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What she does:
- Krista Yuhas has worked for 3.5 years as a research assistant in
the Sleep and Mood Disorders Lab at OHSU. This NIH-funded
research lab in the Department of Psychiatry studies human circadian
rhythms and the treatment of circadian rhythm disturbances. Much of the
lab's current research focuses on circadian rhythms in totally blind
individuals, who don't receive the light input necessary to reset the
body clock on a daily basis. The research assistant positions in the
lab are often entry-level and are filled by recent college graduates.
Past research experience helps, though, as does an undergraduate degree
in psychology or biology. When applying for the job, Krista found that
her dual major in psychology and math was a plus.
- Krista's path to her current job included work as a Peace Corps
Volunteer in
Tanzania, where she taught high-school level mathematics right after
she
graduated from college. She also gained experience as a research
assistant in a clinical research center at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Math on the Job:
- During her first two years at OHSU, Krista did a lot of study
coordination, research subject recruitment, and various types of data
collection. As she acquired more experience, her job has changed to
include more data analysis and work on publications and grants. She has
had the opportunity to co-author papers and abstracts and to present
research findings at sleep and circadian rhythms conferences.
Additionally, she has become a supervisor, and her responsibilities
include conducting interviews, trainings, and performance appraisals.
She says, "the general type of mathematics I use most in my job is
statistics. On-the-job projects that have been especially interesting
to me have included the preparation of submissions to journals and the
design of poster presentations for conferences. It’s also very exciting
to run statistical analyses on a data set and to discover what the data
reveals!"
Krista's background:
- Krista earned a
Bachelor of Arts at Franklin & Marshall College in 1999, with a
double major in mathematics and psychology. She notes that
undergraduate courses in probability and statistics, taken through the
math and psychology departments at F&M, have provided her with many
of the mathematical skills that she uses currently in her job.
She adds, "Additionally, my courses in Calculus and Fourier analysis
have helped me to understand the analyses and math models often used
for circadian rhythms data. I’ve found that I really enjoy
clinical research and have been drawn to
the mathematical and statistical aspects of the research, so, in line
with that, I’m now planning to pursue a master’s degree in
biostatistics."
- Other skills that are helpful for this job include familiarity
with statistical software programs, strong writing ability, leadership
qualities, attention to detail, and good verbal communication.
Advice for students:
- "If you decide to study math in college, chances are, you won’t
regret it. Your math degree will set you apart and will give you an
edge for positions that require strong analytical skills in fields as
diverse as research, education, business, and law. You definitely won’t
be pigeonholed as a math major; instead you may find that your math
skills take you in unexpected directions. Also, in your studies of
math, you may end up acquiring an appreciation for the beauty of
mathematics, even if you were originally drawn to its practical
applications. Either way, you’ll be challenged and stimulated along the
way and end up with an impressive credential to boot."