About Me

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Kia ora, I'm Sidney, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Te Pūnaha Matatini – New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence for Complex Systems, working in the Modelling for Impact Hub. I focus on modelling complex social systems using language data, particularly in the areas of digital inclusion and social resilience.

My PhD research modelled language variation and change in local populations using geo-referenced social media language data. I hold degrees in Linguistics and Applied Data Science from the University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, and previously worked as a Senior Design Analyst – Te Ara Takatū at Stats NZ | Tatauranga Aotearoa, supporting hapū, iwi, and iwi-related groups with their data needs.

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Education

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Doctor of Philosophy (Linguistics)

Geospatial Research Institute, University of Canterbury

Supervision: Dr Ben Adams, Dr Jonathan Dunn, Professor Jen Hay, and Dr Kong Meng Liew

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Master of Applied Data Science (with Distinction)

University of Canterbury

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Master of Linguistics (with Distinction)

University of Canterbury

Supervision: Dr Vica Papp and Tika Ormond

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Bachelor of Science (Linguistics)

University of Canterbury

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