Pfizer and SPH Continue to Promote Graduate Studies in Biostatistics.
Pfizer and SPH Continue Alliance to Promote Graduate Studies in Biostatistics
Dylan Tran is a former undergraduate in the Summer Institute in Biostatistics and Data Science program who returned to SPH to enroll as a master’s degree student.
For the third year, Pfizer will provide a fellowship for a student pursuing an advanced degree in biostatistics at the Boston University School of Public Health.
Dylan Tran is a new student in the Master of Science in Biostatistics program, which is jointly administered by the Department of Biostatistics at SPH and the Department of Mathematics & Statistics of the BU Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.
Tran says his interest in biostatistics started in the summer of his junior year of college, when he traveled to Boston to participate in the Summer Institute in Biostatistics and Data Science (SIBS) program at BUSPH. SIBS is a renowned introductory training program that introduces promising students to the field of biostatistics, with about 90 percent of SIBS students eventually pursuing graduate study in biostatistics.
Tran says that summer in Boston gave him a unique opportunity to do explore several fields other than biostatistics, but ultimately helped confirm and solidify his interest in biostatistics. “What I like most about biostatistics is that it gives you a lot of flexibility to collaborate on different types of research teams and different fields of expertise. There’s also the utility of being able to create new methods in research,” Tran says. “I saw that was happening at BUSPH as well, and I really liked that. So that also contributed to me choosing BU.”
During his first year on campus, Tran says he hopes to continue to explore biostatistics and related work because last year was his first time delving into biostatistics. “I want to spend this year getting more exposure to biostatistics, making more connections and learning more about the field.”
Tran is also looking forward to the networking and mentorship opportunities with Pfizer colleagues that should help boost his training and expand his understanding of working in an industry setting.
The Pfizer Statistics Fellowship Program aims to attract prospective students pursuing graduate studies in statistics, biostatistics and data science and encourage promising scholars with diverse voices and experiences to join the field.