What type of work do you do for Gastrograph?

Data science and business development.

What sparked your interest in working in that field?

I started by focusing on the development of the Gastrograph system when it was still a research project at The Tea Institute at Penn State. I wanted to find a way to really measure what people were tasting and how the flavors of ageing tea changed over time.

Now I work mostly on business development, sales, and our data science back-end. I still ship code to production every day. Recently, our data science team has grown from one person (just me) to Arturo, a few of our developers, and two interns - so I've been spending a lot of time training them in our current techniques and the techniques we will implement in the future.

Why did you choose AFS?

I didn't. AFS chose me.

Analytical Flavor Systems has a pretty unique environment. What would you say your favorite part is?

I love helping craft producers who want to expand, but are serious about maintaining quality. I love our 5+ tastings a day and helping catch and identify flaws - I'd rather have my team catch it then let it ship and hurt a producer's chances of success.

Working at a startup can be time consuming. What activities do you do in your free time to alleviate the stress?

I roll jiu-jitsu twice a week and rock climb on weekends. Every time I get stressed about work, I think about my hardest moments climbing and it keeps me grounded. Work's not going to kill me.

If you were given a free full-page ad in the newspaper and had to sell yourself in six words or less, how would the ad read?

Trained palate needs artisan products.

Strangest Tasting Exigence:

Either wasp larvae in Yunnan (China) or homemade absinthe at a New Years warehouse party in Brooklyn.