# Welcome 👋
## Exploring the Intersections of Economics, Data Science, and All Things Urban

### Professional Life

Currently, I am working as a Graduate Research Assistant at the [Population Research Center](https://www.pdx.edu/population-research/) at Portland State University. Formerly, I worked as an Economic Analyst at [WES](https://www.westernes.com/), a consulting firm specializing in housing, economics, community planning, and development. In these roles, I conducted exploratory data analysis, created and maintained data pipelines, and generated automated reports, visualizations, and dashboards.

### My Academic Pursuits

I am currently in the second year of my master's in Economics at Portland State University, and I am excited to begin work on my master's thesis. I am particularly interested in the economics and individual motivations of contributors to open-source. Additionally, I am interested in quantifying the impacts of U.S. redlining policies on inequality. If these topics pique your interest or you're seeking collaboration on a related project, don't hesitate to contact me at [seth@sethdowden.com](mailto:seth@sethdowden.com).

### Follow and Connect

You can find me on [Kaggle](https://www.kaggle.com/sethdowden) leveling up my data science skills, or take a look at some of my projects on [GitHub](https://github.com/SethDowden), which I discuss on this blog and beyond. You can also connect with me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethdowden/). Find me lurking on Twitter at [@SethDowden](https://twitter.com/sethdowden). Or, check out my Photography blog [503.pics](https://503.pics/)📸.


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