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Building Confidence and Asking Better Questions
Yeng Saanchi remembers joining Eric Laber’s research lab as the start of “the best and the worst experience” of her life. What followed were years of difficult problems, disagreements, and moments when Yeng wanted to quit. But these years were also shaped by the presence of a really good mentor – someone who believed she could finish, even when she wasn’t sure herself.
Yeng Saanchi remembers joining Eric Laber’s research lab as the start of “the best and the worst experience” of her life. What followed were years of difficult problems, disagreements, and moments when Yeng wanted to quit. But these years were also shaped by the presence of a really good mentor – someone who believed she could finish, even when she wasn’t sure herself.
In this episode of Stat Speaking with JMP, host Anne Milley explores how scientific confidence develops through difficult research, better questions, and the freedom to disagree. Eric, a professor of statistical science at Duke University, and Yeng, an analytics software tester at JMP, reflect on their years working together at NC State University, with humor and candid stories about frustration, persistence, and learning to trust yourself.
Their conversation explores:
• How curiosity and grit shape a career in statistics.
• Why a good advisor doesn’t always give you the answer.
• Learning from failed experiments and celebrating small gains.
• Working through imposter syndrome and self-doubt.
• Carrying the lessons of graduate school into professional life.
• How curiosity and grit shape a career in statistics.
• Why a good advisor doesn’t always give you the answer.
• Learning from failed experiments and celebrating small gains.
• Working through imposter syndrome and self-doubt.
• Carrying the lessons of graduate school into professional life.
Whether you’re a graduate student, a researcher, a mentor, or someone navigating a career in STEM, this conversation offers a personal perspective on learning to think independently and finding the right people to help us get there.
Creators and Guests
Host
Anne Milley
With the goal of sharing best practices in data-driven decision making, Anne Milley has spent a career telling the stories of people who make their worlds better through analytics. As JMP’s Statistical Ambassador, Milley’s statistical curiosity takes her beyond borders and across industries. She has a master's in economics from Florida Atlantic University, did post-graduate work at Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, and is proficient in German.
Guest
Eric Laber
James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Statistical Science Professor of Statistical Science Co-Director of the Duke Computing Initiative Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
Producer
Henry Moore III
Henry Moore III is an event technology specialist and live production veteran at JMP Statistical Discovery, where he brings more than a decade of AV and broadcast experience to events around the world. As technical director for Stat Speaking with JMP, he designed and runs the studio the show is recorded in, handling the cameras, audio, and signal flow that let a conversation sound like a conversation. Off the clock, he builds software, makes music, and keeps up with his wife and two kids.
Producer
Sarah Cromer
Sarah Cromer is a communications professional and storyteller at JMP Statistical Discovery, where she helps make complex ideas engaging and accessible through video, social media, and digital content. As a producer of *Stat Speaking with JMP*, she works behind the scenes to shape thoughtful conversations about statistics, mentorship, and the people driving discovery forward. When she's not working, Sarah enjoys time with her family, her dog, and playing in her garden.
Guest
Yeng Saanchi
Yeng Saanchi is an Analytics Software Tester at JMP. She received her master’s and Ph.D. in statistics from the University of Michigan and North Carolina State University, respectively. Her research is primarily in the areas of stochastic optimization and applications of optimal experimental designs to precision medicine, but she’s always open to exploring new areas whenever the occasion presents itself.
What is Stat Speaking with JMP?
Conversations shaped by data | Stat Speaking with JMP brings together scientists, statisticians, engineers, and innovators to explore how data influences the way we work, lead, and understand the world.