Department of Biostatistics
The Department of Biostatistics tackles pressing public health challenges by conducting cutting-edge research and translation and by offering top-quality education and training.
655 Huntington Avenue Building 2, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02115
Seminars & Events
The Department of Biostatistics hosts a diverse array of seminars and events, featuring distinguished speakers who share their scholarly research and personal perspectives on biostatistics and related studies. These events provide valuable opportunities for learning, collaboration, and professional development. Learn more about our many seminars and events below.
Please note that speakers do not represent Harvard, and hosting them does not imply endorsement of their views, organizations, or employers.
Colloquium Seminar Series
The Biostatistics Colloquium Seminar Series is one of our most exciting ongoing events. This lecture series is delivered by top academics working in the field. They present and discuss important research findings and engage in a lively exchange of ideas. Past events in the series include:
- Kara Rudolph, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University on Improving Efficiency in Transporting Average Treatment Effects
- Stephen Bates, Assistant Professor in AI and Decision-making at MIT EECS, on Hypothesis Testing with Information Asymmetry
- Boris Landa, Associate Research Scientist, Applied Mathematics at Yale University on Standardizing Noise Spectra for Signal Detection and Recovery in Heteroskedastic Environments
Lightning Talks ⚡
Each Lightning Talk features four rounds of five-minute talks by department faculty and postdocs. This is a great opportunity to get a quick snapshot of current department research in a relaxed social setting.
You can watch one of our previous Lightning Talks here, and more are available on our YouTube channel.
Seminars & Working Groups
Each semester, Harvard Chan School’s Department of Biostatistics hosts seminars and working groups in areas like cancer research, environmental health statistics, HIV, and quantitative genomics. Current ongoing seminars and working groups include:
- Cancer Research Working Seminar
- Environmental Statistics Seminar
- HIV Working Group
- Microbiome Epidemiology Working Group
- Program in Quantitative Genomics (PQG) Seminar
- Program in Quantitative Genomics (PQG) Student and Postdoc Seminar
Career Development Workshops
We encourage you to take your career development as seriously as your academic studies and scholarship. We offer a number of career development workshops each semester to help you get ready to go on the job market. Our career development workshops include:
- Career Development Speaker and Event Series
- Public Speaking Workshops and Consulting
- Writing Workshops and Writing and Editing Consulting
Annual Award Lectures
The Lagakos Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes Department of Biostatistics alumni whose research in statistical theory and application, leadership in biomedical research, and commitment to teaching have had a major impact on the theory and practice of statistical science.
The Marvin Zelen Leadership Award in Statistical Science is awarded to an individual in government, industry, or academia, who by virtue of their outstanding leadership, has greatly impacted the theory and practice of statistical science.
The Myrto Lefkopoulou Distinguished Lectureship is awarded to a promising statistician who has made contributions to either collaborative or methodologic research in the applications of statistical methods to biology or medicine, and/or who has shown excellence in the teaching of biostatistics.
Conferences & Symposiums
The Program in Quantitative Genomics held its 18th annual conference, “AI for Genomics and Health,” at the Joseph Martin Conference Center in Boston on Oct 17-18, 2024.
The Havard Chan Center for the Microbiome in Public Health Symposium (HCMPH) hosted its sixth annual Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center Symposium, “The Microbiome and Cancer,” on May 13, 2024. Watch for upcoming announcements about the next symposium.