Josh M
¯
oller-Mara (Updated: July 21, 2015)
Contact
Information
Joshua Moller-Mara
2342 Shattuck Ave #904
Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone: (650) 887-5788
Toll-free: 844-JOSHUAM (844-567-4826)
E-mail: j.mollermara@nyu.edu
WWW: mollermara.com, jmm.io
Research
Interests
Neuroeconomics, Bayesian statistics, probabilistic models of cognition, rationality, game theory, data
visualization, machine learning, artificial intelligence
Education New York University, New York City/Shanghai 2015 – Present
Pursuing a Ph.D. in Neural Science
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California USA 2009 – 2013
B.A. in Computer Science, Cognitive Science, and Statistics
• Recipient of High Honors in Cognitive Science
Research
Experience
Neuroeconomics Lab, University of California, Berkeley
Junior Specialist March 2013 – May 2015
Investigating the neural basis of social learning using an informational cascade paradigm and fMRI.
Undergraduate Research Assistant Spring 2011 – December 2013
Preprocessing and analysis of MRI data, using FreeSurfer, R, and Linux shell scripts to find correla-
tions of cortical thickness with behavioral variables. Coded economic games using z-Tree, Adobe
Flash, and Python/Pygame. Designed and coded multiplayer networked games using HTML5,
Javascript, and node.js. Designed and carried out behavioral experiments related to social cogni-
tion. Obtained MRI scanner operating privileges and assisted in MRI scans. Performed analysis of
functional MRI data using tools in AFNI. Performed data visualization using R, ggplot2, and d3.js.
Worked under the direction of Dr. Ming Hsu, Assistant Professor in the Haas School of Business and
Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute.
Teaching
Experience
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
Teaching Assistant June 2012 – December 2012, August 2013 – May 2014
Teaching assistant for Statistics 133, “Concepts in Computing with Data”. Taught data visualization,
basic machine learning techniques such as k-Nearest Neighbors (implemented in R), web scraping and
data mining, and basic UNIX.
Professional
Experience
ResComp, Student Affairs IT, University of California, Berkeley
Unix Systems Administrator June 2012 – December 2013
Implemented a Two-Factor Authentication system using YubiKey; set up a redundant pair of vali-
dation servers with a sync pool using PHP, PostgreSQL, and Apache on RedHat Enterprise Linux
Systems. Wrote several scripts for internal authentication using OpenSSL. Set up and maintenance
of FreeBSD and Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. Experience with PostgreSQL, Postfix, Apache,
BIND, Nagios, SVN, Git, VMware.
Honors/Awards High Honors in Cognitive Science December 2013
Research topic: “Uncertainty, Herding, and Information Cascades in the Brain”
Modeled subjective probability updating for agents with theory of mind in situations where infor-
mation cascades may form. Wrote a networked multiplayer urn-guessing task to observe behavior
and information cascade formation across differing levels of private signal informativeness. Currently
working on fMRI paradigm.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship L&S Pergo Fellow Summer 2013
Banatao Family Filipino American Education Fund College Scholarship 2009-2013
Presentations Moller-Mara, J., Saez, I., Griffiths, T., and Hsu, M. (2014) Computation in Social Learning with
Information Cascades. Poster presented at UC Berkeley Neuroscience Annual Retreat, Watsonville,
CA.
Related Courses
and Projects
Bayesian Statistics (Stat 157)
Predicted the 2012 presidential election using Gibbs sampling with R and JAGS. Modeled state
elections using random walks, weighting likelihood with poll data.
Computing
Skills
Data analysis and visualization: R, JAGS, Python, Octave, ggobi, d3.js, OpenGL/WebGL
Interpreted languages: R, Python, Bash, Octave, SQL, Javascript, CSS, Lisp (Scheme, Emacs
Lisp, Church, librep), Max/MSP, Csound
Some PHP, Perl, Lua
Applications: GNU Emacs, Blender, AFNI, FreeSurfer, VirtualBox, git and Subversion, Apache,
L
A
T
E
X, PGF/Tik Z
Compiled languages: C/C++, Java, some x86 assembly
Operating systems: Unix-like: Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, Redhat, FreeBSD
Mac OS X, Windows XP