Personal Webpage

Hillden Tan

Incoming MSE DS @UPenn | Data Scientist @UW Madison

About

I am a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a background in Computer Science, Data Science, and Economics. I am currently working as a Data Science Research Assistant, where I apply statistical modeling, machine learning, and large-scale data analysis to real-world animal welfare problems.

I will be joining Penn Engineering to pursue a Master of Science in Engineering in Data Science. My current interests include applying machine learning to asset management and risk management.

Education

University of Pennsylvania

2026 - Expected. 2028

Master of Science in Engineering in Data Science

University of Wisconsin-Madison

2021 - 2025

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, with distinction

Experience

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences

Sep 2024 - Present

Madison, WI

Computational Research Assistant, advised by Dr. Jennifer Van Os

Nao Now

Jun 2024 - Aug 2024

Remote, NY

Data Analyst Intern

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Engineering

Jan 2024 - May 2024

Madison, WI

Machine Learning Research Team Lead, advised by Prof. Dane Morgan

Meaningful New York

Aug 2023 - Present

New York, NY

Community Habilitation Specialist

Project

Dairy Cow Location Tracker

2024

Python, Machine Learning, Image Analysis

  • Analyzed an approximately 100,000-figure dairy cattle location-tracking and behavioral dataset in Python.
  • Developed and implemented labeling protocols using KMeans clustering to support health and dietary management.

German Search Accuracy

2023

Python, Machine Learning, spaCy NLP

  • Led a team of 3 in the eBay University Machine Learning Competition and ranked 34th out of 300 teams.
  • Utilized the spaCy NLP library to improve text preprocessing and feature extraction for a dataset of 5,000 entries, achieving an 89% accuracy rate on German search results.

Unix Shell

2023

C, Operating Systems, Process Management

  • Developed a custom Unix shell in C, integrating 15+ POSIX system calls to manage process lifecycle, parent-child synchronization, and inter-process communication.
  • Designed and executed a comprehensive suite of functionalities including command execution and I/O redirection.

City Navigation System

2022

Java, Dijkstra's Shortest Path, Full-Stack, Hash Table, Queues

  • Utilized Dijkstra's Shortest Path Algorithm to optimize urban routing based on user preferences.
  • Integrated 5+ real-world features, such as tolls and traffic, to deliver dynamic routing recommendations.