An Liu arrived in the United States and at the University of Minnesota in 1997. But it wasn't until 2001, when he started coursework in the Division of Biostatistics, that he found a home here.

"It's a good atmosphere," says the 33-year-old, who received an MS in biostatistics in March 2003. "Not only for studying, but for friendships and living."

Liu had an introduction to biostatistics as an undergraduate at China's Nankai University. He came to the University of Minnesota in 1997 to study water resource science, developing skills in mathematics and statistical modeling. Still, biostatistics was fairly new to him when he switched programs.

"It's challenging, but very interesting to me and very rewarding," Liu says. "Statistics, it's not just techniques, not just math. It's kind of a thinking process. You can apply statistical thinking to almost anything."

In summer 2002 Liu got a job as an advanced biostatistician at St. Paul-based 3M Pharmaceuticals. His work includes designing clinical trials, analyzing the data collected, and assisting in the regulatory approval process.

He's grateful not just for his biostatistics education, but also for the school's career services and mentor program, which matched him with a mentor who worked at 3M. "He's now my superior," Liu says.