I took my first computer programming class in the winter of my discontent, 2010. We learned (or should have learned) Java, and I absolutely hated it. Not only did I decide to never, ever choose another class or career potentially related to programming, I almost decide to ditch the math major. Barely scraping through the class, I threw in the towel as soon as my final was sort of completed. That summer, I got a fellowship, but I did not read the fine print. Or the full title. It was Interdisciplinary Mentoring Program in Analysis, Computation, and Theory. Yep, I did programming all summer. Once I completed the training, I breathed a sigh of relief: for sure I was done with programming, and I could get back to theoretical math. Nope--my mentor was a statistics professor, and my project dealt mainly with creating a computer function that modeled certain RNA strands in breast cancers.
Since becoming a grad student in statistics, I have learned, with much griping and grumbling, to accept that programming is here to stay and dominate most of my statistical life. So I vanquished my archenemy. But like Sherlock, I have to have a nemesis. While I enjoy most aspects of programming, I struggle with simulation studies. Essentially, a simulation study involves generating a lot of data given various parameters. They are very useful when collecting a lot of "real" data is expensive, unethical, or impossible. For example, atmospheric data, cancer data, etc. Useful yes, easy to accomplish--not at all. My new archenemy. I only got through my first simulation study because I thought it would be my last.
Given simulations haunt me continually, you can guess my horror when I realized what my project entails. Simulation studies. This really hit me yesterday. The statistics department had Dr. Finley as a guest speaker who elaborated on exactly what a computer experiment was. I do not know why I did not connect the terms and think what they meant, but I finally realized computer experiments is just another term for simulation studies.
However after listening to Dr. Finley explain about his research, I had a similar epiphany that I had after listening to the seminar by Dr. Heaton. Studying simulations (especially in London) will help me understand them more so I may apply them to different fields (i.e forestry like Dr. Finley or the atmosphere like Dr. Heaton). Though still a little apprehensive about struggling through the simulations, I am excited that this is my project for England. It is helping me to accept my homework and pay more attention as this is what I'll be doing forever, specifically over the summer.
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