Federica Zoe Ricci

Federica Zoe Ricci is an Assistant Professor of Statistics (tenure-track) at Swarthmore College's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, starting August 2025. Previously, she completed her PhD in Statistics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), advised by Erik Sudderth (UCI) and Michele Guindani (UCLA). Her research integrates Bayesian statistical methods and machine learning to develop scalable models for structured data. She was supported by the HPI Research Center Fellowship in Machine Learning and Data Science during her PhD.

Her work emphasizes data science education, focusing on formative feedback systems, gamification in learning, scientific writing, and Bayesian pedagogy in STEM. She has developed educational tools like the gradetools R package and created the Bayes-Game project to teach Bayesian data analysis through interactive gameplay. Additionally, her interdisciplinary research spans neuroscience applications and consumer behavior studies in institutional settings.

Federica has received recognition for her fellowship and contributed to multiple collaborative projects, including workshops at conferences like USCOTS. Her teaching philosophy prioritizes engagement and accessibility in statistics education.