Xinjun Wang (PhD, BIOST ’22) found his groove developing new statistical models for single-cell muti-omics data during graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
Now, Wang continues to work in this vein as an assistant attending biostatistician in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics—a position to which he was specifically recruited.
“The department recruited me because of my experience with single-cell multi-omics, making it a good fit,” he said.
While at Pitt, Wang worked with Wei Chen, PhD, professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine, and of biostatistics and human genetics, School of Public Health, and a fellow student Jian Zou (PhD, BIOST ’23). Today, Zou is associate professor of statistics at the Chongqing Medical University School of Public Health in China.
He is grateful not only for the solid foundation that a Pitt education contributed to his future scientific career, but also for the support he received outside the classroom.
“I graduated in June, but I didn’t start my job until late August,” he recalled. “I had surgery and my second child was born that summer, so there was a lot going on. We had to relocate, and having my parents' support during this time was invaluable.”
Wang and his wife were in the same biostatistics program at Pitt and graduated together. “It’s not common for students to have kids, especially in such a demanding program. But the University’s support made it possible. The insurance was excellent, covering all our medical needs, including surgeries and our child’s health care. We never had to worry about medical bills,” he said.
Housing was another area where the University provided support. “We lived in a community called Sheridan, just off campus. It’s a great option for students, costing around $300 to $500 per month. You don’t own the land, but you’re like a shareholder. It’s very affordable and provides more freedom and choice in living situations,” he noted.
Despite the demands of his academic work, Wang found time to relax and build a supportive community. “During the first two or three years, before we had kids, a group of us would play cards and board games on Friday afternoons. Later, we would cook meals together and talk about things unrelated to our studies. It was important to have this support system,” he said.
Wang also appreciated the environment and facilities at the University of Pittsburgh. “Pittsburgh has everything you need without being overwhelming. The campus is great, and the University’s resources, like the insurance and proximity to good hospitals, are significant strengths,” he said. He used the Pittsburgh environment as a reference point when job hunting, ensuring that potential locations had amenities like Costco and Whole Foods.
When asked if there was anything he wished the University had offered, Wang couldn’t think of much. “I’m quite satisfied with my experience at Pitt. The advisors were supportive and the environment was conducive to balancing work and family life,” he said.
-Calvin Dziewulski