Biostatistics Distinguished Alumni Award.
Congratulations Dr. Elena Losina , PhD
We are delighted to announce that the recipient of the 2022 BUSPH Biostatistics Distinguished Alumni Award is Dr. Elena Losina, PhD. Dr. Losina is the Robert W. Lovett Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Policy and Innovation eValuations in Orthopedic Treatments (PIVOT) Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her distinguished career exemplifies the core purpose of our school to “Think Teach. Do. For the health of all”.
Think: Dr. Losina has dedicated her career to bringing innovative biostatistical methods to bear on pressing clinical and health policy questions in orthopedics, rheumatology, and HIV. Dr. Losina is internationally recognized for her expertise in probabilistic decision analysis modeling. She is a founding member of the NIAID-funded Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC) model team, whose findings have helped to shape HIV prevention and treatment guidelines in the US and around the world.
Teach: Dr. Losina has mentored numerous students and junior faculty in the application of clinical research methods to study musculoskeletal and HIV-related conditions. She is Co-Director of a T32 grant. Dr. Losina has designed and led training for biostatistical methods across a variety of clinical disciplines and settings, including the HIV Online Provider Education (HOPE) program, which provides high-quality training of health care professionals in resource limited settings.
Do: Dr. Losina is an elected Board of Directors member for Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI), a Deputy Editor for Methodology and Statistics of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, a Member of the Editorial Boards of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage and Arthritis Care and Research; a standing member of clinical trials-focused NIH (AMCS) study section, and served as a chair or a member of the Data Safety and Monitoring Boards of several NIH-funded national and international RCTs.
In summarizing Dr. Losina’s remarkable career journey, her nominators note that “Thirty-two years ago, Dr. Losina came to the United States from Ukraine with minimal English language skills, a strong mathematics background and a burning desire to use mathematics and statistics to improve public health. She launched her journey at the Department of Biostatistics at BUSPH and has gone on to become a widely cited author, Deputy Editor of the premier orthopedic journal, and internationally recognized investigator in the prevention, management, and policy development of two major clinical fields – HIV and OA.”
Purpose of the Award
The Biostatistics Distinguished Alumni Award is awarded yearly to an alum who embodies, through their work in biostatistics, the Boston University School of Public Health’s core purpose to “Think. Teach. Do. For the health of all.”
Think: Think: Notable achievements (e.g. publications, grants, etc.) in the field of biostatistics
Teach: Having an impact on the next generation of Biostatisticians through either formal or informal teaching and mentoring
Do: Career centered on biostatistics. Active contributors via professional organizations, government policy, popular press or other means
For the health of all: impact on underserved populations or wide-spread impact
Eligibility and Nominations
Alumni from all BU Biostatistics programs are eligible (MS, MA, PhD, and MPH graduates). We welcome diverse nominees in terms of biostatistics degree obtained, career path, particular area of expertise within the field of biostatistics as well as personal background. Particular consideration is given to those who have demonstrated resilience in obtaining their achievements.
Anyone (student, staff, faculty, whether BU-affiliated or not) may submit a nomination. Self-nominations are also accepted.
Please include the nominee’s CV and a 1 page letter describing:
- Achievements since graduation
- How their work is making an impact
- Service and dedication to the profession
- Any obstacles the nominee has had to overcome
Nominations should be uploaded at the following link.
The 2022 recipient will be invited to come to BU to receive the award and to give a presentation and meet with students in Fall 2022 (Date: 1 pm, October 27, 2022).
Past Winners
2021: Sandeep Menon