Main
Desiree De Leon
Education
Ph.D., Neuroscience
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
2020 - 2014
- Advisors: Larry J. Young; Mar M. Sanchez
- GPA: 4.0
B.S., Neuroscience
B.A., Spanish
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
2011 - 2007
- Departmental Honors and Highest Distinction
- Linguistics minor
- GPA: 3.967
- Study Abroad:
University of Otago, New Zealand (Spring 2010)
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru (Fall 2009)
Comparative Education Study Tour, Japan/China (May 2009)
African Diaspora Studies Summer Program, Ghana (May 2008)
Awards & Scholarships
GRADUATE
N/A
2020 - 2014
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2015-2020)
- Graduates in Neuroscience Scientific Outreach (2016)
- Laney Development Council Leadership Award (2016)
- Emory Graduate Diversity Fellowship (2014 -2019)
UNDERGRADUATE
N/A
2011 - 2007
- Indiana University Herman B Wells Scholar: 1 of 25 full-ride scholarships to Indiana University (2007-2011)
- Senator Richard G. Lugar Scholar: 1 of 2 recipients of $20k award from Fund for Hoosier Excellence to attend college in Indiana (2007- 2011)
- Others: James Dinsmoor Award in Psychological and Brain Sciences, Margaret Russell Edmondson Undergraduate Research Award in Genetics, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Founders Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Hudson & Holland Scholar, Hispanic Heritage Award for Academic Excellence
Research & Data Science Experience
I also write about my data science projects on my blog desiree.rbind.io.
Teacups, Giraffes, & Statistics
Online modules for learning statistics and R
2020 - 2019
- R Markdown website to teach statistics using a fictional story about miniature giraffes.
- Created 50+ original illustrations, including hand-annotated and animated plots.
- Co-authored with Hasse Walum.
Emory University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Doctoral research
Atlanta, GA
2019 - 2014
- Modeled the relationship between genetic factors and social behavior.
- Applied parametric and non-parametric methods and simulations in R.
- Collaborated with technicians, scientists, and students to collect and manage raw data for longitudinal studies.
RStudio
Summer intern with Alison Hill
Remote
2019
- Developed an online book for educators to leverage data science tools
- Created guides for building R Markdown-related websites, tutorials, and data packages.
- Designed templates with custom HTML and CSS for out-of-the-box implementation
Data Science for Scientists ATL
Member
Atlanta, GA
2019
- Participated in planning regular data science talks and co-working code sessions, and workshops.
Emory Coding Club
Co-founder
Atlanta, GA
2019
- Taught R to students and trainees at Emory University
IU Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Undergraduate researcher, Rebec Lab
Indiana University
2010 - 2008
- Defended honors thesis on dysfunctional information processing in Huntington’s disease.
- Received 1st place in poster presentations at 4 of 5 conferences participated
Teaching and Project Management
I have taught in the public school system and in higher education settings, using intuitive and data-driven instruction.
The Wonderful World of R Markdown
Online workshop
Marcus Autism Center Coding Club
2020
- Taught an introduction to R Markdown and hosting HTML pages on Netlify.
Introduction to Machine Learning with the Tidyverse
rstudio::conf 2020
San Francisco, CA
2020
- Served as a TA for a two day workshop on introducing users to tidymodels, tidyverse packages for doing machine learning.
Undergraduate mentor
Young Lab
Atlanta, GA
2019 - 2018
- Supervised undergraduate for honors thesis research projects
Atlanta Chapter for Society for Neuroscience
Graduate representative
Emory University
2017 - 2015
- Coordinated a program to pair neuroscientists from 3 universities to 60 local K-12 schools for outreach visits, reaching over 5,000 students, and increasing rate of successful pairs by 22% from previous year.
- Planned series of hands-on science demos at the Atlanta Science Festival, presenting to 1000+ public visitors.
Graduates in Neuroscience Curriculum Committee
Elected representative
Emory University
2017 - 2015
- Redesigned course evaluations, increasing student response rate from 53% to 90% and increasing the proportion of descriptive feedback for each lecturer by a factor of 4.
