Marisa Phillips

World Bank Case Study: Effects of Education on Economic Outcomes Research Question: Can selected educational indicators be shown to correlate to economic growth? One of the projects I completed for my Google Data Analysis Certification through Coursera is a analysis of a fractional subsection of data available through the World Bank . After viewing several years' worth of data for a wide range of variables, I drew ten measures from the vast lists of indicators available there, from table 2.8: Participation in Education. I selected only data from 2014, a year in which many records were more complete than for other years.  I sought to determine whether any of the variables selected (listed in Table 1 below) explain or show relationship to growth outcomes for selected countries, such as GDP Per Capita. In my analysis, I looked for any correlation in the Government Expenditure, Internet Users per 100, or Enrollment in Upper Secondary variables. With AI becoming a d...

What I find so satisfying about data analysis is the combination of logical deduction and thoughtful, context-based inference required to interpret its results. The analysis itself has very clear and well-established procedures, with standard routes to expected outcomes, it also allows for a lot of creative thought. In fact, the best analysts are those with experience across many different types of challenges, whose varied techniques give them perspective and insight into problem solving.  The complex and frustrating nature of analysis is its own reward for a mind hungry for novelty and challenge. The subject of analysis, furthermore, often provides its own fascinating content. My own personal experience in the fields of public education and retail banking allow for a unique understanding of working with the public. In many ways, the two industries are similar; the services provided are valued very differently, but both involve interfacing with the public, providing excellent custo...

I am a seventh-generation Texan on my mother's side, once removed. I wasn't born here, but as the saying goes, I got here as fast as I could. A native of Portland, OR, I moved to Fort Worth in 1998 to attend Texas Christian University. I have loved living here, and traveling to other places, with my husband of 23 years, Dustin, and our two children. I worked in retail banking for several years before starting our family. I taught high school math for 13 years and served as a campus administrator for two. By far, though, my most gratifying work has been parenting. I have always loved learning for its own sake, which I have learned is the definition of being a philomath - one of my favorite words. I love working in my garden, cooking with my family, and creating things with my hands, but I am happiest curled up with a book. Some of my recent favorites are The Wager by David Grann, Atomic Habits by James Clear, and Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury .