Simon Lab Spotlight! Yuexing Chen

Yuexing Chen, Data Analyst, from North Carolina 
B.S. in Mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke 

Q. Cats, Dogs or other?
A. Dogs, I am a dog person. 

Q. What sparked your interest in virology research or led you to join the Simon and Mulder Lab? 
A: I joined the Simon Lab in 2023, when COVID-19 was still ongoing. The pandemic made me more aware of how impactful virology research can be and motivated me to contribute through data to support ongoing research efforts. 

Q. How did the Pandemic impact your position on research and virology? 
A. It was definitely the COVID-19 Pandemic that made me interested in virology, and how much it affected everyone everywhere around the world. 

Q. What is the most interesting part of your job? 
A. I really enjoy the inventory part. It is like organizing your closet. I like to make sure everything looks nice, clean, and efficient.  

Q. What is your favorite spot in New York? 
A.  Little Island 

Q. How did the Pandemic impact your position on research and virology? 
A. I think it showed me how critical research is and how data analysts can still help and make a difference.  

Q. What does a day in the lab look like? 
A. I start by checking all the data sample information in the morning from all the samples that were processed last day. Make sure everything is up to date in the processing notebook. After that I will code for a while for automation and then at about 3:30pm or 4pm when all the samples are collected, I will start the inventory.   

Q. Aside from being a great data analyst, what would you describe to be your personal superpower? 
A. I am a very good organizer! 

Q. If you could share one piece of advice with people interested in research, what would it be? 
A. Find your passion and start as soon as you can. 

Thank you Yuexing for sharing your story and also Aidan Vera for helping with the Spotlight Series!