QMSS welcomes Tianyu Jiang to the program as one of the new GSIs for QMSS 201. Tianyu is a student in the University’s Accelerated Master’s Program where she is working toward her degree in Applied Statistics. She received her undergraduate degree from UM in May 2021, majoring in Cognitive Science and Data Science. Since graduating, she also completed a graduation certificate in entrepreneurship, and she is currently pursuing a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Throughout her undergraduate studies, Tianyu has had much exposure to quantitative methods. As a research assistant in psychology labs and working on multiple data science projects, Tianyu gained invaluable technical skills. She completed her undergraduate studies very familiar with data entry, data analysis, and data visualization skills. When asked, Tianyu agreed that having a strong background in both the social sciences and data science greatly benefits how she approaches and works with data. Through her Data Science degree, she learned various programming languages and she gained project experience as well. As a Cognitive Science major, she has had a lot of practice with conducting analyses of human behaviors and outcomes while considering various social variables. She believes that regularly engaging in this line of thinking, combined with being able to code well, gives her an edge when she works on projects in the workplace.
Tianyu noted that while her education from the University of Michigan did set her up for success, the majority of her skills were learned and developed outside of the classroom setting. Concepts and skills that are taught in class do not always mirror what is expected of you in the workplace. For instance, class assigned projects are more organized and professors are available to help you. She recalls early experiences in which she felt underprepared for the hands-on-skills internships expected of her. She was drawn to the program due to its focus on teaching relevant concepts and providing students opportunities to practice those relevant technical skills. As a GSI, she is happy to teach her students everything that she had to learn “the hard way.”
After pursuing her Master’s degree in Applied Statistics, she plans to pursue a PhD in organizational studies or management. Backed by her diverse range of degrees, she hopes to ultimately pursue a career in consulting with a focus on changing company structures or advising on how organizations should run.
