Awards

Biostatistics Department to Present Distinguished Alumni Award on April 22

The inaugural award, which will be presented to alum Sandeep Menon, senior vice president and head of early clinical development at Pfizer, was created “to draw attention to the often unsung work of biostatisticians.”

The Department of Biostatistics at the School of Public Health will present its inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award during a virtual ceremony on Thursday, April 22 at 12:45 p.m. Sandeep Menon (SPH’03, GRS’10), an adjunct faculty member at SPH and senior vice president and head of early clinical development at Pfizer, is the first recipient of the award.

“Sandeep really embodies the ‘Think. Teach. Do.’ mission of the School of Public Health,” says Josée Dupuis, professor and chair of biostatistics, noting Menon’s leadership in developing statistical methods in the pharmaceutical industry and his years of teaching, mentoring, and creating internship opportunities for biostatistics students. “He’s really looking out for our students and wants to give back to the profession and to BU, and I think that makes him a great recipient.”

The department established this award to honor graduates of the department for their contributions to the field. Alumni of all biostatistics programs (MS, MA, PhD, and MPH) are eligible, and each year, the recipient will be invited to campus to give a presentation and meet with students.

Dupuis says that while SPH presents a school-wide alumni award each year, her department chose to create its own award to draw attention to the often unsung work of biostatisticians. “We wanted to recognize our alums who are making contributions that may not be highly visible but have an important downstream impact.”

The department accepts nominations for the award via on online form. Anyone, with or without a BU affiliation, may submit a nomination. The department’s awards committee, composed of five faculty members, chooses the award recipient based on criteria outlined by the department, which include making notable contributions to the field of biostatistics, nurturing future generations of biostatisticians, and improving health broadly or for an underserved population. The department seeks diverse nominees in terms of biostatistics degree obtained, career path, area of expertise within the field, and personal background. Particular consideration is given to those who have demonstrated resilience in obtaining their achievements.

To register for the inaugural Biostatistics Alumni Award Presentation on April 22, click here.