Alicia Carriquiry

Alicia Carriquiry, distinguished professor of statistics at Iowa State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine—one of 70 new members selected for the coveted appointment.

In her 26-year career, Carriquiry’s work has advanced the understanding of nutrition and dietary assessment. Specifically, she has developed statistical models to better measure food consumption, particularly nutrient intake, and her focus on mental health has helped the academy better evaluate mental health services for military veterans.

“I’m so honored, flattered, and humbled. It’s very rewarding,” said Carriquiry in an Iowa State University news statement. “In life, you have successes and failures, and to receive recognition like this makes you realize that all the hard work throughout your career was worth it.”

Carriquiry’s areas of expertise are linear models, Bayesian statistics, and general methods. At Iowa State, she also leads the National Institute of Standards and Technology Forensic Science Center of Excellence.

Carriquiry earned her PhD from Iowa State University in 1989, master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1985, and bachelor’s degree from the Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay in 1981. A fellow of the ASA and Institute of Mathematical Statistics, she has been an ASA member since 1992 and currently sits on the Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Medal Committee. She served as chair of the Bayesian Statistical Science Section in 2013, vice president on the ASA Board of Directors from 2007–2009, and president of the ASA’s Iowa Chapter from 1996–1997.

Lillian Prince

Biostatistics and Research Awareness Initiatives Network (BRAIN), Inc. was recently awarded a $28,227.24 service-learning grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board to support 10 Buchtel Community Learning Center students in optometry research at Akron Children’s Hospital and a project at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. The BRAIN award is one of 63 grants funded out of more than 800 applications.

Lillian Prince, ASA fellow and executive director of BRAIN, said the funds will allow the students to gain statistical data analysis skills and conduct research to help clinicians address health issues affecting their communities.

“The grant will make a huge impact in the lives of all the BRAIN students. We are all excited for next summer,” said Najm Porter, BRAIN student public relations representative.

BRAIN was started in 2015 by Prince as the result of a pilot grant from members of the Biometrics Section. Six minority men from Buchtel Community Learning Center were exposed to biostatistics and health science careers through summer research projects with local medical clinicians.