Welcome to our new #ZignalLife series, where we’ll be profiling the people that make Zignal Labs tick. First up? Michael Kramer, Senior Data Scientist at Zignal Labs. Spoiler alert – Mike really loves bicycles.

1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up outside of Los Angeles, in a small desert town called Acton. I moved to New York City when I was 18 and lived there for eight years before moving to San Francisco.

2. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A writer or a biologist.

3. What do you do at Zignal?
It changes from day to day, but I spend most of my time working on algorithmic development and big data engineering. In other words, I try to automate the way we pull insights out of massive amounts of data.

4. What do you love about working at Zignal?
First and foremost I love my coworkers – the culture is one of the things that keeps me here. I also love the data problems on which I’m working. Media data is so fascinating because you can visualize and explore it in a much more tangible, real-time way than other data sets.

5. What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
I’d love to own a bicycle shop.

6. What are you passionate about outside of work?
I try to stay involved in the Liveable Streets movement, specifically around climate action and cyclist/pedestrian safety in urban spaces. In support of these needs, I’ve participated in several charity rides. The AIDS/Lifecycle – a ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles in support of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Los Angeles LGBT Center – and, more recently, the Climate Ride where I rode through Northern California, Northern Michigan and Death Valley.

The climate ride was really great because it not only helped raise money for important organizations involved in the fight against climate change, but it also allowed me to really experience and appreciate the beauty of some of our most threatened environments. It really helps you understand what’s at stake.

7. What’s your secret talent?
I studied a style of kung fu called Hung Ga for about seven years. As part of that training, I began to learn how to Lion Dance. I also did partner acrobatics, specifically acrobalance, for several years.

8. What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
My bike.

9. What book are you reading right now?
“Io Sono Con Te” by Melania Mazzucco. It’s a really fascinating story, written in Italian, about a refugee named Brigitte that makes her way from the Congo to Rome, Italy.

10. What’s your coffee order?
Black, with a hint of sugar.

11. What’s your dream travel destination?
I’d love to cycle through Sicily.

12. Do you have any pets?
I have two cats – Poe and Gonzo.

13. What’s the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?
A house in San Francisco with a nice, big backyard.

14. Which historical figure would you like to meet?
Oscar Wilde.

 

Interested in learning more about what it’s like to work at Zignal Labs? Visit our #ZignalLife page to learn more about our people, culture and open opportunities.