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Let’s talk about you: what is your background, what do you teach, and what are your research interests?
My name is Angela Andreella, I am a type A (RTD-A) fixed-term researcher in social statistics at the Ca' Foscari Department of Economics since 2022. I currently teach "Health Data Science" in the Master's degree DABS - Data Analytics for Business and Society and several exercises in statistics in the triennial of Economics and Commerce. My research topics are focused on statistical methods for complex and high-dimensional data (such as, for example, non-parametric statistical tests, multiple inference, dimensionality reduction, statistical shape analysis). I am particularly interested in linking statistics with different scientific fields, such as social sciences, psychology, neuroscience and medicine. My main challenge is to analyze this complex data and its related problems with innovative statistical approaches.

Tell us about your academic path.
I obtained a bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree at the Department of Statistics of the University of Padua. I spent several periods abroad (Spain, the Netherlands and the United States) collaborating in international research groups. After my PhD, I spent several months as a research fellow at the Department of science and high technology of the University of Insubria and at the Department of statistical sciences of the University of Padua. From 2021 I moved to Ca' Foscari as a researcher in social statistics.

What has given you the greatest satisfaction in your career?
Facing a new application problem, understanding its various aspects and finding an appropriate statistical approach, but also having positive feedback from students, seeing the spark in their eyes when they understand a concept, and when they become passionate about statistics.

Have you always known that this was going to be your path?
I've always loved studying and most of all delving into the subjects I was studying, I've always tutored friends since high school; therefore, I think that I have always had a special interest in research and teaching. However, after my master's degree I started looking for a job in a company, and I worked as a Data Analyst for more than a year, but I knew something was wrong. I was happy only when there was some methodological or applicative aspect to explore or when I tutored university students in statistics in my free time. So, I quit and started applying for a PhD and found my way back.

Can you offer any advice to researchers in the early stages of their career?
My advice would be not to give up, not to lose hope. The world of research is not a simple world, the competition is great as is the amount of work and stress. If you like to study, explore, analyze and above all think, research is your world. There are positive and negative aspects as in any job, but if this is your path, the positive ones will give you great satisfaction.