Date: 2009/10/6

Subject: Biostatistics at Harvard

To:

Dear Colleague:

We are writing to ask you for your help in identifying undergraduate and post-baccalaureate minority students (particularly African-American, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students) with excellent aptitude in mathematics and statistics.

The Department of Biostatistics, which administers PhD training at the Harvard School of Public Health, seeks outstanding minority applicants for its graduate programs in Biostatistics.

Biostatistics is an excellent career choice for students interested in mathematics applied to real world problems.  The current data explosion is contributing to the rising stature of, and demand for biostatisticians, as noted in an August 6, 2009 article in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/technology/06stats.html?_r=1&hp) "I keep saying that the sexy job in the next 10 years will be statisticians ... and I'm not kidding."  To date, Biostatistics has not been successful in attracting qualified minority students, particularly African Americans.  Students best suited for careers in Biostatistics are those with strong mathematical abilities, combined with interests in health and biology.  Unfortunately, statistics is not widely taught at the undergraduate level, and many potentially excellent candidates simply do not learn about the possibility of a valuable and fulfilling career in Biostatistics.  Many minority students who could thrive in a Biostatistics program choose instead to enter medical school.  Public health in general, and Biostatistics in particular, are not even considered as options.  We would like your help in identifying qualified students before they make their choices regarding graduate school or other career paths.

All doctoral students accepted in our department are guaranteed full tuition and stipend support throughout their program, as long as they are making satisfactory progress towards the PhD degree.  Every effort is made to meet the individual needs of each student, and to insure the successful completion of graduate work.

Attached is a brochure about our graduate programs in Biostatistics.  Please note the deadline for submitting applications to the MA and PhD programs for entry in the fall of 2010 is December 15, 2009.

We look forward to answering any questions you may have.  Questions about our graduate programs can be directed to Jelena Follweiller, at jtillots@hsph.harvard.edu.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Betensky, Ph.D.

Professor of Biostatistics

Catherine Haskell, Diversity Program Coordinator

Dept. of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health

655 Huntington Avenue, Bldg. 2 - 4th floor Boston, MA  02115-6017

Tel: (617) 432-3175     Fax: (617) 432-5619

chaskell@hsph.harvard.edu

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostats/diversity/summer/spb-intro.html