Nigel Dufeal
Phone: +1 (313) 320-1515
Email: nigeldufeal@gmail.com
Welcome to my professional portfolio! I'm Nigel Dufeal, and I'm passionate about leveraging data and technology to drive meaningful change. With a strong foundation in Business Administration, double majoring in Management Information Systems and Marketing, I've honed my skills in data analysis, data science, and strategic planning. My hands-on experience includes optimizing processes and enhancing efficiency during various internships, from IT roles implementing OCR algorithms to HR positions streamlining clerical tasks. I hold certifications in Google Data Analytics, IBM Data Science, and HarvardX Data Science Professional, underscoring my commitment to staying at the forefront of this dynamic field. Additionally, I've completed specialized courses in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and MLOps, as well as Big Data and AWS Cloud Data Science. I bring a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and a proven track record of leadership and problem-solving, showcased through my role in the top 1.2% leadership at the Culver Academies program. Beyond my professional journey, I have a keen interest in semantics, TED Talks, fitness, and participation in online AI communities. Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to connecting with you on exciting data-driven ventures!
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
IT Intern
DreamTek
Detroit, MI
- Improved an optical character recognition algorithm to identify scanned PDF files, resulting in a ~94% reduction in processing time for system development and maintenance tasks.
July 2022 – Aug 2022
HR Intern
Howard & Howard
Royal Oak, MI
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Supported the HR manager in resource optimization and mail clerical duties, contributing to an ~11% increase in productivity through the introduction of team-building activities.
September 2016 – January 2017
File Clerk Intern
Detroit Salt Company
Detroit, MI
- Enhanced data collection efficiency by 20-25% using Excel; facilitated interdepartmental coordination, optimizing invoice record-keeping.
January 2015 – June 2016
IT Intern
Michigan Credit Union League
Livonia, MI
- Modernized data storage using Microsoft Word macros; managed confidential data for accounting and contributed to budgeting.
September 2014 - January 2015
EDUCATION
Wayne State University
Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems & Marketing
Detroit, MI
AUG 2018 - AUG 2023
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Concentrations: Advertising & Marketing Communication
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Skills: Data analysis, Machine learning, Statistical modeling, SQL, Marketing Analytics
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Clubs: Chess club (Peacekeeper & Scout)
Developed and honed hands-on skills in Data Science and Machine Learning. Started with an orientation of Data Science and its Methodology, became familiar and used a variety of data science tools, learned Python and SQL, performed Data Visualization and Analysis, and created Machine Learning models. Completed several labs and assignments on the cloud including a Capstone Project at the end to apply and demonstrate knowledge and skills.
Studied modern machine learning concepts, including supervised learning (linear regression, logistic regression, neural networks, decision trees), unsupervised learning (clustering, anomaly detection), recommender systems, and reinforcement learning. Learned some of the best practices for building machine learning models. Gained practical skills to apply machine learning techniques to challenging real-world problems.
Built neural network architectures such as Convolutional Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, LSTMs, Transformers, and learned how to make them better with strategies such as Dropout, BatchNorm, and Xavier/He initialization. Mastered these theoretical concepts, learned their industry applications using Python and TensorFlow, and tackled real-world cases such as speech recognition, music synthesis, chatbots, machine translation, natural language processing, and more. Gain familiarity with the capabilities and challenges of deep learning. Took the definitive step in the world of AI as a participant in the development of leading-edge technology.
Learned how to conceptualize and maintain integrated systems. Mastered well-established tools and methodologies to build production systems that can handle relentless evolving data and continuously run at maximum efficiency. Gain familiarity with the capabilities, challenges, and consequences of machine learning engineering in production by participating in the development of leading-edge AI technology and solving real-world problems.
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Gain an understanding of what insights big data can provide through hands-on experience with the tools and systems used by big data scientists and engineers. Experience how to perform predictive modeling and leverage graph analytics to model problems. Ask the right questions about data, communicate effectively with data scientists, and do basic exploration of large, complex datasets. In the final Capstone Project, developed in partnership with data software company Splunk, applying the skills you learned to do basic analyses of big data.
Learned how to build, train, tune, and deploy machine learning models with purpose-built tools in the AWS cloud. Developed practical skills to effectively deploy data science projects using well-established methodologies and overcome challenges at each step of the ML workflow using Amazon SageMaker. Become familiar with the capabilities and challenges of practical data science in production environments.
