Alumnus, Two Professors Named ASA Fellows.
(Posner photo courtesy Villanova University)
Professor of Biostatistics Paola Sebastiani, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biostatistics Sandeep Menon, and alumnus Michael Posner (SPH’06) have been named fellows of the American Statistical Association (ASA), the nation’s preeminent professional statistical society.
They will be awarded certificates at a ceremony on August 1 at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings in Baltimore, Maryland.
The designation of ASA fellow has been a significant honor for nearly 100 years. Under ASA bylaws, the Committee on Fellows can elect up to one-third of 1 percent of the total membership as fellows each year. Individuals are nominated by their peers in the association membership.
Sebastiani is the primary statistician of the BU site of the Long Life Family Study, and of the New England Centenarian Study. She is being honored “[f]or outstanding contributions to the development and application of Bayesian statistical methods and software for genomics data in complex traits, particularly sickle cell disease and healthy aging; and for exceptional leadership in training the next generation of statisticians.”
Menon is vice president and head of early clinical development in biostatistics at Pfizer, Inc. He is being honored “[f]or impactful and influential statistical, scientific, and strategic leadership in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in promoting efficient clinical trial designs; for contributions to statistical education through book authorships and innovative training; for fostering effective liaisons among industry, regulators, and academia; and for service to the profession.”
Posner is an associate professor of statistics and director of the Center for Statistics Education at Villanova University. He is being honored “[f]or outstanding leadership and mentorship in statistics education, for contributions to the field of statistics education research, and for service to the profession.”
As ASA fellows, they join Theodore Colton, professor and chair emeritus of epidemiology, and Josée Dupuis, professor and chair of biostatistics.
The American Statistical Association is the world’s largest community of statisticians and the second-oldest continuously operating professional society in the US. Its members serve in industry, government, and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare.