Tell us a bit about yourself and your background
Upon starting this PhD, I had just finished my BSc (Hons) in mathematics with statistics. I became interested in research through a number of enlightening office hours, and was able to gain a place doing a summer research project in Oxford University’s Department for Statistics.
My project involved performing Bayesian inference on the contextual repeated selection model for rank-order data under the supervision of Professor Geoff Nicholls. This was an amazing experience, where I was able to immerse myself in the world of research, and it really motivated me to pursue this as my next step.
How did you become interested in health data science?
Through my degree, I developed a love of statistics and its use as a language to translate challenging practical problems into mathematics, which I find myself far more comfortable working with. I have always had a deep interest in medicine, and it has been my dream to apply my passion and aptitude for maths to this area, and to hopefully be able to make a tangible difference in the lives of others.
What attracted you to the HDR UK programme?
Coming straight from my undergraduate degree, I was really attracted to the opportunities for learning and exploration in the first year of the programme. Being able to rotate in different research groups allows me to experience a variety of topics in health data science, and enhance my skills along the way. I am excited to try out these different areas before deciding on a long-term research project for my next three years.
Alongside this, the opportunity to be a part of an amazing network of health data science researchers really stood out to me as a highlight of this programme. The multi-university approach, along with the diverse network of professionals involved with HDR UK, will hopefully give me many opportunities for collaboration and mentorship I wouldn’t have otherwise had.
What are you looking forward to about the PhD?
I am really looking forward to the opportunities for learning and growth through this programme. The chance to expand my horizons and skillset so much in this first year is really exciting. I am also greatly looking forward to meeting established researchers in different research groups and learning as much as I can from their wealth of knowledge and experience.
Alongside this, I am also very excited about getting stuck into the actual research. One of the most enjoyable parts of research to me is the ability to apply creativity to difficult problems. I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to be creative, not just by myself, but also in collaboration with other researchers.
Do you have plans for the future?
I’m currently pretty focused on making sure I can squeeze every opportunity out of this programme and build a strong foundation for myself as a health data science researcher. I would like to experience working in industry and/or the public sector, as this would be a new and I’m sure enlightening experience for me. I am very open to the opportunities that this programme will bring, and the potential undiscovered routes I may be able to pursue.
