Adam Gee

Statistics master's student in the Faculty of Science

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

I came to SFU in September 2023 to complete my Master's in Statistics. I grew up in Ontario and have two undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Math/Stats. In undergrad, I fell in love with inherent beauty of math, especially in theoretical topics like analysis. However, I found it very difficult to apply these abstract topics to everyday life. Statistics bridged this gap and to me was a nice balance of theoretical math and application to the real world. I appreciate that statisticians can work in basically any field that has data, which allows them to collaborate with different people from a huge range of fields.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I always wanted to spend a bit of time on the west coast and I heard great things about our statistics department. My supervisor's research also seemed very interesting and the thought of working with them sold me on the program.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

My research revolves around online chess and whether players get "streaky". More specifically, does winning a previous game increase the probability of winning the next game, and vice versa.

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Chess, Winner-effects, Bayesian

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

My various sources of funding have helped tremendously in my research and program. They give me the opportunity to be in an amazing program and learn about the things I'm passionate about. I'm so grateful for these sources since I would not be able to be here without them.

Have you been the recipient of any major or donor-funded awards? If so, please tell us which ones and a little about how the awards have impacted your studies and/or research

NSERC CGSM BC Graduate Scholarship

What have been the most valuable lessons you've learned along your graduate student journey (or in becoming a graduate student)?

How little I know and how much more there is to learn. Also to truly master a skill or subject takes much much more time than I thought.

What are some tips for balancing your academic and personal life?

Time management is a skill that comes with a lot of practice. One tip I've learned is that no matter how busy it gets, always leave a little time in your day to do something outside of work that you love.