Jacqueline Hughes-Oliver is a statistics professor at North Carolina State University. She works in prediction and classification, variable and model selection with dimension reduction, design of experiments, and spatial modeling. She is a fellow of the ASA and was awarded the 2014 Blackwell-Tapia Prize for research excellence and mentoring activities.
Rebecca Hubbard is a biostatistics professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Her research focuses on improving the quality and validity of medical research using electronic health records data. She is passionate about improving the pipeline of talented individuals from diverse backgrounds pursuing careers in the statistical sciences.
ADJOINT is a research program focused on advancing and strengthening the careers of Black statistical (and mathematical) scientists and deepening their engagement with the broader research community.
Only one (three) percent of full- (part-) time faculty in statistics and biostatistics departments are “Black, not Hispanic,” according to the 2015 report of the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences (see Tables F.5 and F.6). This lack of representation is unhealthy, both for individual Black statistical scientists and for the discipline as a whole.
The long-term goal of ADJOINT is to serve as a sustaining force that enables Black academics in statistical (and mathematical) programs to flourish. More specifically, ADJOINT addresses three of the four primary needs for facilitating faculty research productivity put forth in “A Theoretical, Practical, Predictive Model of Faculty and Department Research Productivity,” published in Academic Medicine: providing formal mentoring programs; facilitating networks; and providing time for conducting research.
ADJOINT is a year-long hands-on research experience hosted by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. The first full year for ADJOINT was 2020–2021. Researchers spend two weeks in residence (all expenses paid) at the research institute in Berkeley, California, to initiate their projects. Teams continue working for at least a full academic year and are offered funding and other resources to help facilitate their work. For example, researchers may travel to another site during the year to intensify engagement. Commonly, researchers meet at a national or international conference to both present their findings and continue their research collaboration.
Research teams are led by research leaders, who are carefully selected by the ADJOINT directorate. They are highly respected Black statistical and mathematical scientists with well-established research programs. Each research leader heads up a group of up to five researchers by framing the research questions to be addressed and leading the team to complete the research.
In 2021–2022, Emma Benn of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai served as research leader for the project “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health: Applying a More Nuanced Inferential Framework.” Rebecca Hubbard of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine is serving as research leader for 2022–2023 and working on a project called “Improving Validity and Fairness of EHR Research for Medically Underserved Populations.” For 2023–2024, Donald Martin of North Carolina State University will serve as research leader for the project “Inference and Applications of Sparse Markov Models.”
Researchers are paired with research leaders based on an application process. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents, possess a PhD in the statistical or mathematical sciences, and be employed at a US institution. Applicants are asked to submit the following:
- A cover letter specifying which of the offered research projects the applicant wishes to be part of
- A curriculum vitae
- A personal statement, no longer than one page, addressing how participation will contribute to the goals of the program
- A research statement, no longer than two pages, describing current research interests, relevant past research activities, and how they relate to the project of greatest interest
While participants are not required to identify as Black, their potential positive impact on the careers of Black statistical and mathematical scientists is an important factor in the final selection.
ADJOINT alumni have positive things to say about their experiences. A perfect 100 percent of alumni report they are extremely likely to recommend ADJOINT to a friend.
Applications are being considered for 2023–2024; apply now. The deadline is January 13, 2023, and participants will be announced in early February 1.
ADJOINT targets the broader statistical and mathematical sciences, so the full list of research leaders includes the following:
- Donald Martin, North Carolina State University, “Inference and Applications of Sparse Markov Models”
- Folashade Agusto, University of Kansas, “Ticks, Fire, and Control: Implementing Prescribed Fire and Control Measures at Ticks Invasion Front”
- Mboyo Esole, Northeastern University, “Algebra/Algebraic Geometry”
- Nsoki Mavinga, Swarthmore College, “Nonlinear Elliptic Partial Differential Equations with Nonlinear Boundary Conditions”
Learn more about ADJOINT or read “MSRI’s ADJOINT: African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Workshop”. Additionally, email Jacqueline Hughes-Oliver, who serves on the ADJOINT directorate, or Rebecca Hubbard with questions.
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