Maria Petrova
msmariapetrova@gmail.com
919.368.6765 (cell)
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
 Eight years of experience performing research and teaching in math, statistics and data analysis
fields
 Skilled in data mining, manipulation, and quality control with R statistical software and SQL
 Skilled in graphing and conducting various regression and multivariate statistical analysis with R
 Good knowledge of MS Excel, MS Access and ArcGIS 10
 Strong background in ecological modeling
 Great communication skills, resourceful and self-motivated, team-member and individual
contributor
EDUCATION
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
College of the Environment, School of Environmental and Forest Resources
Master of Science in Forest Biometrics, June 2011
Thesis title: “Improving Ponderosa pine growth predictions in the Southwest”
Committee co-chairs: Eric Turnblom and Jon Bakker
Thesis Project:
 Used linear regression techniques and R to develop ecological models of Ponderosa pine
diameter and height growth
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics – minor in Statistics, May 2005
Related Project: “Rates of Oxygen Transportation in the Lungs at Different Altitudes and Hemoglobin
Levels” Final project for MA432: Mathematical models in life and social sciences, May 2005
 Investigated a complex model for partial pressure and gas exchange in blood and lungs
 Made simulations in Matlab to describe the effectiveness of exchange of oxygen at different
altitudes and hemoglobin levels
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant, Pacific Wildland Fire Science Lab, Seattle, WA
September 2011 – Present
 Data manipulations and statistical analyses with R statistical software
 Database management and quality control with SQL
 Produced model runs and verified integrity of results
 Created maps of forest stands, treatments and fire history in ArcGIS 10
Research Assistant, School of Environmental and Forest Resources, University of Washington
January 2009 – June 2011
 Data management and statistical analysis with R statistical software
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Prepared various graphs representing data structure and summarizing results
Produced future stand yields and tree growth with Forest Vegetation Simulator
Produced PowerPoint presentations and prepared write-up of data analyses
Conducted scientific literature review
Teaching Assistant – Calculus 291, Center for Quantitative Science, University of Washington
October 2008- December 2008
 Held office hours and review sessions with students
 Graded students’ tests
Math Tutor, Educational Enrichment (09/03 – 03/05), Huntington Learning Center (02/06 – 01/07),
BrainTrust (03/07 – 05/08), Raleigh, NC
 Related various math concepts to a diverse sample of high school students
 One-on-one SAT prep
 Wrote reports summarizing student progress
PUBLICATIONS
Petrova, M. 2011. Tracking the effects of global climate fluctuations on bird abundance in Magnuson
Park. Earthcare Northwest: 6-7. March 2011
Petrova, M., Sedgley, A., Joyce, G., Hodum, P.H., Pearson, S. F., Hamel, N.J., Hass, T., Logan, I.,
Curl, H., Marchall, K.N., and E.Ward. Utilizing citizen science programs to estimate long-term
trends and identify climate drivers in seabird species. Marine Progress Series. In review.
Petrova, M., Bakker, J., and Turblom, E. An improved diameter growth model for ponderosa pine in
the Southwest reduces long-term error propagation. Western Journal of Applied Forestry.
Accepted March 2013.
PRESENTATIONS
Graduate Student Symposium, University of Washington. “Sensitivity analysis of a growth model of
the Central Rockies variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator.” March 2011
Society of American Foresters, Albuquerque, NM. “Response surface sensitivity analysis of the
southwest ponderosa pine large tree growth model of the Central Rockies Variant of the Forest
Vegetation Simulator.” October 2010
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES
Data Analyst, Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, WA
September 2010 – March 2011
 Computed monthly bird abundance estimates with R and Distance computer package
 Used different multivariate techniques to relate climate indices and bird abundance at Magnuson
Park in Seattle, WA
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