ICSA Mentor-Mentee Program (IM2)
The International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA) Mentor-Mentee Program (IM²) is a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of statisticians. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by junior statisticians particularly those transitioning from academia to industry. Our IM² Program provides a structured and supportive platform for professional growth. The transition from academic environments to industry roles often involves adapting to new collaborative settings, evolving communication expectations, and navigating both internal and external influences. To address these challenges, the IM² Program was established to facilitate experience sharing and mentorship, thereby easing this critical career shift.
🎯 Mission & Vision
The IM² Program is designed to support junior statisticians—especially students nearing graduation and early-career professionals—as they transition from academia to industry. By fostering mentorship connections with seasoned statisticians, the program aims to:
– Provide professional guidance and career development.
– Strengthen industry-academia collaboration.
– Enhance ICSA’s visibility and community engagement.
🧭 Program Structure
– Monthly Mentoring Lounge: A one-hour Zoom-based session featuring 2–3 mentors from a specific industry sector (e.g., pharma, finance, data science).
– Interactive Format: Mentees can ask questions live or submit them in advance.
– Mentor Criteria: ≥3 years of industry experience and willingness to share insights in a collaborative setting.
– Registration: Open to ICSA members via Google form
🧑🤝🧑 Who Should Join?
– Mentees: Graduate students and early-career statisticians interested in industry roles.
– Mentors: Experienced professionals from industry or government with a passion for mentoring.
📢 Get Involved
Whether you’re a student seeking direction or a professional eager to give back, the IM² Program offers a meaningful platform for mentorship and growth.
📧 Stay tuned on ICSA newsletter and LinkedIn page for latest news.
📧 Questions? Contact the IM2 Committee at mentorship@icsa.org.
🔗 Interested in becoming a Mentor or Mentee? Register via the registration links below.
Mentor Link: https://forms.gle/LPgpxeZsFw92ZXw26
Mentee Link: https://forms.gle/xNwKc45sisg1YgZC8
🧑🤝🧑ICSA Mentor-Mentee Program (IM²) Committee
- Yushi Liu (Eli Lilly) – Program Co-Chair
- Hanfei Xu (Eli Lilly) – Program Co-Chair
- Jun Zhao (Antengene) – Committee Member, ICSA Executive Director
- Wei Shen (Eli Lilly) – Committee Member
- Xun Chen (Abbvie) – Committee Member, ICSA President 2024
- Yabing Mai (Abbvie) – Committee Member
- Hongzhe Li (University of Pennsylvania), Committee Member
- Hongtu Zhu (UNC at Chapel Hill), Committee Member
- Hongyu Zhao (Yale) – Committee Member, ICSA President 2025
- Tsui-Feng Wu (Ohio State University) – Committee Member
- Zhe Sun (Eli Lilly)- Program Volunteer
- Meilin Jiang (Eli Lilly)- Program Volunteer
Upcoming Event
🎯 BIOP Mentoring Program Meeting (BRIDGE) at JSM 2026
We are excited to invite you to the BIOP Mentoring Program Meeting (BRIDGE), co-sponsored by the ICSA Mentor-Mentee Program and the ASA Biopharmaceutical Section during the 2026 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM). This networking event provides an excellent opportunity for members at all career stages to connect, share experiences, and build meaningful professional relationships within the statistical community.
Event Details
- Meeting: BIOP Mentoring Program Meeting (BRIDGE)
- Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- Time: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Location: Westin Boston Seaport District, W–Marina Ballroom 2
- Refreshments: Light refreshments and snacks will be provided.
We encourage you to bookmark this event in the JSM Online Program so you don’t miss it. Whether you’re interested in finding a mentor, becoming a mentor, or simply expanding your professional network, we hope you’ll join us for this engaging networking event.
We look forward to seeing you in Boston!
🎯 Past sessions
June 15, 2026 12:00-1:00 PM EST
Mentee Roundtable Lunch Program in 2026 ICSA Applied Statistics Symposium
🌟 Mentors
- Naitee Ting: ASA Fellow, 2025 ASA Mentoring Award recipient, and retired pharmaceutical statistician.
- Rong Liu: Executive Director at Eli Lilly, leading statistical strategy for diabetes programs.
- Margaret (Meg) Gamalo: Vice President and Statistics Head at Pfizer, specializing in biostatistics and regulatory science.
- Ziqian Geng: Senior Director at AbbVie, focusing on immunology clinical development and regulatory submissions.
- Grace Li: Senior Director at Eli Lilly’s Statistical Innovation Center, focusing on Bayesian methods and AI in study design.
- Bidan Huang: Therapeutic Area Statistics Head at AbbVie, leading statistical strategy across multiple disease areas.
- Jeen Liu: Head of Biostatistics and Data Management at Regeneron, with broad drug development experience.
🧭 Organizers
- Organizer: Yushi Liu, Hanfei Xu
- Co‑Organizers: Jun Zhao, Hongzhe Li, Hongtu Zhu, Xun Chen, Yabing Mai, Wei Shen, Hongyu Zhao, and Rong Chen
April 20, 2026 2:00-3:00PM EST
ICSA Mentoring Lounge – From Statistics to Finance Industry
Panelist: Lei Chen, Roy Tang
Moderator: Yushi Liu (Eli Lilly and Company), Hanfei Xu (Eli Lilly and Company), Meilin Jiang ((Eli Lilly and Company) and Zhe Sun (Eli Lilly and Company)
February 20, 2026 2:00-3:00PM EST
ICSA Mentoring Lounge – Data Science in Pharma
Panelist: Haoda Fu (Amgen), Zhaoling Meng (Sanofi)
Moderator: Yushi Liu (Eli Lilly and Company), Hanfei Xu (Eli Lilly and Company)
December 5, 2025 2:00-3:00PM EST
ICSA Mentoring Lounge – From Statistics to Tech Industry
Panelist: Chang Liu (Google), Zerui Zhang (LinkedIn)
Moderator: Yushi Liu (Eli Lilly and Company), Hanfei Xu (Eli Lilly and Company)
October 1, 2025 2:00-3:00PM EST
First ICSA Mentoring Lounge
Panelist: Margaret Gamalo (Pfizer), Wei Shen (Eli Lilly and Company), Xun Chen (Abbvie)
Moderator: Yushi Liu (Eli Lilly and Company), Hanfei Xu (Eli Lilly and Company)