Growing up in Berkeley and Oakland, California, Ben Hansen was surrounded by inspiration and possibility. Drawn to the beauty of mathematics and the depth of philosophy, he enrolled in UC Berkeley’s Group in Logic and Methodology of Science. While logic was his primary focus, Hansen’s path began to shift when he took probability courses from Ani Adhikari and Jim Pitman. When he realized he could do more as a statistician, he changed his trajectory and reached out to David Blackwell, who offered him guidance and encouragement. Kjell Doksum and Leon Henkin also provided invaluable support. As Hansen transitioned from student to faculty member—first during a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and later at the University of Michigan—he carried forward the invaluable lessons imparted by his mentors, striving to emulate their example in his own work and teaching.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Monica Christine Jackson grew up in a joyful, game-filled home where creativity and math intertwined. With siblings who coded computer games, her love for math sparked early. Bored and unchallenged by middle school math, Jackson transferred to a private prep school, where her passion once again flourished. At Clark Atlanta University, she pursued mathematics, later earning a PhD focused on spatial statistics and disease surveillance. Jackson’s career flourished as a statistician, author, mentor, and leader, and she inspired students through programs such as SPIRAL. Yet, her proudest moments are those spent with family and friends, who celebrate her successes and lift her up when needed.

Carmen Tekwe’s path to biostatistics was inspired by her grandfather’s dedication as a medical doctor and her parents’ academic pursuits in Nigeria. Initially aiming to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, Carmen discovered her passion for statistics and its applications in medicine and public health. With a PhD in biostatistics, her work focuses on understanding how individuals from diverse backgrounds respond to health interventions. A strong advocate for diversity, she builds collaborative research teams and mentors individuals from underrepresented communities. Carmen’s achievements, including securing NIH funding, highlight her commitment to improving public health and giving back to global communities.

Jeffrey R. Wilson, a professor of statistics and biostatistics at Arizona State University, combines his Trinidadian roots with a passion for using data to address societal challenges. His career began at the University of the West Indies and continued at Iowa State University, where he specialized in statistical modeling and binary data. Since then, he has authored several textbooks including Modeling Correlated Binary Responses and Statistical Analytics for Health Data Science with SAS and R. Wilson’s research spans health data, public policy, and correlated binary responses. A leader in inclusive excellence, he also mentors underrepresented students and advances equity through initiatives like ASU’s LIFT program. His contributions were recognized with the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Faculty Service-Leadership Award.

The Fostering Diversity in Biostatistics Workshop introduces historically under-represented undergraduate students to biostatistics and offers networking opportunities, mentoring (peer and near-peer), and professional development opportunities to graduate students. Learn more about the history of this workshop.