- Hometown: West Covina, California
- Program & Year: MS Capstone, second year
- Advisors: Kevin Lin
- “I study biostatistics because I care about helping people live safer, more fulfilling lives”
Q&A
What motivated you to pursue an MS in biostatistics?
Halfway through my undergraduate Computer Science (CS) degree, I had grown distant from the algorithms and architecture. I liked programming and recognized CS applications were important, but imagining a future as a software engineer felt like a poor fit. I wanted to lean into data science and peek behind the curtain of machine learning, so I began a statistics minor. Those early semesters were very humbling, but class kept me engaged and peers motivated me as my sense of belonging in their classrooms grew. The small mathematics and statistics department welcomed me into their community and the relationships I began in that period became very formative, especially that with Professor Jimmy Risk. I was learning all the clever ways people bridge theory and application, what is lost and gained along the way, and how to bring meaningful insights into decision-making that impacts people's lives. I felt I had found my place in applied statistics and had been shown there was so much more. Toward graduation, someone suggested applying to a biostatistics graduate program. After Googling "biostatistics" and seeking reassurance from my professors, I decided to give it a shot.
How would you describe your experience as a UW Biostatistics student?
Graduate school has not just been an opportunity to gain technical skill, but to deepen my understanding of myself and my place in the world. I feel incredibly grateful to study in this renowned program, be exposed to brilliant public health work, and see directly where I contribute to it. It has been so rewarding to master what I consider to be the most challenging part of this field: making something useful when it is on some level wrong, and balancing confidence and uncertainty in my work. I have totally transformed as a student and as a person since completing my undergraduate degree, bright and green.
But let me make this clear! I owe this growth to the grace of members in the department who have built my sense of belonging in this community. Staff found and shared opportunities, faculty challenged me to think critically about preconceived ideas, and fellow students connected with me on a personal level. I feel especially grateful for my cohort! I laugh when I remember our first meeting—we were so shy! I'm glad we learned to look after one another and provide academic and emotional support when the demanding environment shook us. It is very important to me, feeling reassured that I am not on this journey alone.
What research are you currently involved with and what is your role?
I am working with my peer Cindy Elder to study wrongful convictions in the United States. We are both exploring the field of criminal justice through this project and the compelling questions we are investigating. I am also working on a capstone project sponsored by Seattle Children's Hospital to study mental health and substance use among adolescents with other members of my cohort: Lingfei (Ellen) Jiang, Ruyue (Jasmine) Wang, and Shizhao (Joshua) Yang. I am learning about meaningful work in this subject and how our project can impact real people's lives. With both projects, I am gaining invaluable experience with project management and statistical consulting. I am grateful many people here share a keen interest in applying statistics to complex societal issues.
What are your future plans, and have they changed since you started your degree?
My future plans are to work! Since I started this program, I have become much more aware of my own capabilities. My passion is the application of statistics in public health to drive evidence-based decisions and contribute to improved healthcare. I look forward to entering the industry—applied statistics is fabulous work! I love to see new problems and learn lots of science, and I love to help people. Thoughtful, honest science has been my goal from the beginning and this experience has been an integral part of that achievement.
What advice would you give to a student who is considering a UW Biostatistics program?
Aside from all the clever ways to get familiar with the program, I would encourage you to evaluate your attitude and expectation toward your time in graduate school. Maybe you feel motivated by a mix of enthusiasm to learn, desire to create professional opportunity, familiarity with academic environments, or avoidance of the "real world." Whatever you feel, try to embrace inevitable change and the new opportunity it brings--uncertainty is the only way forward!
I also want to emphasize the importance of balance, community, and self-care in this environment. You will see how impactful it is to learn names/faces and talk to people about their lives and reflect on your own journey. You are absolutely able to waste your time here, so take the initiative to open your mouth and your ears! Practice asking for help and helping others. Take care of yourself during the transition: step away from the computer, buy a pair of warm thermals, take a walk through Ravenna. Try your best to be guided by your sense of purpose.
Anything else you’d like people to know?
Being Latino in this space is so important to me. Coming from Southern California, I didn't fully appreciate my Mexican heritage because everything it influenced was so usual. When I decided to come to UW, I knew I would be stepping away from my comfort zone, but I didn't really know the feelings that came with that until I got here. Suddenly, any reflection of my family and our history in food or people or language became sacred. It became reassuring, like a source of strength. I remember before school started, after looking through UW websites and the School of Public Health and Biostatistics pages, someone came on the screen that looked like me, and I became so overwhelmed I could not stop myself from crying! I had no idea I felt so strongly about these things. All I mean to say is that if representation is important to you, recognize that! Seek your community and practice what is important and true to you. If it defines you, do not let it go and try to not forget it.
Are you interested in earning your Master of Science in Biostatistics? Learn more about the MS Capstone program, including the curriculum, resources available, and examples of student work.
