Researcher Spotlight: Rafael Martinez

Showcasing the contributions to The Storymodelers' research from Rafael Martinez

Rafael joined The Storymodelers in January 2024 as an undergraduate student in Systems Engineering at Universidad del Norte, Colombia. During his time with The Storymodelers, he has focused on implementing his knowledge in computer science for the development of software to facilitate the team in performing statistical analysis of survey data.

As Rafael graduates from his program and begins to look for his next steps, we wanted to take a moment to highlight what he added to our lab and share insights from him and his supervisors...

Supervisors' Reflections

Dr. Katherine S. Palacio, Assistant Professor, Universidad del Norte, Colombia

“I have known Rafael for several years, starting when he was my teaching assistant for the Data Analysis in Engineering I course. From the beginning, he stood out as an enthusiastic, positive, and dedicated student, always committed to helping his peers learn. His ability to explain complex concepts in a simple and accessible way made a lasting impact on his fellow engineering students.

As a member of the research team at Storymodelers, Rafael brought valuable expertise and knowledge in computer science, which he quickly integrated with more complex statistical techniques that he mastered on his own. His curiosity and self-driven learning have made him an exceptional researcher. He is one of the most diligent young professionals I have met. He is receptive, collaborative, and always eager to contribute his technical knowledge and expertise to the projects and the team.”

Dr. rer. nat. Humberto Llinas Solano, Professor, Universidad del Norte, Colombia

“Although I have only known Rafael for a year, his impact within The Storymodelers research group has been nothing short of remarkable. As a Systems Engineering student, he has consistently demonstrated dedication, responsibility, and an extraordinary ability to collaborate, qualities that make him an invaluable member of our team. Through his work in the group, I have had the opportunity to see his computational skills in action. From producing high-quality reports to presenting technical training workshops, Rafael has demonstrated an impressive command of computer science and statistical computing. Not only has he excelled in these areas, but he has gone one step further: he has developed a web application that facilitates various statistical analyses! This is the kind of initiative and ingenuity that distinguishes great engineers. Rafael, your commitment, talent, and collaborative spirit make you a key part of Storymodelers. Keep pushing boundaries and innovating, there's no limit to what you can achieve!”

Rafael’s Experience with The Storymodelers

Rafael A. Martinez, undergraduate systems engineer, Universidad del Norte, Colombia 

"As a systems engineering undergraduate student and research assistant at The Storymodelers, my contribution to the research team focuses on facilitating stages of survey data analysis through the development of user-friendly web applications. I think that the use of data-driven programming languages such as Python are of utmost importance for the design of useful tools in the research team. So far my work with The Storymodelers includes the development of an application using different Python libraries to perform descriptive analysis, factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Working with The Storymodelers has been a great opportunity for me; allowing me to acquire new knowledge that I have applied in my work, even allowing me to achieve a distinction in my undergraduate degree. and getting to know different points of view through the interdisciplinary team approach is enriching."