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EXPERIENCE (last updated: September 8, 2024)

Lead Data Scientist / AIOps Engineer (June 2023 – Current)

Ameren Corporation – Digital Field & Grid, Saint Louis, MO, USA

  • Led Artificial Intelligence Operations (AIOps) strategy and deployment of end-to-end gas detection model. The fully operationalized solution is used daily by gas engineers to proactively identify natural gas leaks from customer’s homes.
  • Spearheaded the development of a scalable AI model promotion framework company-wide for deploying AI models across environments, leveraging the code promotion paradigm (in contrast to model promotion) via Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD). In this framework, reproducibility is achieved from identical model artifact generation in each environment via model training after code is promoted, and subsequently utilized to execute inference and monitoring on new data.
  • Streamlined model artifact management with MLFlow, in conjunction with Databricks Unit Catalog, to train, promote, and manage model artifacts across environments, facilitating efficient model registry and versioning.
  • Championed data access governance by creating alignment for AI data access strategy, enabling end-to-end reproducibility of AI workflows from development to production, and ensuring data consistency and integrity.
  • Optimized computing resource allocation by persuading the platform team on the execution of computing resource policies for AI applications, balancing use case requirements with cost savings.
  • Pioneered successfully MLFlow adoption in production in Databricks, by leveraging model experiment tracking, model selection, distributed hyperparameter tuning, and model registry, setting a new standard for model versioning and deployment within the organization.

Principal Data Science (January 2022 – May 2023)

Jabil – St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

  • Designed and implemented Artificial Intelligence Operations (AIOps) framework for user-facing AI application that leverages a survival model to predict year-end-of-life risk probabilities for Jabil’s manufactured components, enabling data-driven decision-making and improved product lifecycle management.
  • Led and developed predictive model to enhance the accuracy of estimated time of arrival (ETA) for Jabil shipments, resulting in improved supply chain efficiency and reduced logistics costs.
  • Led and co-developed a machine learning solution to convert semi-unstructured digital documentation (Invoices, Purchase Orders, Packing Lists, and Waybills) into database-friendly inputs, streamlining data ingestion and processing.
  • As a Principal Data Scientist, provided AI technical leadership and subject matter expertise to drive business outcomes through AI and machine learning.

Manager Digital Innovation / Site Director Ameren Innovation Center (March 2020 – January 2022)

Ameren Corporation – Ameren Innovation Center, University of IL Urbana-Champaign Research Park, Illinois, USA

  • Led in-house tactical consultancy for digital innovation by providing data science and software engineering solutions for more than 12 departments across organization.
  • Increased number of funded collaborations across departments twofold using high-performing agile team of data scientists and software developers.
  • Delivered more than four digital products in data science and software engineering into production.
  • Awarded for deploying explainable machine learning capability prioritizing maintenance of areas with higher propensity for gas leaks.
  • Co-developed business case to create network equipment information system to track network maintenance history, reducing millions of dollars O&M costs to free up five-fold equivalent in CAPEX. 

Senior Data Scientist (September 2018 – March 2020)

Ameren Corporation – Ameren Innovation Center, UIUC Research Park, Champaign, Illinois, USA

  • Substantially improved effectiveness of risk model for asset health using a machine learning model that identified 90% more critical asset health issues than previous risk model. Tool was implemented and transitioned from R&D into a permanent capability.
  • Taught drones how to see: developed an AWS cloud hosted, object detection deep learning model to automate asset inspections using drone image.
  • Led the development of computer vision algorithm to parse information from scanned documents. Multimillion-dollar savings potential by reducing labor associated with manual data parsing.
  • Co-designed recommender to identify customers with higher propensity to adopt Renewable energy.
  • Led customer segmentation project matching customer profiles to energy saving programs.

Data Science Lead (August 2015 – September 2018)

Anheuser-Busch INBEV, UIUC Research Park, Champaign, Illinois, USA

  • Provided in-house consultancy across departments (revenue management, marketing, sales, logistics, category management, and procurement) with a portfolio of > $500 million by leading a team of 15 data scientists.
  • Directed the marketing strategy execution for ABINBEV on its sport asset investment portfolio: Using a quasi-experimental design, demonstrated that the effect of sport investments on sales was positive, despite the negative trend in market share. Because of these insights, the company revised its decision and preserved (and later increased) its sports assets for multiple flagship brands.
  • Executed A/B test experimental design to identify minimum sample size required to reduce Type II error from highly imbalanced beer customer demographics. 
  • Designed a global workshop to educate senior management in advanced analytics, including data science terminologies and trends, case studies, and best practices designed to improve ABI in-house data science project cycle.

