Camille Hochheimer, PhD, is a postdoctoral research associate under the mentorship of Dr. Sarah Ratcliffe in the Department of Public Health Sciences at UVA. Her postdoctoral research focuses on using statistical methods to predict respiratory distress using data capturing physical motion associated with respiration. Camille earned her PhD in Biostatistics from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Camille is a graduate of the PhD Plus STEM Future Faculty series, having successfully completed the course.
Q. What are your career aspirations?
I aspire to become a truly collaborative biostatistician at an academic medical center. I’m also very interested in statistical consulting across a variety of disciplines and want to explore how statisticians can better provide this service across university systems.
Q. Please summarize your experience in the Future Faculty module.
I participated in the STEM Future Faculty series because I was about to start the interview process for an academic faculty position. One of my favorite sessions focused on the job talk and recommendations on how to prepare for one-on-one interviews. I also really enjoyed the interactive lesson with UVA Acts.
Participating in the Future Faculty module was crucial help in preparing for my upcoming academic interviews. As a result, I went into each interview feeling prepared with talking points and questions, ensuring a productive conversation with each person. I was also able to effectively communicate complex statistical concepts to a diverse group during my job talk. Best of all, I landed my dream job!
Q. What professional skills did you develop through this experience?
This course helped me improve my communication skills by learning about effective storytelling. As a result, I was able to make my job talk relatable to a wider audience and more effectively communicate how my career aspirations fit into the group's goals. The lesson led by UVA Acts gave me a framework for thinking about what different people bring to work and the importance of flexibility in order to meet the needs of all team members.
Q. What is your advice or recommendations to peers on how to best leverage the PhD Plus program?
Take advantage of the PhD Plus modules! They provide practical knowledge that helps you understand your role as an employee, team member, and leader. The curriculum is an excellent compliment to your training that will make you a more well-rounded candidate. As a bonus, you'll also get to connect with PhD students and postdocs in the UVA community.