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Interview with Author Patricia Cerrito
Authorline catches up with Patricia Cerrito as she eagerly awaits the publication of her new book Introduction to Data Mining Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
- Authorline (AL): What was your motivation for writing your book?
- Patricia Cerrito (PC): I wanted to write an applied, practical, "how to" book for data mining large databases. I very much wanted it to contain the information that I try to pass along to my students when teaching them to work with data mining.
- (AL): Who are you targeting with your book?
- (PC): I am targeting a general audience that is drowning in data but has no background in data mining to be able to extract information from that data. While the text does have some material related to retail and marketing, it provides information on exploring large and varied datasets from other environments.
- (AL): What features of the book are you especially pleased with?
- (PC): I have included information on writing technical papers, and papers for journal publication, as communication is an extremely important skill in addition to statistical knowledge. I have also provided a number of examples related to clinical databases that can be used to improve patient care and decrease costs.
- (AL): How will your book benefit SAS users?
- (PC): It will benefit SAS users who have access to Enterprise Miner and want to learn how to use it more effectively. It will also benefit SAS users who have not used Enterprise Miner but who want to learn more about it.
- (AL): What were some of the joys of writing this book?
- (PC): The satisfaction of writing it since this is my first book-and I am willing to do another. The satisfaction of becoming intimately acquainted with SAS Enterprise Miner.
- (AL): What did you learn while writing this book that would be important for other authors to know?
- (PC): To write it before the next upgrade comes out, requiring it to be completely rewritten. Also, it is important to have patience because it will take time to get the book out in print.
- (AL): How did you decide to publish with SAS?
- (PC): It was the best place to publish the book since it is focused on data mining using Enterprise Miner.
- (AL): Your book will be going to the printer in just a few weeks. How does it feel to be in the home stretch of such a long project?
- (PC): Absolutely wonderful! It gives me a real sense of accomplishment.
- (AL): What advice would you give to potential authors?
- (PC): To write from what you know, to write from your experience. To write a book that you would like to have and to use, but that has not yet been written.
- (AL): How were you able to balance your time between your career and writing this book?
- (PC): I was able to create this balance by working evenings and weekends. Also, it was my experience from teaching students that formed the basis for this book
- (AL): When you aren't writing or teaching, how do you like to spend your free time?
- (PC): I spend my free time with my family.
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Patricia Cerrito began using SAS in 1973 and for the past 16 years has been a professor of mathematics at the University of Louisville, where she is also the director of a newly approved 18-credit-hour program in data mining. She is an active member of PharmaSUG and served as Section Co-Chair of Statistics and Pharmacokinetics at the 2006 conference. |
