Emily Damone is a 1st year PhD student in Biostatistics. She graduated from Purdue University in 2018 with BS degrees in Statistics and Mathematics and minors in Biology and Economics. Her research interests include clinical trial design and causal inference, especially their applications in cancer research. In her free time, she enjoys knitting and playing French horn in a local community band.
What made you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I’ve known for a very long time that I wanted to work with statistics and clinical trials. As I was working on clinical studies in undergrad, it became very clear to me that I would need more knowledge to do the work I’m passionate about and a PhD to achieve the positions I want.
What’s the thing you love most about Chapel Hill?
Chapel Hill has a good balance of university life and communities outside of it, which I think is incredibly important as I’ll be spending my next 5-6 years in the area. I love how there is a sense of pride in the state of North Carolina and how being in the center of the state we’re never too far from a quiet weekend in the mountains or a day in the sun on the beach.
If you had any advice for someone thinking about pursuing a graduate degree, what would it be?
The first thing I would say is make sure you’re passionate about what you’re studying. Graduate school is tough and takes up years of your life. It sets you up to do great things, but make sure it’s something you want to exclusively spend your time on. Secondly, when deciding where to spend your time, make sure it’s a place that you can build a life and communities outside of your department and school in general. You’ll need an outlet.
What is your dream career after you’ve completed your studies?
I would love to work at a cancer research center, collaborating with scientists and clinicians to implement and design studies at the institution.
In my short time at Carolina, I’ve been introduced to thoughts and people that have completely changed my perspective. The spectacular education and department is one thing, but being in a community (especially in Gillings) with people who truly care about others makes me focus on the wider impact of my work and the work of those around me.