Kennesaw State Student Earns National Recognition For Research

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Apr 26, 2021

Kennesaw State student earns national recognition for research

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Apr 26, 2021) — Jacob Rybak is having an unforgettable final year as a Kennesaw State University student,
presenting to prestigious research conferences across the country and even being a
featured speaker for one of them.

Jacob Rybak and professor Susan Hardy after he took first place in the undergraduate
category in KSU's Analytics Day, winning $1,500 from Southern Company.

Rybak has been working with professor Susan Hardy for several months on research aimed
at reforming the prison system in the United States and reducing the number of former
inmates who relapse into criminal activity and return to jail. Rybak has given presentations
online for seven different research conferences, including at Harvard, Virginia Tech
and most recently Stanford, for which he also was a plenary speaker.

“It has been an incredible experience,” said Rybak, a senior double majoring in economics and finance with a minor in applied statistics and analytics. “Some of the students at these conferences hopefully will be in positions of influence
in their communities in the future, and we want to make people understand that there
are issues that need to be solved.”

Conducting undergraduate research wasn’t on Rybak’s radar until he took a statistical
methods course from Hardy last fall, which he called “the best decision I ever made
regarding my education.” For the research project the class requires, Hardy supported
his idea to study how to prevent released offenders from being incarcerated again
– a meaningful subject to Rybak considering he has a family member who spent 15 years
in prison, was arrested again for the same crime, and now is serving a life sentence.
Hardy also encouraged Rybak to participate in research showcases on campus and beyond.

“I just never imagined that it would’ve taken off the way that it did,” Rybak said.
“Having the opportunity to speak on behalf of current and former inmates who might
feel like their voices aren’t being heard, as well as to network with people from
schools such as Stanford and Harvard, never would have been possible without Professor
Hardy opening the whole realm of undergraduate research to me and mentoring me on
presentation skills.”

For his research project, Rybak analyzed Iowa Department of Corrections statistics
because the state has a well-organized, ready-to-use data set on their number of former
inmates who return to prison and why. Rybak proposes placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation
within the U.S. prison system by providing more educational opportunities for inmates
and addressing hostile prison environments and the psychological needs of inmates.

Jacob Rybak, his wife Andi and their son Kelso.
Rybak shared his research at Kennesaw State’s Symposium of Student Scholars last fall and this spring, and he took first place in the undergraduate category
in the recent Analytics Day. KSU’s research showcases were the springboard to Rybak being invited to national
research conferences and being one of only three students chosen as plenary speakers
for the Stanford conference, enabling him to address all of the attendees about the
realities of prison life and his proposed solutions.

“Jacob is a passionate and motivated person,” said Hardy, senior lecturer of analytics
and statistics in KSU’s School of Data Science and Analytics. “He has prompted me and others at each of his conferences to reflect on biases we
have against ex-offenders. Jacob is a hard worker and he found these landmark conferences
where the School of Data Science and Analytics had not previously participated.”

Rybak, 26, has been conducting and presenting his research while maintaining a full
course load, being a husband and father, and working a full-time job from 5 a.m. to
2 p.m. He and his wife Andi, a Kennesaw State alumnus with a degree in integrative studies, have a 21-month-old son and are expecting their second child in July.

As Rybak looks forward to graduating in May, he aspires to a career at the intersection
of economics, finance and data analytics. Rybak also wants to continue the community
activism and awareness from his research, including possibly starting a nonprofit
to help former prisoners transition back into society through education, scholarships
and workforce training.

“This is very near and dear to my heart and I hope I can carry it on,” Rybak said.
“I would love to do more than just talk about these issues.”

– Paul Floeckher

Photos by Jason Getz and submitted

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Kennesaw State students to showcase research at Symposium of Student Scholars

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.