Summer Workshop Introduces Biostatistics to Undergraduates
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Over a two-week span from May 28-June 7, a cohort of 25 undergraduate students embarked on an introductory journey into the field of biostatistics. Students had a range of prior experience in statistical modeling and computing. For many, the program was truly a crash course in introductory biostatistics.
The workshop featured a mixture of lectures and hands-on lab sessions led by several biostatistics faculty and doctoral students. Students worked on team-based projects and presentations that covered topics ranging from genomics to an examination of the effects of historical redlining on modern day health and environment to predictors of chronic disease using large epidemiological data sets. Guest speakers included a senior informatics epidemiologist with the MA Department of Public Health, researchers and instructors from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and Smith College; and data scientists working in the biomedical industry.
"We had such a blast doing this!" says Professor of Biostatistics Raji Balasubramanian, who was the workshop's organizer. "We were energized by the students’ enthusiasm and many expressed interest in our grad programs. We were also so inspired by the diversity of students who registered to participate."
The students, which included 13 students who self-identified as a minority and/or from a disadvantaged background, ranged in both statistical and academic levels of experience from rising sophomores to “seniors-plus.” Each student received a stipend of $1000, and on-campus housing was provided to 17 of the students, 9 of whom were enrolled outside of UMass Amherst.
The workshop was a resounding success with 87% of the participants surveyed saying they were more likely to take biostatistics courses in the future.
“I came into this without much if any interest in Biostatistics,” one student noted. “Now there is a real chance that I will pursue statistics or even biostatistics in the future. I really enjoyed myself through this workshop and feel like I learned a ton. It is a really great opportunity and even if I don't continue in this field the skills I learned will be applicable, even if it is just a better understanding of data.”
Another student remarked that they appreciated the workshop’s supportive TAs, collaborative work with peers, and information about the field. “It helped many students better understand the field of biostatistics and what career options there are available after the graduation. It was also very nice to have enough TAs walking around to always be available for any questions or explanations. The learning atmosphere was great.”
Balasubramanian hopes that the summer workshop will be the first of many as the department plans to apply for NIH grants to secure future funding for the program.