is to identify the policy invariant parameters to understand how migration costs affect intergenerational correlations. I utilise both Python and Stata in my research and implement Cython to optimise my Python code with C and C++ for heavier numerical computations.

Consumer Researcher, Product Design & Investigation Jan 2011 - Aug 2012
• Lead a R&D segmentation of the consumer tissue market to assist developers in generating testable hypotheses of bath tissue design changes against target consumer clusters.
• Characterized consumer cross-purchasing behavior of Costco's private label Paper Towel and Bath Tissue products, showing the direction and effect size, to help target marketing resources.
• Quantified the consumption of bath tissue by consumers and developed a model linking this to product physical properties.
• Lead the generation of a model of consumer satisfaction to forecast changes in product usage.
• Developed a subsequent model that indexes the cost of consumption to the benefit derived from consumer satisfaction as an aid to corporate buyers in assessing product options.

Product Researcher, Retail Bath Tissue Category Jan 2010 - Jan 2011
• Designed the pilot scale research experiments that characterized the physical requirements of emboss elements for a new paper substrate being developed.
• Worked in our European R&D facility at Kunheim, France to scale the results of the emboss project to manufacturing speeds, demonstrating the feasibility of initial research in practical application.
• Designed the consumer research plan to test the aesthetic elements of new designs and analyzed results, showing an increase in favorable first-impression ratings and a positive halo effect on product usage ratings.

Process Engineer, Retail Bath Tissue Category Aug 2007 - Jan 2010
• Increased the upper-bound accuracy of the human sensory panel by creating a statistically consistent tissue control for softness comparison testing.
• Worked with lead research scientist in the Fiber Development group to develop tissue substrates that increase the softness of products with reduced fiber usage - patent pending (provisional application filed)
• Lead the statistical quality control at Toluca, Mexico by developing a database that resulted in real-time process control charting of a test product to maintain conformance to at least 90%

R&D at Lennox International Aug 2006 - Dec 2006
Lab Assistant
• Assisted in developing a new process for the photocatalysis of acetone on chemically-etched aluminum honeycomb substrates
• Worked with lead researcher on a formaldehyde wet chemistry analyzer