Contact us if you are interested in learning more about partnering with Bridge to Biostats!

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)

BEAM works to create pathways for underserved students to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists — and hopefully statisticians!

From BEAM’s website: “Despite decades of effort, low-income and minority students remain vastly underrepresented in science and math related fields. EAM works to address these statistics by meeting students early and bridging the gap between their aspirations and the opportunities provided to them.” Learn more.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Office of Health Equity

From the Office of Health equity website: “MSK has implemented institution-wide and program-specific recruitment initiatives, many of which are focused on increasing the number of underrepresented researchers and professionals in oncology. Currently, there is a limited number of physicians and postgraduate researchers from underrepresented groups in medicine seeking careers in oncology.” Learn more.

Baruch STEP Academy

From Baruch STEP Academy’s website: The Baruch College STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) Academy is a New York State Education Department-funded pre-college program for middle and high school students interested in pursuing careers in the STEM professions. The program invites eligible students to participate in workshops and enrichment courses in math, science, SAT, and college preparatory workshops. Learn more.

Success Academy

From Success Academy’s website: “As the highest performing free public charter school network in New York City, we pride ourselves on creating an environment where kids can stretch and grow, be challenged and excel, and discover natural talents and develop resilience, all while building meaningful relationships with faculty and peers.” Learn more.

CUNY STEM Research Academy

From CUNY STEM Research Academy’s website: “The STEM Research Academy is a two-semester program administered through a collaboration with CUNY’s College Now program. Our mission is driven by a belief in the potential of all students, teachers, and school leaders. STEM Research Academy (STEM RA) provides eligible NYC high school students with the opportunity to take a pre-college College Now science course in the spring and engage in research across several STEM disciplines at a broad range of skill levels during the summer.  Learn more.

Einstein Enrichment Program

Einstein Enrichment Program (EEP) is part of a New York State–funded enrichment program called STEP (Science Technology Entry Program). Its mission is to serve minority and/or economically disadvantaged high school students who have been historically underrepresented in the medical and scientific professions. The program meets two afternoons a week for two 15-week sessions, and an optional 6-week session meeting on Monday through Thursday in the summer. The components of EEP include: fall professional seminars, teen action planning (service learning), academic enrichment including SAT and Regents prep and summer internship placements with stipends. Learn more. 

Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) Science Enrichment Program (SEP)

Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) Science Enrichment Program (SEP) is a ten-month program designed to provide opportunities and intellectual space to selected underrepresented high school students who are science curious and passionate about cancer research. SEP partners with New York City schools that are considered under-resourced and requests nominations of their students as SEP candidates.

Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers provide students with an in-depth introduction to cancer biology, lab skills, and clinical research training. Students also participate in an intensive eight-week internship during the summer, where they receive one-on-one mentorship as they delve into a specific cancer research topic. Learn more.

• November 2023: Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Human Oncology Pathogenesis Program (HOPP)’s Science Enrichment Program (SEP)
  
  Esther Drill, Stephanie Lobaugh, David Nemirovsky, and Jessica Lavery presented to the 2023-2024 HOPP SEP students. We thank NYU’s Adrian Harris and Bridge to Biostats committee member Joanne Chou for sharing their journeys from high school students to Biostatisticians.
• July 2023: Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Summer Exposure Program Biostats Day
  Jessica Lavery, Stephanie Lobaugh, Esther Drill, and Hannah Kalvin presented to Memorial Sloan Kettering’s 2023 Summer Exposure Program students. Many thanks to Dr. Mithat Gönen for joining us for the “Meet the Biostatistician” section.
• April 2023: Baruch College STEP Academy Biostats Day
  
  
  Esther Drill, Stephanie Lobaugh, Zoe Guan, and Kay See Tan presented to Baruch College STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) Academy students. We thank Celine Bien-Amie for sharing her experiences in the biostatistics field during our “Meet the Biostatistician” section.
• March 2023: Success Academy Biostats Day
  
  
  We presented our 2nd-ever in-person “Biostats Day” at the Success Academy Harlem High School campus to a group of engaged and inquisitive scholars. Thank you to all who helped make this a success!
• November 2022: Baruch College STEP Academy Biostats Day
  
  
  Esther Drill, Stephanie Lobaugh and Zoe Guan presented our first in person Biostats Day program to the Baruch College STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) Academy students. Thank you to Celine Bien-Aime for sharing her journey to a career in biostatistics and to Baruch STEP for the opportunity to showcase the field.
• July 2022: SEP Biostats Day
  Jessica Lavery and Stephanie Lobaugh presented our Biostats Day program to the Summer Exposure Program students. Many thanks to Dr. Mithat Gönen for sharing his experiences during our “Meet the Biostatistician” section.

