Education:

University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Massachusetts

PhD. Mathematics, February 1989

Thesis Title: Exponential Chains and Generalized Inverses: New Approaches to the Approximate and Exact Solution of Markov Chain Problems
Supplemental Coursework: Linear Models, Time Series, Nonparametric Statistics, Multivariate Statistics, Decision Analysis

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, Massachusetts

B.S. Electrical Engineering, June 1981

Thesis Title: Optimal Waiting Strategies for Concurrent Bus Lines

B.S. German Literature and Language, June 1981

Thesis Title: Die Gestalt des kleinen Mannes bei Hans Fallada

Supplemental Coursework: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Linear Programming, Accounting, Managerial Psychology Lab, Introduction to Management Science

Friedricana Universität (Universität Karlsruhe) - Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany

Exchange Student, Oct. 1985 - Jul. 1986

Albert-Ludwigs Universität (Universität Freiburg) - Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany

Exchange Student, Oct. 1979 - Jul. 1980

[ Education | Publications | Awards | Computer ]

Professional Experience:

Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene & Public Health - Baltimore, Maryland

Assistant Scientist, 1998 - present
Teaching computing related to statistics and basic statistics classes.

Introduction to Statistical Computing (140.609)
A 2 credit introduction to data management for MPH students. Students are introduced to good data management practices, and are taught basic data management within a spreadsheet application (MS-Excel), a statistical package (Stata), and a relational database management system (MS-Access).
Internet version of Introduction to Statistical Computing (140.609)
As the name says, this course is taught over the Internet. All the course lectures were turned into a series of small training videos which capture the computer actions normally done in lab. The portion of theses videos which teaches data management and the use of Stata are freely available here.
Introduction to Public Health Statistics (140.610)
A 2 credit introduction to statistical concepts needed in public health. The topics covered in the class run the gamut from reading and interpreting graphs to life tables, direct and indirect standardization, to sampling. This class was conducted simultaneously in Baltimore and in Montgomery County via television.
Introduction to Stata (also known as Introduction to Statistical Packages) (140.630)
This course teaches the students about everything Stata. Students learn data management, data manipulation, data presentation, data translation, basic programming, and, to a lesser extent data analysis.
Advanced Probability I (140.692)
A 3 credit class in measure theory designed to teach students enough analysis and measure theory that they can learn convergence theorems, conditional probability, and martingale theory at the Homewood campus.

Also work as a consultant in the in the Johns Hopkins Biostatistics Center.

Health Care Excel - Louisville, Kentucky

Statistician, 1992 - 1998
Design and run sophisticated statistical analyses of utilization and outcomes using Medicare claims data. Present results so that they can be understood by non-statistical audiences. Write software to address special needs of the company - these range from programs which predict the timeliness of case reviews to a custom cluster analysis program which identifies hospital service areas, to programs which clean and manage multi-gigabyte data files which arrive quarterly from the Federal Government. Work extensively with Geographic Information Systems.

Ithaca College - Ithaca, New York

Assistant Professor, 1990 - 1991
Taught calculus, statistics, differential equations, and finite mathematics.

University of Louisville - Louisville, Kentucky

Visiting Assistant Professor, 1989 - 1990
Taught precalculus, calculus, and linear algebra.

Smith College - Northampton, Massachusetts

Visiting Lecturer, 1988 - 1989
Responsible for all three statistics courses offered at Smith College by the Math Department. Taught two of the courses with the aid of computer labs where the students applied their knowledge to real data using the ADAPS statistical package. Wrote a custom package of teaching tools to use in the labs.

University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Massachusetts

Teaching Assistant/Associate, 1986 - 1988, 1981 - 1984
Taught probability and statistics at all levels, differential equations, and calculus.

Statistical Consultant, Statistical Consulting Center, 1984 - 1985
Consulted faculty and students about statistical problems related to their research. Wrote program files for BMDP and SPSS as well as custom statistical packages in APL.

[ Education | Experience | Awards | Computer ]

Publications

Journal Articals

Rising, W. Using Longitudinal Risk-Adjustment to Evaluate Geographic Variation in Carotid Endarterectomy,to appear in Medical Care.

Rising, W. Geometric Markov Chains,Journal of Applied Probability, 32, 349-374, 1995.

Rising, W. Generalizing the Plurality Method for Forming Hospital Service Areas, Clinical Performance and Quality Health Care, 1, 199-204, 1993.

Rising, W. Applications of Generalized Inverses to Markov Chains, Advances in Applied Probability, 23, 293-302, 1991.

Other

Sheikh K, Lee K, Rising W, Felt D, Clark JD. The National Hospital Peer Grouping Project. Baltimore, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration, 1999. HCFA Publication No. 10130.

[ Education | Experience | Publications | Computer ]

Awards:

Golden Apple Teaching Award, 2000 Johns Hopkins University
This award is given to two professors/instructors each year in the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.

German Exchange Scholarship, 1985 German Academic Exchange Office (DAAD)
Full Scholarship to study at the University of Karlsruhe for the academic year 1985 - 1986.

Distinguished Teaching Award, 1984 University of Massachusetts/Amherst
This award is the highest honor for teaching at the UMass/Amherst campus. It is awarded to three professors and three teaching assistants/associates each year.

[ Education | Experience | Publications | Awards ]

Computer Languages & Packages:

Have programmed in Unix-based APL II, Lisp, Algol, ELisp, DOS-based APL*PLUS, Stata, and dBASE, Macintosh based APL II, C, C++, Pascal, HyperCard, and Mathematica, and have extensive experience with OS/2 and Microsoft Windows. Also know Stata, S-Plus, SPSS, BMDP, IDAP, Minitab and ADAPS statistical packages, AtlasGIS Geographic Software, and a wide variety of standard packages.

Foreign Languages:

German: fluent
French: reading, good