Celebrating Women in Statistics

“My life has been an exercise in serendipity and survival,” says Nairanjana Dasgupta.

Aurore Delaigle grew up in the French-speaking part of Belgium, where her parents—both high school teachers in mathematics and sciences—influenced her early interest in mathematics.

Shannon Ellis attended King’s College, where she earned a bachelor’s in biology and Spanish while playing Division III sports. A pivotal moment came when her genetics professor, Jeramia Ory, invited her to join his research lab.

When Bailey Fosdick began college at the Colorado School of Mines, she was drawn to science but quickly realized she disliked lab work. Mathematics, however, stood out as the common thread tying her interests together.

Brenda Gaydos is a devoted grandmother, retired from a rewarding career as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry.

Elena Grewal’s journey began in New Haven, Connecticut, where the stark contrast between her public elementary school and elite private high school ignited her passion for addressing inequality.

Growing up in St. Petersburg, Russia, Elizaveta Levina excelled in math and pursued it in college, though without a clear career plan. It wasn’t until she was assigned to teach an introductory statistics course during her master’s studies that she realized her passion for applying mathematical thinking to real-world problems.

Ruixiao Lu was born and raised in China, where her early fascination with numbers and data led her to a career focused on personalized health care. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has contributed to genomics, diagnostics, and clinical trials, aiming to improve patient outcomes.

Katherine L. Monti’s life has been shaped by variability and a love for mathematics. Born in Chicago and raised in multiple locations, Monti developed an early interest in math.

Nalini Ravishanker grew up in Chennai, India, in a huge extended family that nurtured her love for mathematics. Inspired by talks by leading statisticians at the University of Madras, she decided to pursue a PhD in statistics.