SPH Biostatistics Awards Highlight Critical Work of the Field.
SPH Biostatistics Awards Highlight Critical Work of the Field
Biostatistics is one of the foundational disciplines in the field of public health, applying statistical methods to translate complex clinical trial data into meaningful information used to make public health research and policy decisions.
As one of the most interdisciplinary departments at the School of Public Health, the Department of Biostatistics embraces innovative and collaborative methodological research, as well as training opportunities, to bridge the gap between theory and public health practice.
The department recently selected two recipients of SPH biostatistics awards to recognize their vast contributions to the field.
On Thursday, April 1, the Department of Biostatistics presented the 10th annual L. Adrienne Cupples Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Service to Xihong Lin, professor of biostatistics and coordinating director of the Program in Quantitative Genomics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. After accepting her award, Lin presented analytical results of a project she completed using models to extract information on COVID-19 transmission rates, health outcomes, interventions, and vaccinations in Wuhan, China.
The annual L. Adrienne Cupples Award recognizes a biostatistician whose academic achievements reflect the contributions to biostatistics exemplified by L. Adrienne Cupples, professor of biostatistics and epidemiology and the award’s first recipient. The program featured several other presentations, and included remarks by Cupples’ family members.
Cupples joined SPH in 1981 and served as the founding chair of the Department of Biostatistics and co-executive director of the Graduate Program in Biostatistics. During her time at SPH, she has advanced the field of biostatistics through more than 600 publications in major journals and book chapters on collaborative and methodological research, development and effective teaching of a wide range of biostatistics courses, and mentorship of numerous graduate students and faculty.
In 2016, Cupples also established one-half of the Colton-Cupples Visiting Scholars Fund, which was created to bring leaders in biostatistics of national and international repute to SPH. The scholars present lectures, conduct seminars, and develop ongoing dialogue with faculty and students in informal sessions. The fund was co-created by Theodore Colton, who was the founding Chair of the former SPH Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department from 1980 to 1999 and is now professor emeritus. Colton initiated the first epidemiology doctoral degree program at SPH and co-initiated the doctoral degree program in biostatistics at Boston University.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the L. Adrienne Cupples Award, Thursday’s program also featured remarks by past colleagues and students of Cupples, as well as a presentation by her family.
Cupples’ love for biostatistics “was ignited at the thought that she could apply her math skills and knowledge in a fashion that had practical effects on people’s health,” said her husband, John Cupples. “It’s clear to us that Adrienne still thinks math is fun, but her joy of math comes primarily from the students and colleagues with whom she has formed lasting relationships over the many years at BU.”
Michael Posner, associate professor of statistics and data science and director of the Center for Statistics Education at Villanova University, was a student in several of Cupples’ classes while pursuing his PhD in statistics. He said Cupples was “really great at getting to the heart of whatever topic we were discussing and explaining it in a way that made it make sense.
“Adrienne is a role model in teaching, research, and service, as well as the softer skills of communication, generosity, and humility,” said Posner. “I can say with confidence that your legacy lives in me, as I know it lives in many of us here today celebrating you and your career.”
Later this month, the Department of Biostatistics will recognize the work of a second biostatistician during the April 22 virtual presentation of the Distinguished Biostatistics Alumni Award. The inaugural award will be presented to Sandeep Menon (SPH’03, GRS’10), who is the senior vice president and head of early clinical development at Pfizer.
Menon received his MPH in biostatistics at SPH, and his PhD in biostatistics at BU. He joined Pfizer in 2010, and currently oversees early-stage clinical development of nearly all of Pfizer’s drug candidates.
Click here to support the work of the Department of Biostatistics, and educational opportunities for students and faculty, through opportunities such as the Colton-Cupples Visiting Scholars Fund. To register for the Inaugural Distinguished Biostatistics Alumni Award presentation on April 22, click here.