Spring 2021 - STAT207
Data Science Exploration

Staff and Contact Info
Instructor, TAs, and CAs:
Professor: Dr. Victoria (Tori) Ellison
vellison@illinois.edu

I'm a Teaching Assistant Professor. I received my PhD in Operations Research from North Carolina State University in 2017. I have taught college courses in Statistics, Deterministic Modeling, Calculus, and Pre-Calculus. While pursuing my graduate degree I also worked in industry for six years as a data scientist, applying statistical and mathematical algorithms to applications in online advertisting, TV advertising, and narcotics detection. I'm currently conducting pedagogical research, focusing on introductory data science courses teaching methods. I also like hiking, snowboarding, and yoga.
Head TA: Yuhan Li
yuhanli8@illinois.edu

I'm a second year PhD student in statistics. I completed my undergraduate study in mathematics at Shandong University, and got my master's degree in statistics from University of Chicago before joining UIUC. I'm currently doing research related to reinforcement learning and personalized medicine. Outside of class, I enjoy watching movies and traveling.
CA: Xiangrui Deng
xd8@illinois.edu

I am a junior majoring in Statistics and Materials Science and Engineering. I am interested in exploring the intersection between computational materials science and data science. Outside of my school, I love listening to K-POP music, watching anime and TV shows.
CA: Tuan Tran
atran49@illinois.edu

I am a sophomore majoring in Mathematics. I had a good time during my STAT 207 class exploring the field of data science, which is inspiring me to double major in Statistics. I hope that I can use the knowledge that I accrued to help other students succeed. Outside of school in my free time, I usually listen to music and hang out with my friends.
CA: Ruben Verghese
rubenv2@illinois.edu

I am a senior studying bioengineering. I am from the bay area, California, and am currently looking for data science or swe roles (preferably bio related). I have interned at two insurance companies as an actuary/data scientist and have a passion for statistics, probability and their applications in analyzing biodata. I am a jazz/music enthusiast and enjoy playing the drums and piano in my free time. I also enjoy going for runs and this semester I would like to learn boxing.
CA: Kevin Zhao
kevinz6@illinois.edu

I am a junior studying a dual degree in Accounting and Statistics and Computer Science. I am interested in a career that merges data analytics skills into business practices. Outside of my passion for statistics and mathematics, I am also an avid Star Wars fan and a follower of many Esports titles.
CA: Xinkai Zhao
xinkaiz2@illinois.edu

I'm a first year graduate student in Statistics, and I just finished my undergraduate studies in Mathematics and Statistics at UIUC this August. I'm interested in a career that could utilize my data science and statistical knowledge to make business decisions. Outside of school, my passions are soccer, traveling, movies, and cooking.