Zacharia Schell

Background

About Zacharia Schell

I believe the most powerful market failure in the modern world is imperfect information. When parties lack all the information in a transaction, they cannot make fully rational decisions, which means they cannot always act in their best interest. This is a widespread issue, from something as simple as a grocery store customer trying to reduce their environmental impact but not knowing which bread company to buy from, to businesses negotiating multimillion-dollar licenses under the shadow of litigation. Everywhere in my life and work, I see imperfect information, and everywhere I see it, I want to solve it. I have an economics degree with a liberal arts background; I have the compassion and training to think deeply about issues I care about, and the skills to solve those problems. A good worker requires both. Data and statistics can be skewed for various agendas just as easily as they can be used to pursue justice. Through my academic endeavors and my work experience in economic consulting, I have learned that the truth is the most important resource in the world, and a well-informed diligence of the truth is the highest trait in the pursuit of excellence. My mission is to pursue excellence in all I do. My main tool for pursuing excellence and the truth is data science. It is important to not simply think you are right, but to prove it. This requires data being manipulated, visualized, and ultimately shared, but it also requires a researcher who is thoughtful enough to consider all biases, implications, and alternatives before sharing their story. The most value I can create for a company is in my ability to diligently pursue excellence, and the most important thing I have added to my list of skills is the ability to think thoroughly about the story I am telling and the truthfulness of the way I am sharing the data.