Math was always Donald Martin’s favorite subject in school. In fact, while in elementary school, his father taught him math he didn’t see in school until a few years later and that built his confidence. While at the University of Baltimore, Martin’s graduate adviser, Benjamin Kedem, convinced Martin to quit his full-time job on campus and become his research assistant, which helped Martin focus on his studies. Subsequently, he became one of four African Americans in the US to earn a PhD in mathematics in 1990. Since then, Martin, an associate professor at North Carolina State University, has received several research grants and the College of Sciences Faculty Diversity Professional Development Award.
Additional Features
Dionne Swift
Since middle school, Dionne Swift knew she would pursue a math- or science-related occupation because those were her favorite subjects. Fortunately, her math and science teachers looked like her in both middle and high school and, as relatable role models, they sparked her interest in math and science. Because of the mentors in her life, Swift strives to inspire others to achieve their educational and professional dreams and is active in the initiatives of the ASA Committee on Minorities in Statistics, including serving as a mentor since 2012.
Pfizer/ASA/UConn Distinguished Statistician Colloquium Returns
Peter Bickel of the University of California, Berkeley will present “Four Excursions in Genomics” at the colloquium.
Podcast Series Tackles Getting a Job
Richard Franzese of Certara and Glen Wright Colopy of Pod of Asclepius will host a three-part career Q&A with an episode each dedicated to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.
FY21 Federal Budget Finalized
![Figure 1 shows the budgets of the seven mid-sized statistical agencies normalized to their FY09 levels, along with the GDP deflator to account for inflation. Budget restructuring for ERS in FY15 and ORES in FY19 are accounted for in the graph to allow for comparison over this time period. One-time moving costs in FY16 for BEA are also omitted. [Key: BEA, Bureau of Economic Analysis; BJS, Bureau of Justice Statistics; BTS, Bureau of Transportation Statistics; ERS, USDA Economic Research Service; NCSES, NSF National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; ORES, Social Security Administration Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics; SOI, IRS Statistics of Income Division]](https://magazine.amstat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FY_Figure1_-150x150.jpg)
The NIH, NSF, and several federal statistical agencies received increases, but many are facing fiscal challenges after years of purchasing power loss.
Rebecca Hubbard
Rebecca Hubbard always excelled at science and math and considered becoming a science fiction writer but chose pre-med instead. However, not a “people person,” she discovered she had no interest in the clinical side of medicine. While looking for summer research opportunities, she learned about the Harvard Summer Program in Biostatistics, a field she had never heard of before, and decided to give it a try. This literally changed her life. Today, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, she writes papers instead of poetry and science instead of fiction and helps her talented students decode the academic maze.
Scarlett Bellamy
Scarlett Bellamy grew up on her grandparent’s tobacco farm, learning how to drive a tractor when she was just five years old. This experience shaped her work ethic. Moreover, when her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Bellamy promised she would become a doctor so she could “fix” her. Ultimately, Bellamy earned her PhD in biostatistics from Harvard and although it wasn’t the type of doctor who could fix her grandmother, she did fulfill her promise. Today, Bellamy is a professor of biostatistics and associate dean for diversity, inclusion, and faculty development at Drexel University.
Machell Town
Machell Town’s introduction to statistics was as a statistician for the Boys and Girls Club varsity basketball team and, even though she started out at the University of Georgia majoring in computer science, she eventually changed her major to statistics. Town earned her PhD in public health with a concentration in epidemiology from Walden University. Currently, she is the branch chief for the Population Health Surveillance Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She mentors young professionals and students inside and outside the CDC and was appointed to the statistics advisory committee of Preventing Chronic Disease.
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas noticed at a young age he excelled in his math courses. He remembers while in high school picking from sheets with example exam questions the one with equations on it, because it seemed the shortest. This year, he helped plan and host StatFest 2020. He has been involved in mentorship, tutoring, and career-development conferences for students since he was an undergraduate and is currently pursuing a PhD in computational science and engineering focused on civil and environmental engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Abie Ekangaki
Born in Cameroon, West Africa, Abie Ekangaki moved to London, England, in the early 1970s with his family, where he spent his childhood shuttling between the continents. His interest in statistics spurs from a personal work experience, when he was exposed to the concept of converting data into information. Since then, he has worked across the globe for the World Health Organization and in academia and the pharmaceutical industry.