Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Career Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
NCI leader: learn basic statistics, think like a data consumer and set boundaries
Summary
Dr. Jill Barnhold Sloan shares career lessons on transitions into data science and biostatistics, recommends core statistical literacy over chasing every AI trend, and advises early-career researchers to set personal boundaries such as reserving a midday break.
Dr. Jill Barnhold Sloan, acting director of the NCI Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology, described a career path that moved from architecture interest to civil engineering to mathematics and ultimately to biostatistics, emphasizing adaptability and deliberate training choices.
Sloan advised listeners who are mathematically inclined and interested in cancer research to be honest about their skills, identify training gaps, and think about the lifestyle differences between government, academia and industry. She recommended building both domain knowledge (how data are generated in wet labs and clinics) and quantitative skills so researchers can "marry" those strengths.
On technical skills, Sloan urged mastering the fundamentals: "Make sure that you learn the basic statistics... Start with the table 1," she said, arguing that understanding distributions, medians and assumptions for tests will make subsequent use of AI or machine-learning tools safer and more interpretable. She counseled that while AI tools and user-friendly interfaces are emerging, statistical literacy remains essential for trustworthy results.
Sloan also offered pragmatic career advice: talk with mentors and peers to learn about different roles, be willing to pivot, and advocate for personal boundaries to sustain long careers. As one concrete example, she said she reserves 12–1 p.m. each day as a meeting-free period to take a walk, eat and recharge — an intentional boundary she credits with improved focus and well‑being.
Sloan closed by encouraging trainees to reach out for guidance and noting that NCI resources and training guides referenced on the episode’s show notes can help those starting in cancer data science.
