SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
Wesley J. Marrero, PhD, MA
Assistant Professor of Engineering
Thayer School
Dartmouth College
Thadryan Sweeney, MS
PhD Candidate
Quantitative Biomedical Sciences
Dartmouth College
About the Presentation: The US continues to suffer an overdose crisis of unprecedented severity. Factors for predicting risk for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) are of great clinical interest. Previous machine learning models have leveraged The National Survey on Drug Use and Health to create various machine learning models with considerable accuracy. We extend this work with the addition of conformal prediction, a method to quantify the uncertainty in machine learning models where it would otherwise not be possible. Additionally, we find the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale to be predictive of OUD risk in a way that appears to be under appreciated.
About the Presenters: Professor Marrero’s research interest lies in developing decision-support tools that consider the challenges associated with their implementation in practice, such as complex interdependencies, irrational behavior, lack of interpretability, and need for flexibility. To this end, he designs and applies techniques from operations research and artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on simulation and optimization. Through this research, Dr. Marrero has ongoing collaborations with Dartmouth Health, the Geisel School of Medicine, the Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of Michigan Medical School and School of Public Health, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and running.
Thadryan Sweeney is a PhD candidate in Quantitative Biomedical Sciences at Dartmouth College advised by Wesley Marrero in the Data, Statistics, and Optimization group. His research centers on statistical approaches to understanding psychiatric and neurological diseases and improving access to related treatments. Prior to their doctoral studies, he conducted biomarker evaluations at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Clinical & Translational Research Unit and Cardiovascular Research Center as well as early work on diagnostics for COVID-19. He also taught an introductory courses in the Bioinformatics MS program at Northeastern University. A former firefighter and human services professional, he hopes to advance research that promotes efficient resource use, personalized care, and reduced patient suffering in biomedical systems.