- Implemented online system that improved ease of access and timeliness for 40+ instructors to receive their evaluations.
- Introduced teaching technique called “Checks for Understanding” and provided guidance to over 40 lecturers on its implementation, which 93% of students rated as having had a positive and helpful effect on first year neuroscience courses.
Atlanta Brain Bee
Chair
Atlanta, GA
2017 - 2015
- Led neuroscience Q&A competition for teens.
- Managed 4 coordinators and 49 volunteers to hold the largest Atlanta Brain Bee, including pre-Bee workshops.
- Designed and led trainings for local winner to prepare for nationals, ultimately placing 3rd at nationals (2016) and top 20 (2017)
Teach For America/ YES Prep Public Schools
Founding 7th Grade Science Teacher
Houston, TX
2013 - 2011
- Selected as one of 5,066 from 47,900 applicants to work in national service corps and teach in under-resourced communities.
- Analyzed achievement data regularly for 145 students to inform instruction and create personalized goals for all students.
- Increased average student achievement in 7th grade science by 12% from the previous year.
- Created over 20 short educational videos for K-12 students in inquiry-based learning and field experiences.
Web Design & Illustration
I use illustration and clean designs in teaching and product design to make complex topics feel friendly and accessible.
Tidymodels.org
for RStudio
2020
- Redesigned site for improved user experience and accessibility
Illustration and Design Consulting
Contracted work
N/A
2020 - 2016
- Developed custom CSS site themes for RStudio educational content
- Produced illustration and/or video content for corporate sites or product campaigns.
- Illustration clients include RStudio, Hewlett Packard Latin America, 20th Century FOX, and French newspaper group Le Monde.
Keeya’s Numbers
Children’s Book
2020
- Illustrated story about data science for kids.
- Created with Greg Wilson.
100 Days of Tiny Things
Original project
N/A
2017 - 2015
- Created a daily series of 200 + illustrations, garnering an Instagram following @dcossyle of over 32,000 in less than 2 years
- Featured in international media outlets, including interviews with BBC Mundo, BBC Radio 4, The Guardian, and Refinery29
9th Annual Shorty Awards Finalist
Instagrammer of Year
New York City
2017
- 1 of 6 finalists recognizing the best online content creators
- Nominated for illustration project 100 Days of Tiny Things
Talks
Of Teacups, Giraffes, and R Markdown
rstudio::conf 2020
San Francisco, CA
2020
- Talk about how to use narrative, design, and interactivity within R Markdown materials to enhance online content for learners.
How to avoid pseudoreplication in experimental design and analysis
Methods Aside: Institute for Quantitative Theory and Methods, Data Science for Scientists ATL & Graduate Research Interdisciplinary Team of Scholars
Emory University
2019
- Focused on statistical concepts and presented to an interdisciplinary audience
Pseudoreplication: How to avoid it in experimental design and analysis
Data Science for Scientists ATL
Atlanta, GA
2018
- Co-developed with Hasse Walum.
Publications
Genome sequence of Serratia sp. strain ATCC 39006, a model bacterium for the analysis of the biosynthesis and regulation of prodigiosin, a carbapenem and gas vesicles.
Genome Announcements. 2013, 1(6):e01039-13
N/A
2013
- Fineran PC, Iglesias Cans MC, Ramsay JP, Wilf N, Cossyleon D, McNeil MB, Williamson NR, Becher SA, Stanton JS, Brugger K, Brown SD & Salmond GPC
Dysfunctional behavioral modulation of corticostriatal communication in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington’s disease.
PloS One. 2012, 7(10): E47026, 1-9.
N/A
2012
- Hong SL, Cossyleon D, Hussain WA, Walker LJ, Barton SJ & Rebec GV
Poster Presentations
Sex differences and genetic variation in oxytocin receptor gene of monogamous prairie voles.
Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology Symposium.
Emory University
2018
- Rubin KF, De Leon D, Walum H, Inuoe K, Young LJ