• Spring 2022: Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) enrichment classEsther Drill taught a weekend “Data Literacy & Bio/Statistical Thinking” class as part of BEAM’s High School Pathway Program.
• April 2022: BEAM 8th grade Biostats Day
  Joanne Chou and Jessica Lavery presented the first Biostats Day of 2022. We thank Dr. Melody Goodman for sharing her journey into biostatistics and the impactful work she is doing in this field.

• December 2021: CUNY STEM Research Academy Biostats Day
  Jessica Flynn and Hannah Kalvin led our final Biostats Day of 2021. A special thanks to Dr. Manisha Desai & Celine Bien-Amie for joining us for our “Meet the Biostatistician” section.
• June 2021: MSK SSP & SEP Biostats Day
  Joanne Chou and Stephanie Lobaugh presented our Biostats Day program for MSK’s Summer Exposure Program students. Thank you to guest speaker Dr. Mithat Gönen for sharing his career path and meaningful professional insights with us.
• Spring 2021: Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) enrichment classEsther Drill taught a weekend “Data Literacy & Bio/Statistical Thinking” class as part of BEAM’s High School Pathway Program.
• March 2021: Einstein Enrichment Program Biostats Days
  Jessica Flynn, Jessica Lavery, Sammi Brown and Stephanie Lobaugh ran two Biostats Day programs for EEP students. Many thanks again to Dr. Kay See Tan and Dr. Sujata Patil for joining us for “Meet the Biostatistician.”

• December 2020: BEAM 8th Grade + High School Biostats Day
  Sammi Brown and Jessica Lavery led the second BEAM Biostats Day program for 8th grade and high school students. At the start of the program, 33% of the students had heard of biostatistics, and at the end of the program 90% were interested in learning more.
• October 2020: BEAM High School Biostats Day
  Jessica Flynn and Stephanie Lobaugh presented an introduction to biostatistics to 20+ high school students in New York City and Los Angeles. At the start of the program, 20% of the students had heard of biostatistics, and at the end of the program 70% were interested in learning more.
• September 2020: StatFest
  The Bridge to Biostats committee organized a virtual booth to provide information about opportunities in Biostatistics to undergraduate students at the annual StatFest expo. StatFest is a conference aimed at encouraging undergraduate students who are members of historically underrepresented groups to pursue careers and graduate studies in the statistical sciences.
• August 2020: BEAM Career Day
  Jessica Lavery and Sujata Patil presented their paths to careers in biostatistics to middle school students through a career day organized by BEAM.

History

The Bridge to Biostats committee was formed in June 2020 by biostatisticians in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department in response to the #shutdownSTEM movement’s fundamental question, “How can you help to create a more just, equitable and inclusive STEM field?”

Mission

The mission of Bridge to Biostats is to conduct biostatistics outreach activities among New York City high school students from underrepresented groups in Biomedical research who have demonstrated interest and aptitude in math and science. Our objectives are (i) to create awareness of and interest in the field of biostatistics, and (ii) to provide learning and mentoring opportunities on the pathway to further study of biostatistics.

Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Bridge2Biostats

Committee Members:

• Esther Drill, DrPH (Chair)
• Jessica Lavery, MS (Secretary)
• Lily Boe, PhD
• Samantha Brown, MS
• Joanne Chou, MS
• Hannah Kalvin, MS
• Richard Koppenaal
• Shireen Lewis, MPA
• Stephanie Lobaugh, MS
• Akriti Mishra, MS
• David Nemirovsky, MS
• Allison Reiner, MS
• Venkatraman Seshan, PhD
• Kay See Tan, PhD

External Funding

The committee was awarded the 2021-2022 American Statistical Association Biometrics Section Biostatistics Outreach Grant to develop activities for the Biostats Day outreach program.