How to Foster Passion for Quantitative Methods in Life Sciences: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Norma Rocio Forero Muñoz (norma.rocio.forero.munoz@nullumontrea.ca)

My dream of becoming a disease ecologist took me through the journey of exploring quantitative methods. However, this adventure required the resilience to transform frustration into enjoyment.

I am a Colombian DVM pursuing a Ph.D. in computational ecology at Université de Montréal. During my training at the veterinary school, I was convinced that I wanted to become a scientist and investigate wildlife health. As there are several ways to become a researcher in this field, the uncertainty about how to direct your interests remains latent. Nonetheless, I discovered the importance of quantitative skills while digging into these different pathways.

Once I graduated, I had the opportunity to join a laboratory whose main strength was the development of mathematical models applied to biology. When the lab members shared their findings, I tremendously admired the usefulness of their methods despite feeling lost when asked how they did it. Working with this interdisciplinary group was a fantastic opportunity that allowed me to learn about quantitative and computational tools and this was more than I could have learned during my years of clinical training. It was challenging and intimidating to be exposed to all those methods in ecology, but I can confirm that has been one of the best adventures in my life.

Now that I am pursuing a Ph.D. and my main focus is applying methods for disease ecology and One Health, I would like to share some tips that helped me fall in love with quantitative sciences.

Learning from scratch 

First of all, avoid judging your quantitative skills based on the comments of that teacher or classmate who made you feel that maths is not for you. Learning something new takes time, and everyone has a unique learning curve. I encourage you to focus on the process rather than just the result. Start with the basics and advance progressively so you will feel the learning curve as an experience of overcoming challenges and conquering the most intricate concepts. There will be hard times, but be kind to yourself when a method requires more time and attention than expected.

Be creative and transform what might appear surreal into something tangible and applicable. As you venture on the journey of learning new methods, try to create simple associations that match your everyday experiences. Imagine the application of a method to practical scenarios or even knit it into humorous situations that make the learning process relatable and engaging. By doing so, you will visualize the gap between the ethereal and the concrete, enabling you to transform complex nuances into comprehensible concepts.

Applying it to your research

Get inspired by other researchers. Once you have identified attractive topics, take the time to question the motivation behind using a particular method and what kind of results you can expect; do it before jumping into applying it to your current project. Learning from existing literature will provide you with valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each quantitative tool.

If you identify a technique that seems more suitable to your research but you feel insecure about where to start, these are some ideas to keep in mind. Ask yourself if this method overcomes the limitations of a simpler one, particularly for your biological questions. Once familiar with its use and the potential output, you can refine the analysis and progressively increase the difficulty (but only do it if needed). Of course, you can change your mind and modify it as you want, but first, focus your attention on elucidating how this will help you to address your research question and save yourself the frustration of struggling with unneeded complexity. This will aid you in setting the limits while maintaining the rigour to reach your objectives.

Extra tips that helped me

I am an enthusiast of the history of science because most discoveries have an exciting origin or have been applied in incredible ways. When I find promising methods to tackle a problem successfully, I enjoy reading about who proposed it and how the initial application was made. Understanding the historical framework and its evolution configures a deeper layer of appreciation of the progress that we witness today.

Diversify your learning process by exploring various sources of knowledge. Immerse yourself in environments where mathematics or statistics are actively applied to biological scenarios, and analyze their real-world relevance, even if these problems differ from your expertise.

Also, pay attention to the standpoint of different people about the same method. Each person has their own way of understanding and explaining it, which can help you to appreciate distinct scopes. Methods lack perfection, mature continuously and are subject to healthy controversy.

Likewise, sharing your ideas with colleagues or interested friends can be immensely beneficial. Explaining the concepts or joining discussions about the topic will help you to organize your work better and more coherently your thoughts. Finally, encourage yourself to overcome obstacles and embrace mistakes. Enjoy the opportunity to learn maths and statistics as new languages, and be proud of your learning.