Alexandra Schmidt was born in Nova Friburgo, Brazil. Her interest in computers started at age 13, when she taught herself programming in Basic.
Celebrating Women in Statistics
Sonia Thomas
Sonia Thomas’s journey into biostatistics began at the University of North Carolina, where a flier in a math class piqued her interest.
Mei-Cheng Wang
Mei-Cheng Wang’s journey began in Taiwan, where she earned her bachelor’s in mathematics from National Tsing Hua University. In 1981, she moved to the University of California at Berkeley to pursue a PhD in statistics.
Marie Diener-West
Marie Diener-West pursued biology and mathematics at Loyola University of Chicago. It wasn’t until her senior year that a physical chemistry professor suggested graduate school—a simple comment that changed her life.
Elizabeth Colantuoni
Elizabeth Colantuoni’s love for math and teaching led her to statistics, which she discovered while exploring colleges that offered degrees in actuarial science. She became captivated by experimental design and regression analysis while studying at Virginia Tech. Over the past 25 years, she has built a career in biostatistics at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Colantuoni has contributed to research in critical care medicine and patient safety, specializing in longitudinal and multilevel data. She considers her greatest achievement to be the mentorship and education she has provided to students, fellows, and faculty, particularly during her time as the master’s program director from 2015 to 2024.
Aurore Delaigle
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.
Katherine L. Monti
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. During college summers, she worked for The University of North Carolina Department of Biostatistics, where her work with programming and statistical analysis sparked her interest in biostatistics. Despite initially resisting the idea, Monti eventually earned a PhD in biostatistics from UNC. Her career spanned teaching, industry, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals, and she became known for her humorous and educational in-house newsletters. Monti’s persistence in challenging assumptions led to key successes in pharma. She also made significant contributions to the ASA, serving in several leadership roles. Now retired, Monti reflects on a fulfilling career that perfectly matched her passion for statistics and education.
Elena Tej Grewal
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. Studying ethics, politics, and economics at Yale, she sought solutions through public policy before discovering the power of data while pursuing a PhD at Stanford.
Mei-Cheng Wang
Mei-Cheng Wang’s journey began in Taiwan, where she earned her bachelor’s in mathematics from National Tsing Hua University. In 1981, she moved to the University of California at Berkeley to pursue a PhD in statistics. After completing her PhD, she joined the department of biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University, where she has been a faculty member ever since.
Celebrating Women’s History Month
This Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting remarkable women in statistics, biostatistics, and data science. As mentors, educators, and innovators, they’ve shaped the field in countless ways. Read their journeys and learn about their incredible achievements.