Today, we're excited to introduce you to Meichen Dong (@MeichenDong), a Senior Research Statistician Developer in the Life Sciences group.
On the job
Meichen's role involves developing JMP platforms and JMP Clinical reports using C++ and JSL. Her typical day starts with checking emails and staying current on scientific articles and blogs.
Meichen's background is in Biostatistics, a field she pursued for her Ph.D. at UNC Chapel Hill. Her research in graduate school on single-cell RNA sequencing and clinical trials aligned perfectly with the work of the JMP Life Sciences group. This led her to an internship and, ultimately, a full-time position at JMP after graduation.
One of Meichen's favorite projects was developing the Multivariate Embedding platform, where she implemented two popular dimension reduction methods, t-SNE and UMAP. This platform was a great way for her to learn the basics of C++ development.
Another particularly enjoyable project was creating the Study Flow Diagram report for JMP Clinical. This feature automates the process of creating a flowchart that summarizes participant numbers at each phase of a study, a task she used to do manually. "I greatly appreciated this feature because it eliminated the need to manually create and update flowcharts," she said.
Most recently, she worked on the new "Causal Treatment" personality for Fit Model in JMP Pro 19. This feature is designed to analyze observational data and help users distinguish between correlation and causation.
When asked about her favorite thing about working at JMP, Meichen said, "It's really enjoyable to work with people who are always friendly and supportive!" Her advice to those just starting in her field is to always ask questions. “You can learn so many things from different people!” she said.
Of the JMP Brand Pillars, the one that resonates most with Meichen is Innovative. She believes that making advanced methods intuitive and user-friendly is always the best.
On the side
Outside of work, Meichen is passionate about sports. She enjoys a variety of activities, including volleyball, tennis, pickleball, running, skiing, and rock climbing.
A fun fact about Meichen is that her name in Chinese means "beautiful stars."
To unwind after a long day, she likes to listen to funny podcasts or watch TV shows.
Connect with Meichen on LinkedIn!
Meichen enjoys lots of sports, including skiing.
She completed the Raleigh Marathon in 2024.
