Beyond
Reasonable Doubt: The Role of Statistics in Health ResearchThe Department of Mathematics at the University of Dayton presents
The 5th Annual Kenneth C. Schraut Memorial Lecture
Saturday, November 6, 2004
Science Center Auditorium
1:10 - 2:25 pm
Beyond
Reasonable Doubt: The Role of Statistics in Health Research
Dr. Jane Pendergast
Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Director of the Center for Public Health Statistics at the University of Iowa
Abstract:
The foundation of mathematics opens the door to an amazing number
of diverse careers and opportunities, one of which is in the area of
statistics. While some may associate the term “statistics” with numbers
summarizing sports achievements or population demographics, the broader
definition of the term characterizes statistics as a mathematical science
dealing with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of
data. This talk focuses on the role of statistical reasoning and methods in
health research, and how we capitalize on the concept of “chance” to answer our
questions.
Jane Pendergast graduated with a BA in Mathematics from the University of Dayton in 1974, and continued her graduate education at the University of Iowa, earning masters and doctoral degrees in Statistics. She began her academic career in the Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Statistics at the University of Florida. In 1999, she came to the University of Iowa as a faculty member in the Department of Biostatistics and Director of the Center of Public Health Statistics. She has been actively involved in teaching and collaborative research in the health sciences for over twenty years, has authored numerous journal articles and was awarded the Collegiate Teaching Award in 2001. Her research has involved many topics, including statistical methods for longitudinal data, issues in child health policy, medication use among the elderly, cancer screening and treatments, and surgery on horses. Besides her colleagues in statistics, she has worked with colleagues in Public Health, Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Health Related Professions, Veterinary Medicine, and Law. Dr. Pendergast is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and has held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations, including six years on the ASA Board of Directors. She was recently elected to be President of the Eastern North American Region of the International Biometrics Society.