Markell Macel Thornton

[email protected] • (206) 251-3212 • Shoreline WA,USA
LinkedIn: LinkedIn

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Aspiring data scientist with hands-on experience leading a team to develop a machine learning sentiment analysis bot focused on ethics and AI biases. Skilled in spatial analysis using OpenGIS and data visualization, with a strong foundation in data science coursework and practical projects analyzing wildfire impacts and misinformation effects. Proven ability to collect, prepare, and analyze open data to generate actionable insights, complemented by effective communication and teamwork skills.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts in Geography: Data Science
09/2025
University of Washington, College of Arts and Sciences , Seattle, WA, USA GPA: 3.5/4.0
01/2024
Institut für Zeitgeschichte , Munich & Berlin, Germany

SKILLS

PROJECTS

Social Media Sentiment Analysis (Reddit, ML based)
• Led a team developing a ML sentiment analysis bot for subreddits, focusing on ethics and AI biases
• As a team member, helped identify and fix bugs
California Wildfire Analysis 🔗
Technologies: OpenGIS
• Collected open data on wildfires, filtered and prepared it for analysis of wildfire frequency, causes and prevalence in California county
• Learned and used new spatial analysis tools like OpenGIS, open-data sites and visualization methods
• Shared maps publicly
• Concluded that effects of wildfires are more pronounced in poor regions which are also more prone to such disasters
• Noted that wildfires in richer counties led to less losses due to high household incomes offsetting lost revenue
Final Culminating Project (Presentation)
• Examined how misinformation and disinformation differ, focusing on their effects on public understanding of autism
• Analyzed the role of media, social platforms, and organizations in shaping and often distorting perceptions of autism
• Delivered a critical, solutions-oriented talk encouraging information literacy and more accurate representation of autism in media and society
Wanderwise 🔗
Technologies: Gemini AI, React, HTML, CSS
• Developed AI-based website to help tourists adapt to local cultures using Gemini as the AI advisor and React/HTML/CSS for UI development
• Aggregated open data to create a collection of points of interest from free internet sources
• Enabled tourists to query points of interest and request AI-generated social and cultural data including social cues, local greetings, native languages, local foods, and taboos
Nibblesandgigles 🔗
Technologies: React, Tailwind CSS, Emotion, Firebase Store, Cloud Storage, Firebase Authentication
• Researched and built an online store as a beginner web development project
• Learned technologies including React, CSS, JS/TS, REST APIs
• Used Firebase Store, Cloud Storage, and Firebase Authentication
• Researched tech stack of software used in school such as OpenGIS and Excel, learning the relevance of standardized file formats (geojson)
Gym/Exercise guidance app 🔗
Technologies: React, Tailwind CSS, Capacitor JS, Firebase Store, Cloud Storage, Firebase Authentication, AI models
• Started development of a Gym App to advise users on exercises, reps, track progress, provide AI motivation, suggest meal plans, and track calories
• Planned to use geospatial skills to customize greetings and meal plans based on user location
• Leveraged AI to generate motivational texts and suggestions