Haddon Sandefur graduated from Duke’s Master of Biostatistics program in May 2023. He currently works as a Senior Scientist Statistician for Reynolds American in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Background and Motivation
- What initially drew you to the field of biostatistics?
- When I was in undergrad, I became interested in biostatistics while working under epidemiologists and social scientists on various projects and studies. I enjoyed math, so the next natural step was to dive into the statistical methodologies employed by these studies and figure out how they worked. That enjoyment along with some recommendations from mentors propelled me to apply to graduate programs in biostatistics.
- Why did you choose Duke University’s Master of Biostatistics program?
- When I visited, the atmosphere was phenomenal - I got to have lengthy conversations with professors, talk to students over lunch, and just have an all-around great time. I’m happy to say that atmosphere remained constant throughout my time in the program. Further, the curriculum was what I was looking for; rigorous introductory statistical coursework in the first year followed by the ability to shift focus in the second year.
Academic and Personal Experiences
- What are some of your favorite memories or experiences from the program?
- Our cohort was very social, so I fondly remember my time spent with my classmates. If you ever pulled a late-nighter studying at Hock, you could bet there would be at least two or three classmates that’d be willing to keep you company late into the evening. I learned a lot from my classmates during these late-night study sessions, and I credit them for my success throughout the program.
- Were there any faculty members or mentors who had a significant impact on your learning journey?
- A lot of statistical concepts really began to ‘click’ for me when I took coursework under Roland Matsouaka and Hwanhee Hong. Not only were they both excellent lecturers, but their availability outside of class hours really helped me solidify concepts by asking them ‘what ifs’. The material they taught shows up conceptually in much of the work I do today. Also, I have to shout out Rebecca Steorts in the Statistics department for being an awesome Bayesian Statistics professor.
- How did the program prepare you for the challenges in your current role or in your field?
- Just having a well-rounded statistics education is the biggest win from my time in the program. A lot of the work I do now is dynamic - a diverse set of problems cross my desk each week. As a (Bio)statistician, you’re ‘that person’ that can help save a study design or salvage dormant data and turn it into something useful. If I ever don’t know how to do something, my education has made it so that I can figure it out 99% of the time - something that I couldn’t do if my experience in the program wasn’t well-rounded.
Career Path and Current Role
- Can you describe your current role and responsibilities?
- I’m a biostatistician that acts as a statistical consultant and data scientist to solve a diverse set of problems within a large, sponsor-side company. I develop SAPs, I review study protocol, I provide statistical input on study proposals, I do analyses of both clinical and industrial data, I program in SAS, R, and Python, and I help to develop AI tools for internal needs. Every week is a bit different!
- What are some projects or achievements of which you’re particularly proud?
- I’m very proud to be in a field where work gets to be fun. Further, I’m proud to have made an impact for each of my teams shortly after starting my first two jobs out of grad school - being an immediately useful colleague is always a nice feeling.
- How has your education in biostatistics influenced your career or opened opportunities?
- I definitely would not have the job I have now without my education in biostatistics. As a bonus, I’ve recently dipped my hands in side-statistical consulting gigs - something having a graduate degree opens doors to.
Challenges and Advice
- What advice would you give to current or prospective students in the biostatistics program?
- Connect with your classmates - it will make the experience all the more fun. If you’re a new student, don’t hesitate to organize events, study sessions, etc., others will be thankful you did and so will you.
- Regarding the hunt for jobs - persistence is key, and so is applying early and often.
Future Goals and Aspirations
- What are your goals for the next few years in your career?
- I’d like to develop management skills and sharpen domain-specific knowledge - especially knowledge pertaining to biochemistry.
- How do you see the field of biostatistics evolving, and what trends are you excited about?
- It’s hard not to imagine machine learning becoming more impactful in the industry overtime. When inference isn’t needed from the biostatistician, they can instead pivot to problems motivated by the need for prediction. I get excited whenever someone at work comes to me with a ‘can we build a model to predict X?’ type of question.
Personal Interests and Balance
- Outside of work, what are your hobbies or interests?
- My wife and I adore our dog, so we take him pretty much everywhere, whether that’s hiking or to local breweries. I’m a diehard Duke and Georgia Southern fan, so I spend many hours glued to my TV during football and basketball season.
- How do you balance work and personal life while working in a demanding field?
- I’m not going to lie, my work-life-balance has been very good because I work for a very worker-friendly company. I consider myself lucky. I think one thing that’s important is to set schedule boundaries with your employer early. That is extremely hard to do as a new-hire since you want to make a good first-impression, but if you don’t, you can very quickly become the go-to person for weekend work.
Reflections and Closing Thoughts
- Looking back, how has your journey in biostatistics changed or impacted you personally?
- My journey has certainly driven me to think more analytically about the world - that’s to say I’m initially uncertain about a lot of things, and after much research on said things, I’m still uncertain, but less so. Thinking this way is a net boon, but the downsides begin to show when I’m trying to figure out what I want for dinner.
- Is there anything else you’d like to share with the Duke community or future biostatisticians?
- The Alpaca Peruvian Chicken restaurant chain is only in the Triangle, so enjoy it while you’re there or consider franchising it.