Postdoctoral Researcher, Biological Engineering (2011 to 2015)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Urbana, Illinois, USA

  • Modeled food supply chains to minimize infrastructure costs and increase food security in developing countries (ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Losses).
  • Published 10 scientific papers in refereed journals.
  • Received a Superior Paper Award in 2013 for developing a framework to measure the performance of biotechnologies treating air pollutants.
  • Identified $6-7 billion of potential supply chain savings using alternative grain storage systems.
  • Initiated collaborations between Brazil and U.S. to access agribusiness supply chain big data

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Biosystems EngineeringUniversity of Kentucky: “Ammonia biofiltration and nitrous oxide generation as affected by media moisture content.”2010
M.S. Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil. “Analysis of Kinetics Parameters in the Phenomenon of Reoxygenation and Deoxygenation of Water/”2003
B.S. Civil EngineeringAraraquara School of Civil Engineering, Brazil2000
B.S. Political ScienceSao Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil2003

PUBLICATIONS

Ouyang, Y., Nourbakhsh,  S. M., Bai, Y., Maia, G. D. N., Rodriguez, L. F.  (2015). Grain supply chain network design and logistics planning for reducing post-harvest loss. Biosystems Engineering. DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2016.08.011

Maia, G. D. N., Ramirez, B. C., Green, A. R., Rodriguez, L. F., Shike, D. W. & Segers, J. R. (2015). A novel ruminant emission measurement system: commissioning (Part II). Trans. ASABE. 58(6): 1801-1815. DOI: 10.13031/trans.58.10753

Maia, G. D. N., Ramirez, B. C., Green A. R., Rodriguez, L. F., Shike, D. W. & Segers, J. R. (2015). A novel ruminant emission measurement system: design evaluation and description (Part I). Trans. ASABE. Vol. 58(3): 749-762. DOI 10.13031/trans.58.10752

Pereira, D. F., Miyamoto, B. C. B., Maia, G. D. N., Tatiana Sales, G., Magalhães, M. M., & Gates, R. S. (2013). Machine vision to identify broiler breeder behavior. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 99(0), 194–199. doi:10.1016/j.compag.2013.09.012

Segers, J. R.,  Felix, T. L. Green, A. R. , Maia, G. N. D. , Ramirez, B. C. , and Shike, D. W.  (2015). Effect of dietary fat concentration from condensed corn distillers solubles, during the growing phase, on beef cattle performance, carcass traits, digestibility, and ruminal metabolism. Journal of Animal Science. 93(8):3990-4001. DOI: 10.2527/jas.2015-8917.

Ramirez, B. C., Maia, G. D. N., Green, A. R., Rodriguez, L. F., Shike, D. W. & Segers, J. R. (2014). Design and validation of a precision orifice meter for sub-550 liter per minute flow rate applications. Trans. ASABE. 57(6):1865-1872. DOI: 10.13031/trans.57.10754

Maia, G. D. N., G. T. Sales, G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, and J. L. Taraba. 2012. Characterizing physical properties of gas-phase biofilter media. Trans. ASABE 55(5): 1939-1950. Superior Paper Award in 2013.

Maia, G. D. N., Day V, G. B., Gates, R. S., Taraba, J., & Coyne, M. S. (2012). Moisture effects on greenhouse gases generation in nitrifying gas-phase compost biofilters. Water Research 46 (9), 3023-3031. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.03.007

Maia G. D. N., Day V, G. B., Gates, R. S., & Taraba, J. (2011). Ammonia biofiltration and nitrous oxide generation during the start-up of gas-phase compost biofilters. Atmospheric Environment. Vol.46 (12):659-664. doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.10.019

Maia, G. D. N., G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, and J. L. Taraba. 2011. Biofilter media characterization using water sorption isotherms. Trans. ASABE 54(4): 1445-1451

REPORTS

Burns, R., Xin, H., Gates, R. S., Li, H., Hoff, S., Moody, L., Overhults, and Earnest, J. 2007. Tyson Broiler Ammonia Emission Monitoring Project: Final Report Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: http://www.environmentalintegrity.org/pdf/publications/Bush_admin_tyson_ammonia.pdf

INVITED TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Saint Louis University: “Specializing in AI: The Key to a Successful Career in a Rapidly Evolving Field”. Saint Louis, MO, August, 2024. Audience: College Freshman and High School Students.

