Jemar Bather

Affiliation: Merck
Education: BS, Statistics, Penn State; MS, Applied Statistics, New York University; PhD, Biostatistics, Harvard

Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, Jemar Bather immigrated to the Bronx, New York, in the early 1990s, later moving to Orlando, Florida, and Covington, Georgia, for middle and high school. He then graduated high school with honors and returned north to attend Penn State University.

Always finding joy in identifying data patterns and applying formulas for problem-solving in mathematics, Bather took advanced math courses and participated in extracurriculars such as Future Business Leaders of America in high school. He switched from pursuing an engineering degree to a statistics degree at Penn State, after taking a captivating introductory course reminiscent of the math classes that initially sparked his passion.

Supported by mentors, Bather graduated from Penn State and embarked on a career in data analytics within nonprofit organizations, assisting charter schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He pursued a master’s in applied statistics for social science research at New York University while working full time and conducting public health research in Melody Goodman’s measurement, learning, and evaluation lab, where he honed his skills in generalized linear models and survey research methods.

Beyond graduate school, Bather sought professional development in statistics through the Joint Statistical Meetings Diversity Mentoring Program and International Biometric Society Eastern North American Region Fostering Diversity in Biostatistics Workshop. This involvement broadened his understanding of diverse career paths and provided opportunities to build a professional network and speak on panels about his graduate school experiences.

His journey eventually led to Harvard University’s PhD program in biostatistics, where he took advanced courses in probability, statistical inference, statistical methods, and epidemiology. Concurrently, he conducted research, applying statistical techniques to real-world problems in pediatric HIV, environmental health, and reproductive epidemiology.

Bather’s proudest moment was graduating from Harvard with his PhD in biostatistics. Sharing the special moment with his supportive family that had accompanied him on his lengthy educational journey made the accomplishment even sweeter.

Today, Bather works as a senior scientist in biostatistics at Merck, where he applies his statistical expertise to developing new medications that enhance health outcomes for those affected by infectious diseases.