Background
Alexander A. Peterson

Alexander A. Peterson

Research Data Scientist & Applied Mathematics Expert

Professional Summary

Alex Peterson is a results-driven Research Scientist with a strong record of leading and executing complex R&D initiatives in mathematical modeling, algorithm development, and scalable software systems. He has successfully guided multi-million-dollar projects, delivering cutting-edge solutions in optimization, statistics, graph theory, probability theory, and machine learning. By building distributed architectures and interactive visual tools, Alex consistently accelerates workflows—such as achieving a 95% speedup in sequential Bayesian optimization and reducing complex analytics runtimes from hours to minutes. He combines deep technical expertise with effective client communication, translating requirements into high-impact software and analytical solutions. Alex holds a master's degree in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from Johns Hopkins University, where he also contributed as a researcher, intern, and teaching assistant. His proven ability to optimize system performance, manage large datasets, and advance innovative research underscores his value as a versatile and forward-thinking professional.

Experience

APL Logo

Machine Learning Engineer

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (Laurel, MD) | Aug 2024 – Present

  • Currently advancing machine learning solutions at APL

Data Scientist

LionLink Networks (Ashburn, VA) | Jan 2024 – Present

  • Developing data-driven solutions and analytics

Research Scientist

Metron (Reston, VA) | Oct 2018 – Dec 2023

  • Led algorithm development for a $6M contract
  • Developed metrics & algorithms across 7 R&D projects
  • Achieved a 95% speedup in a sequential Bayesian optimizer
  • Created a distributed graph algorithms database in Apache Spark
  • Built interactive visual aids to improve classifier & GCN performance

Cyber Analytics Research Intern

APL (Laurel, MD) | Jun 2016 – Aug 2017

  • Cut runtime of analytics from 3 hours to minutes
  • Enhanced Mulval security analyzer to handle any number of rules
  • Visualized 40,000+ node attack-graphs

Skills & Expertise

Programming

Python, Java, C/C++, Matlab, R, Mathematica, Linux

Technical

Top Secret Clearance, Algorithm Development, Data Analytics

Leadership

Eagle Scout, Project Management, Team Leadership

Education

Johns Hopkins University

M.S.E. in Applied Mathematics & Statistics (2018)

Undergraduate Studies

B.S. in Applied Mathematics & Statistics

B.A. in Mathematics, Minor in CS

GPA: 3.82, Dean's List, Naddor Prize for departmental achievement