DowDupont Agrochemicals: “Data Science and Advanced Analytics in AgroSciences”, Indiana, Indianapolis, February 2018. Audience: Global Data Science Team

 Anheuser-Busch InBev Headquarter: “Advanced Analytics Training for ABI Leaders”, Belgium, Leuven, October 2017. Audience: ABINBEV Upper Management

 University of Illinois Business School: “Managing data science teams: Identifying and avoiding common pitfalls in data analytics”, Illinois, Champaign, September 2017. Audience: MBA Students

 USDA Fayetteville: “The Future of Biofiltration: Moisture Control and Hybrid Systems”. Presentation for the USDA-ARS at the Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, Arkansas, Fayetteville, April 29, 2013. Audience: USDA Poultry Researchers

University of Illinois Extensions Service: “How Much Moisture Do You Need and How Often? Ask Your Biofilter Media.” Presentation in the Field day for ventilation management and air quality for livestock systems, Savoy, Illinois, October 2012. Audience: Illinois Producers

CONFERENCES

Maia, G. D. N., A. R. Green, B. C. Ramirez, Y. Sun, J. Segers, D. W. Shike, L. F. Rodriguez, R. Gates. 2013. Overview and Application of a Metabolic Chamber for Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Generation from Enteric Fermentation. Paper No. 131619682, ASABE Intl Mtg. July 24th, Kansas City, MO. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Ramirez, B. C., G. D. N. Maia,A. R. Green, D. W. Shike, R. Gates, L. F. Rodriguez. 2013. Design and Validation of a Calibrated Orifice Meter for Sub-500 liters per minute Flow Rate Applications. Paper No. 131618475. ASABE Intl Mtg. July 24th, Kansas City, MO. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Sun, Y., G. D. N. Maia, A. R. Green, B. C. Ramirez, L. F. Rodriguez, D. W. Shike, R. Gates. 2013. Sampling Frequency Selection and Diurnal Patterns of Methane Production from Beef Cattle. Paper No. 131619651. ASABE Intl Mtg. July 24th, Kansas City, MO. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Liu, L. F. Rodriguez, G. D. N. Maia, A. R. Green, D. W. Shike, B. Lehman, B. C. Ramirez, J. Segers. 2013. Cattle Movement Characterization and Pattern Identification for Modeling Cattle Movement. Paper No. 131620743. ASABE Intl Mtg. July 23rd, Kansas City, MO. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Maia, G. D. N., G. T. Sales, G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, and J. L. Taraba. 2012. Physical Characterization of Gas-phase Biofilter Media. ASABE Intl Mtg. July 29th, Dallas, TX. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Norris, H., L. Rodriguez, T. Liu, A. Green, D. Shike, J. Segers, G. D. N. Maia, B. Ramirez, 2012. Impact of Livestock on Soil Characteristics in a Crop-Livestock Agroecosystem.

Liu., L. Rodriguez, A. Green, D. Shike, J. Segers, G. D. N. Maia, B. Ramirez, H. Norris .2012. Assessment of cattle impacts on soil characteristics in integrated crop-livestock systems. Paper No. 121338321. ASABE Intl Mtg. June 20th, Dallas, TX. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Maia G. D. N., R. S. Gates, A. R. Green, L. F. Rodriguez, D. W. Shike, G. B. Day V., J. Taraba. 2011. Viability of the infra-red photoacoustic system on the measurement of greenhouse gases and ammonia. Oral presentation number No. 1111821. ASABE Intl Mtg. August 10. Louisville, KY. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

 Maia G. D. N. Effects of Media Moisture on Ammonia Abatement and Nitrous Oxide and Methane. Workshop Proceedings: Carbon Markets – Expanding Opportunities/Valuing Co-benefits. Workshop co-hosted by the Soil & Water Conservation Society and the National Wildlife Federation. On July 21, 2010, St. Louis, Missouri.

Dutra de Melo, L., G. B. Day V, J. L. Taraba, and G. D. N. Maia. 2010. Assessment of a Moisture Application System for Compost Biofilters. Paper No. 1009176. ASABE Intl Mtg. June 20th. Pittsburgh, PA. St. Joseph MI: ASABE.

Maia, G. D. N., G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, J. L. Taraba, G. T. Sales, N. Lovanh. 2009. Ammonia removal and nitrous oxide production in gas-phase compost biofilters. Submitted for presentation at the Simpósio Internacional sobre Gerenciamento de Residuos de Animais – SIGERA. March 12th & 13th, 2009. Florianópolis – SC, Brazil

Sales, G. T.,G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, N. Lovanh, G. Del Nero Maia, and A. Singh. 2009. Assessment of Biofilter Media Particle Sizes for Removing Ammonia. Submitted for presentation at the Simpósio Internacional sobre Gerenciamento de Resíduos de Animais – SIGERA. March 12th & 13th, 2009. Florianópolis – SC, Brazil

Maia, G. D. N., R. S. Gates, M. D. Montross, S. E. Nokes, G. Brion, G. B. Day V, J.L. Taraba. 2008. Comparison of water sorption isotherms applied to compost biofilters of different particle sizes. ASABE. St Joseph, MI: ASABE (Paper and oral presentation).

Maia, G. D. N., R. S. Gates, G. B. Day V, S. E. Nokes, J. L. Taraba, G. Brion, G. T. Sales,  A. Singh,. 2008. Contaminant gas generation as product of degraded ammonia during biofiltration. ASABE Paper No. 084630, St Joseph, MI : ASABE (Oral presentation and paper).

