#2022Trojan: Meet Camellia (Xinyue) Rui, Master of Science in Biostatistics program and progressive degree graduate

Camellia (Xinyue) Rui, earns her Master of Science in Biostatistics and Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics through the progressive degree program.

Why did you choose to pursue your degree?

I’m very interested in the overlap between mathematics and biomedical science [and have a] strong passion for applying statistical knowledge to topics in genetics. I feel that I didn’t have enough exposure to research related to biostatistics and therefore I chose to continue my study at USC with a progressive degree in biostatistics at USC.

What has been your biggest accomplishment during your studies?

I worked with Dr. Charleston Chiang on my project of assessing the imputation quality through TOPMed imputation server and learned a lot in the field of population genetics. I have also mentored three undergraduate students in our group, and we are working together to turn it in to a manuscript. Most excitedly, I’ve decided to continue my study in the field I love-I’ll be a PhD student in Biostatistics in the coming fall!

What’s an important lesson you learned?

Be organized and plan ahead. Be responsible for your courses, research and other commitments. I had to organize courses from both the undergraduate program and graduate program and allocate time for both courses and research projects. It is always good to know how much time and effort to put into each commitment, and to prioritize those that are important.

What’s one of your favorite memories from your program?

My favorite memory could be Professor Juan Pablo Lewinger’s jokes on marker when he couldn’t find one that works. He is so hilarious and caring for his students. We were taking PM 522b on Zoom, and due to some technical issue he couldn’t make any sound. Worst came to worst, he couldn’t hear our call either. So he ended up doing mime for half of the class until he [fixed] it…

What will you miss most and why?

I’ll miss Professor Kimberly Siegmund since she delivers amazing lectures and cares a lot about her students. When I am confused about my interests and future plans, she is always there to help me.

What are you doing after you graduate?

I will continue my studies in Biostatistics as a PhD student.

What do you look forward to in your career path?

I’m looking forward to applying the statistical knowledge learned in class to real-world problems in the future.

What advice do you have for future grads?

Plan ahead and fight on!