Challenges: MPF percentile
Seasons: 2 | Days played: 35+ | Wins: 0 | Jury: 1
| Challenge stats | Tribal council stats | Jury stats | Overall stats | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | ChW | ChA | ChW% | VFB | VAP | TCA | TC% | wTCR | JVF | TotJ | JV% | SurvSc | SurvAv |
| S37: DvsG | 2.54 | 11.00 | 0.23 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 0.74 | 2.10 | - | - | - | 0.97 | 4.64 |
| S50: ItHotF | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | NA | NA |
| Career | 2.54 | 11.00 | 0.23 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 0.74 | 2.10 | - | - | - | 0.97 | 4.64 |
Challenges: MPF percentile
Tribal: VFB% percentile
Tribal: rVAP percentile
Challenges: MPF percentile
Tribal: VFB% percentile
Tribal: rVAP percentile
Performance ranks are a quick visual measure of the contestant's season vs. historical data from all prior contestants, in three basic (scorable) categories:
1. Performance in individual challenges (MPF), as a measure of "physical game";
2. Ability to vote people out consistently (VFB%, or VFB/TCA), or "strategic game"; and
3. Ability to avoid being voted against (rVAP, or TCA-VAP) - which scales better than a percentage would - for "social/strategic game."
See also: Full glossary for all these abbreviations.

Tribal/team challenge record (6-for-13; 1 2nd; 1 sit-out):

Individual challenge record (1-for-8): (Mean % finish: 46.8%)

Hero challenge/ duel record (1-for-1): (Mean % finish: 100.0%)
Tribal/team challenge record (0-for-0):
Individual challenge record (0-for-0):
Hero challenge/ duel record (0-for-0):
| Wins: | 6 |
| 2nd place: | 1 |
| Played: | 13 |
| Win %: | 0.50 |
| Sat out: | 1 |
| Wins: | 1 |
| Played: | 8 |
| Win %: | 0.13 |
| Mean% Finish: | 46.8% |
| Wins: | 1 |
| Played: | 1 |
| Win %: | 1.00 |
| Mean% Finish: | 100% |

Idols held/played (1/1; 5 votes voided):
VFB - Votes for the person booted (6/8):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep2 | Jessica | Jessica Peet (voted out, 5-4) | Yes |
| Ep7 | Elizabeth | Elizabeth Olson (voted out, 12-1) | Yes |
| Ep8 | John | John Hennigan (idoled out, [0]-3-[0]) | Yes |
| Ep9 | Dan | Dan Rengering (voted out, 6-3-2) | Yes |
| Ep10 | Alec | Alec Merlino (voted out, 9-1) | Yes |
| Ep11 | Carl | Carl Boudreaux (voted out, 5-4) | Yes |
| Ep12 | Alison | Gabby Pascuzzi (idoled out, [0]-2-1) | - |
| Ep13 | Alison | Christian Hubicki (voted out, 3-2-[0]) | - |
| 8 | TOTALS | 6 | |
VAP - Votes against (6):
Jury votes made (0/1):
Idols/advantages held/played (0/0):
VFB - Votes for the person booted (0/0):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | TOTALS | 0 | |
VAP - Votes against (0):
Jury votes made (0/0):
| Advantages held/played: | 0/0 |
| Idols found: | 1 |
| Idols played: | 1 |
| Votes voided: | 5 |
| VFB: | 6 |
| Tribals: | 8 |
| VAP: | 6 |
| Made: | 1 |
| For winners: | 0 |
| Received: | - |
Pre-game interviews
Post-game interviews
Pre-game interviews
Post-game interviews
Official CBS David vs. Goliath bio excerpts (9/5/18):
"Hobbies: Clarinet, primarily classical. I do gigs and perform in orchestras. Casual coding. I once wrote a computer program to crate train my dog. Success was mixed. Sous chef to my girlfriend—I chop, she cooks. Together, we make some good food. Probably because she handles the more important job.
Pet peeves: Condescension, clichés, and reckless abuse of percentages.
Three words to describe you: Intellectual, jovial, and driven.
What's your personal claim to fame? Getting my robotics research made fun of on the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stephen called me a "nerd" on national television. Bucket list stuff.
If you could have three things on the island what would they be and why? Binoculars to try "birding." I've never done it, despite writing part of my dissertation on birds. Sounds relaxing. A graphing calculator; a good shelter is grounded in good trigonometry. Also, it should be grounded in dirt. And a thesaurus to give pity names to my strategic game moves.
Which Survivor contestant are you most like? Stephen Fishbach. He talked about the game as a chaotic whirlpool of alliances, and his nerdy game analysis warms my heart. I don't do poetry, but I wouldn't object to being called a wizard.
What's your reason for being on Survivor? To win and prove I'm not just a diploma or a résumé, that I'm a formidable person, qualifications or no. I also want to make my mark on this game and help innovate the way Survivor is strategically played. I need the game, and the game needs me."
Official CBS Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans cast bio excerpts, as published by Mike Bloom at Parade.com (January 28, 2026):
"Why do you want to come back for Survivor 50 and how does it feel to be chosen for this milestone season? Too many reasons to count, the prestige, the unfinished business, the break from writing research grants…but mainly it’s the most intellectually inspiring experience I’ve ever had. But to be selected from a vast pool of 700 contestants is more than flattering – it provokes introspection. It’s important for me to internalize the reasons that got me here to best use them on the island.
What one life experience since the last time you played do you feel has prepared you for 50? Becoming a professor and starting a robotics lab. I learned to be a leader. My students and research assistants count on me for guidance, their graduation, and even their paychecks. It’s all on me to lead them to do great work and discover great ideas. There’s no room for self-doubt.
Coming into this season, what is the Survivor accomplishment you are most proud of? And what are you eager to have another shot at? Aside from holding Jeff Probst hostage to a five-and-a-half hour ramble? Finding an idol with a breadth-first search algorithm. I still show that sequence in graduate-level robotics lectures. Another shot at? I actually have a few more questions for Jeff.
What would you say is your Survivor reputation and how will you manage that perception in the game? On David vs. Goliath, I was seen as smart, kind, funny, and a capable underdog, and thus labeled the “David” who was narratively destined to win in the minds of my opponents. That reputation got me 18 votes. Joy. This time I won’t let others drive the narrative. I’ll shape it myself to my benefit.
What is your strategy going into 50? And how will it differ from previous time(s) you’ve played? Last time I viewed Survivor as a game of politicking votes. That was true but incomplete. From watching Mike White play, I realized that Survivor is narrative warfare. The battle for the best story. The story that dominates the thinking of your opponents. If you create the most persuasive story, then you control the game.
Survivor fans have had the opportunity to help shape the game this season by voting on various elements – what are you hoping makes the cut and why? Obviously, the live finale. It’s a killer experience and these new era kiddos should have that treat. But game-wise, what’s more important than what wins is the uncertainty of the outcome. This allows us to invent advantages that don’t exist and create room for creative maneuvers.
At this point in your life who is your biggest inspiration and why? My newborn son, Michael. He’s six weeks old as of this writing. I can see his face when I close my eyes. It’s a reminder of the joy of his life, but also the cost of being away. The recordings of me reading baby books and his robotic bassinet may soothe him, but they cannot replace our time apart. This has to be for him. To teach him to never accept limitations.
Why will you be the Sole Survivor? On Survivor: David vs Goliath, I was only just realizing I had track for the game. Now I’ve refined it into weapons grade Hubickium. My core game philosophy is innovative and solid. Most of all, I’ve got someone to fight for."