I completed a MSc in statistics (thesis-based) at University of Alberta (Edmonton AB, Canada) under supervision of Dr. Jay Newby. I hold a BSc. Honours degree in Statistics, with a minor in Mathematics and a certificate in Data Analytics from Dalhousie University (Halifax NS, Canada). My research focuses on developing statistical and machine learning methods for particle localization in microscopy data. I study how diffusion-based generative models can be combined with convolutional neural networks to improve particle tracking workflows.

My interest in pursuing a future in statistics was not necessarily set from the beginning of my academic journey. When I first enrolled at Dalhousie, not knowing what I wanted to do for my future career, I took all the recommended first-year courses that Dalhousie recommends for a Bachelor of Science degree. I was completely lost and unsure of the steps I should be taking to pursue my potential career. In retrospect, I believe I made a good decision choosing all those introductory courses in different backgrounds because it allowed me to figure out what I was truly interested in.

I was enrolled in an introduction to statistics course during the fall term of my first year. I still remember my instructor at the time, Dr. Ammar Sarhan, being very enthusiastic about teaching statistics. His enthusiasm about the introductory material made me wonder how fun statistics could get once exploring deeper and more advanced topics. So, starting from the initial stages of learning about the summary statistics of a data set, my curiosity has led me to pursue a path in mathematics and statistics. In fact, I can confidently say now, that choosing this path was a fantastic decision. One of the biggest things these degrees taught me is that being a statistician often means being a bit of a “jack of all trades.” Working across various areas taught me that solving a difficult problem is often less about fitting neatly into one discipline, and more about knowing how to learn, connect, and apply the right tools in context.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I have also gained practical experience as a content developer for Nova Scotia Math Circles, and served as a teaching assistant for many mathematics and statistics courses. I also have a rich personal life that adds depth to my experiences. I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, before making Halifax, NS, Canada my home in 2009. I've moved to Edmonton, AB, Canada to pursue my master's degree. I also have two cats named Mew and Kumquat!