Anastas Choudra

Data Scientist with Cognitive Neuroscience Background | Neural Networks & BCI Interests

Salary / Daily rate

Reading, UK

Freelance, open to permanent contract

Skills

Machine LearningPythonData ScienceData VisualizationBusiness DevelopmentSQL QueriesRTableauCRMJavaMATLAB

About me

Intro

Data Scientist with a background in Cognitive Neuroscience, specializing in end-to-end data analysis and machine learning solutions. My focus is on translating complex data into practical recommendations for better decision-making, operational efficiency, and growth.

Links

Work experience

Data Science Consultant

Freelancer- Self employedFreelance

Jan 2026 - Present

10 months

Hoyland, Barnsley S74, UK

Freelance Data Science Consultant providing end-to-end data analysis and machine learning solutions for businesses seeking clearer insights from their data. I work with stakeholders to define business problems, identify relevant data sources, and deliver actionable insights through statistical analysis, predictive modelling, and interactive dashboards. My focus is on translating complex data into practical recommendations that support better decision-making, operational efficiency, and growth.

Data Scientist

IT Career Switch

Nov 2024 - Present

2 years

Remote, OR 97458, USA

• Conduct exploratory data analysis (EDA) on diverse datasets to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights • Build and evaluate machine learning models for prediction and classification tasks using Python and common ML libraries • Apply natural language processing (NLP) techniques for text cleaning, feature engineering, and sentiment analysis • Validate model performance using appropriate evaluation metrics and cross-validation to ensure robustness and generalisability • Create clear visualisations and technical summaries to communicate findings and support data-driven decision-making • Completed a large portfolio of practical data science projects covering EDA, modelling, and evaluation workflows

PureGym

Aug 2023 - Dec 2025

2 years 5 months

Silverstone, Towcester NN12, UK

Personal Trainer

Aug 2023 - Dec 2025

2 years 5 months

Silverstone, Towcester NN12, UK

Assistant Manager

Jul 2024 - Aug 2025

1 year 2 months

Silverstone, Towcester NN12, UK

• Monitored and reported on key KPIs including membership growth, retention, class attendance, PT conversion, and revenue performance, using data to inform staffing, scheduling, and operational decisions • Contributed to the club becoming one of the top-performing locations nationally through strong member experience, team leadership, and operational excellence • Planned, organised, and delivered in-club events and promotional campaigns (open days, challenges, launches), driving member engagement, new sign-ups, and brand visibility • Supported membership growth and retention by resolving member issues effectively and creating a welcoming, well-run club environment • Supported recruitment and hiring processes, including screening candidates, conducting interviews, onboarding new starters, and ensuring compliance with company standards • Worked closely with senior management to review performance metrics, identify improvement areas, and implement initiatives to improve member experience and commercial outcomes

Research Assistant

University of Reading

Dec 2023 - Aug 2024

9 months

Reading, UK

• Full-time research placement integrated within MSc Cognitive Neuroscience studies at the Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics. • Conducted the experimental research to investigate the “Detection and Perception of Facial Expressions", including the collection and organisation of data for analysis. • Coded the experimental visual stimuli for an oddball task (Python), automating trial presentation and data recording, enhancing experimental efficiency and reliability. • Assisted in the fMRI unit by screening participants, preparing them, and setting up experiments for the MRI operator, which ensured smooth data acquisition and reduced setup time. • Operated and maintained research equipment following established protocols and best practices. • Recruited and scheduled participants for research studies and experiments. • Extracted and entered relevant scientific data and information into appropriate databases. • Compiled laboratory test data to perform appropriate analyses.  Developed specialised computer software routines to customise and integrate analysis. • Cleaned, maintained and prepared supplies and work areas.


Education

University of Reading

Master of Science - MSc, Cognitive Neuroscience

2023 - 2024

1 year 2 months

Grade: 2:1

Activities and societies: Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics

My dissertation explored how confidence relates to decision accuracy under perceptual uncertainty, using a 3-AFC visual motion task and pupillometry as a physiological marker of internal cognitive states. Developed a strong interest in brain–computer interfaces (BCI) and decoding neural signals to understand and communicate cognitive processes.

The Open University

Bachelor of Science - BSc, PSYCHOLOGY

2020 - 2023

2 years 10 months

Grade: 2:1

Activities and societies: Mentor for 1st year students.

Focus on quantitative experimentation. Dissertation title: Investigating differences in categorical perception between English and Greek verbal interference dual tasks in Greek bilinguals.

University of West Attica

Bachelor of Science - BSc, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

2012 - 2015

3 years 2 months

Activities and societies: Made a fully functioning radio PCB


Licenses & certifications

OpenAI API Coding with Python Course

Issued: Dec 2025

Certified by Codecademy

The best place to find your next move

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