Eli Kliejunas.
Eli is a Data Analyst at Synergia. Eli is based in the Auckland office.
Eli is a passionate biostatistician and data analyst dedicated to leveraging statistical analysis and cutting-edge technology to advance public health and wellbeing, with a focus on food systems, mental health interventions, and the ethical application of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the health sector.
Eli’s background lies in the intersection between biostatistics, public health, and food systems. Following his Honours year dissertation at the University of Auckland, he recently published research analysing a dataset of nearly 2 million New Zealand household food purchases to assess possible associations between demographic variables and households’ per capita dietary emissions (i.e., the emissions stemming from the production and distribution of each food purchased). Currently, he is working on a narrative review of the broader academic literature pairing dietary assessments with environmental impact estimates to investigate potential connections between demographic factors and dietary emissions.
Since joining Synergia in 2022, Eli has been the lead analyst on several projects investigating the coverage and impact of primary care mental health interventions and hospice care. In his work on the Te Tumu Waiora and Tokū Oranga wellbeing initiatives for Tū Whakaruruhau (also known as the Auckland Wellbeing Collaborative) and Wellsouth (a Primary Health Network), he has applied inferential statistics to examine questions such as:
- The relationship between the implementation of primary mental health initiatives and referrals to secondary mental health services, and whether this relationship differs for Māori vs. non-Māori.
- The impact of primary mental health services on wellbeing, as measured by tools like the Hua Oranga, and whether the change in wellbeing differs for Māori vs. Non-Māori.
Eli’s ability to apply a statistical lens to these complex questions is enhanced by his experience teaching a postgraduate course in Health Statistics at the University of Auckland in 2022. As a self-taught programmer in R, Eli is committed to continually refining his statistical analysis and modelling skills to investigate multifaceted issues related to human wellbeing.
More recently, he has been investigating the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the health sector, assessing their ability to enhace health services in New Zealand while mitigating associated risks. As a leader in Synergia’s efforts to responsibly leverage LLMs, he has streamlined workflows and developed sophisticated data analysis scripts using R and Python. Additionally, Eli has expanded Synergia’s ‘AI Deep Dive’ learning series (link >>>) by creating tutorial videos on the safe and intelligent utilisation of LLMs. Eli is driven by a passion for advancing population health and wellbeing via the ethical application of technology.