Sales, G. T., G. B. Day V., S. Gates, N. Lovanh, G. Del Nero Maia, and A. Singh. 2008. Assessment of different media particle sizes for ammonia removal optimization. Paper No. 084201. ASABE Intl Mtg, 30 June – 3 July. St. Joseph, MI : ASABE.

Maia, G. D. N., R. S. Gates, E. G. Wilkerson, S. F. Higgins, A. Singh, J. L. Taraba. 2007. (Presentation). Potential nitrous oxide generation during ammonia biofiltration., St Joseph, MI: ASABE (Oral presentation).

Maia, G. D. N., R.S. Gates, E. G. Wilkerson, S. F. Higgins, A. Singh, J. L. Taraba. 2006. Characterization of headspace gases in ventilated and impermeable swine manure tanks and their abatement using biofiltration. ASABE Paper No. 064027, St Joseph, MI : ASABE (Oral presentation).

GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS & AWARDS

Funded intramural grants (funded = $92,000)

  • Design, implementation, and training for a beef flux-chamber system to quantify methane (Current, Support Grant, Research Board Committee, University of Illinois, $30,000)
  • Request for Repair of Existing Equipment (2011, College of ACES Office of Research Equipment Grant, University of Illinois, $25,000)
  • Request for midsize equipment (highly ranked proposal), College of ACES Office of Research Equipment Grant, University of Illinois, $37,000)
  • ASABE Superior Paper Award (2013):
  • Maia, G. D. N., G. T. Sales, G. B. Day V, R. S. Gates, and J. L. Taraba. 2012. Characterizing physical properties of gas-phase biofilter media. Trans. ASABE 55(5): 1939-1950
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Full Masters Scholarship funded by internationally recognized Brazilian Government Agency. 03/2001-03/2003. One of the top five students selected for the highly competitive M.S. program in Environmental Engineering at the University of São Paulo, Brazil

Funded extramural grants

Collaboration withR.S. Gates, A. Singh, S.F. Higgins and E.G. Wilkerson. Gaseous production from impermeable swine waste storage tanks and its abatement using biofilters (2007-2009 – $487,000). USDA National Research Initiative Air Quality Program. Approved as Outstanding Grant Proposal.

SERVICE

2012: Project Organizer for international workshop (funding source: FAPESP, Brazil) on Emissions, Ventilation and Animal Welfare in Livestock Systems held in the state of São Paulo, Brazil (October 2-4, 2012). Participating institutions: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M, Iowa State University, University of Tennessee, EMBRAPA (Brazil), University of São Paulo (Brazil), UNICAMP (Brazil), Federal University of Viçosa (Brazil), Federal University of Paraná (Brazil), Katholic University of Lueven (Belgium), the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), National University of Colombia, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science.

2012: University of Illinois Extensions Service(audience: producers) “How Much Moisture Do You Need and How Often? Ask Your Biofilter Media.” Presentation in the Field day for ventilation management and air quality for livestock systems, Savoy, Illinois, October 2012.

2011, 2012, 2013: Volunteer, Engineering Open House, University of Illinois

TEACHING AND MENTORING

 Teaching

  • Structures and Environment Design (BAE 427), Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Kentucky, 2006
  • Surveying (AEN 103), Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Kentucky, 2005
  • Modeling of Environmental Processes for Engineers, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2002

Mentoring

  • Aspiring Data Scientists – Bud Analytics Lab – UIUC Research Park. I mentored and guided grad students from CS, Statistics, Math, Engineering, Library Sciences, Accountancy, and MBAs and armed them with business focused communication techniques.
  • International faculty: Brazilian Professors Danilo Pereira (ABE Visiting scholar, UNESP, Tupã) and Cecília de Fátima Souza (UK-BAE visiting scholar, Federal University of Viçosa)
  • D. students: Tatiana Sales (ABE-UIUC), Liangcheng Yang (ABE-UIUC), Weichao Zheng (ABE Visiting scholar, College of Water Conservancy & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University), Giselle Borges (ABE Visiting scholar, University of São Paulo, Brazil), Maira Pecegueiro do Amaral (BAE-UK), Thayla Morandi (UNICAMP, Brazil), Jacob Segers (Animal Science, UIUC)
  • S. & B.S. students: Brett Ramirez (ABE-UIUC), Yi Sun (TSM-UIUC), Patricia Paulausky (ABE-UIUC), Micah Zehr (ABE-UIUC), Loren Anliker (ABE-UIUC), Kellie Kroscher (Animal Science, UIUC), Lucas Dutra de Melo (BAE-UK), Gabriela Morello (BAE-UK), Igor Lopes (BAE-UK), Tatiana Sales (BAE-UK), Andy Watson (BAE-UK)

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