Eric Ruggieri

Eric Ruggieri is a Professor and Chair of the Mathematics & Computer Science Department at College of the Holy Cross. His academic career spans statistical research with applications in climate science, computational biology, and medical research.

Dr. Ruggieri's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brown University (2010)
• Sc.M. in Applied Mathematics from Brown University (2006)
• B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Providence College (2005)

His primary research focuses on Bayesian statistics, particularly change point models and variable selection techniques. Dr. Ruggieri has made significant contributions to the identification of change points in climatic time series, where a change point acts as a regime boundary indicating shifts in the climate system. His work has examined major transitions in Earth's climate history, including the formation of permanent Northern Hemisphere glaciers around 2.7 million years ago and the shift in glacial melting cycles from 40,000 to 100,000 years approximately 1 million years ago. He has developed computationally efficient algorithms for change point detection that address the exponential growth in potential solutions as dataset size increases. Beyond climate applications, his research extends to medical statistics, including studies on hospital-onset bloodstream infections in ICU settings, and he maintains a strong interest in sports statistics as both a research area and teaching tool.

Dr. Ruggieri's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on developing and applying statistical methodologies to real-world problems. His work shows a progression from theoretical developments in Bayesian change point detection and variable selection to diverse applications across climate science, medical research, and sports analytics. The majority of his publications appear in high-impact statistics and climate journals, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research.

Dr. Ruggieri has been actively involved in mentoring undergraduate students, particularly in sports statistics projects. As Department Chair, he demonstrates leadership within the academic community while maintaining an active research program. His work with NOAA climate data shows engagement with important contemporary issues like global temperature anomaly analysis.