Born in Nigeria, Niyi Adewale aspired to become a medical doctor, engineer, or lawyer—professions he equated with success. His love for mathematics initially steered him toward engineering, but setbacks led him to pursue his true passion: mathematics. He went on to graduate with honors, embracing the path that would define his future. Seeking real-world applications, Adewale pursued graduate studies in Canada and, with a mentor’s advice, transitioned into statistics. For 17 years, he thrived in the biopharmaceutical industry, shaping clinical strategies to improve lives. Now at Alcon, he leads a statistics group while mentoring others. Driven by resilience, curiosity, and a desire to give back, Adewale’s journey redefined success through meaningful, data-driven impact.

Portia Exum’s path to becoming a software development manager at SAS started in Newark, New Jersey, where her love for math was sparked in the first grade as she watched her father solve algebra problems. This passion grew throughout her education, leading to a bachelor’s in mathematics/statistics and economics from Smith College and a master’s in statistics from NC State University.

Exum’s career at SAS spans more than a decade. She has blended technical excellence in software research and development with leadership in diversity and inclusion. As co-founder of the Black Initiatives Group and a recipient of the CEO Award of Excellence, Exum champions innovation, mentorship, and equity, inspiring future generations in technology and statistics.

Sara Neequaye shares what led her to pursue an education in statistics. We also welcome many other new ASA members.

Join social scientists and science advocates from across the country and make your voice heard in support of social and behavioral science.

Musie S. Ghebremichael’s love for mathematics and medicine started early and propelled him to earn his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in his home country of Eritrea. Eventually, he moved to the states to pursue graduate work: a PhD in statistics from Rice University and a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University. Today, he is an associate professor of biostatistics at Harvard Medical School, an associate investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, an associate director of the Harvard Center for AIDS Research biostatistics and bioinformatics core, and director of biostatistics/database core at the Ragon Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard.