Virtual biostats day: An interactive online biostatistics outreach program directed at high school students in groups historically underrepresented in STEM careers Journal Article


Authors: Drill, E.; Lavery, J. A.; Lobaugh, S.; Flynn, J.; Brown, S.; Kalvin, H.; Chou, J. F.; Nemirovsky, D.; Guan, Z.; Patil, S.; Tan, K. S.
Article Title: Virtual biostats day: An interactive online biostatistics outreach program directed at high school students in groups historically underrepresented in STEM careers
Abstract: Persistent underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic Statistics degree holders relative to the U.S. population occurs at all levels in post-secondary education, contributing to the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic Bio/Statisticians. Attempting to address this inequity before the undergraduate level, Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK)’s Bridge to Biostats committee was established with the mission to increase awareness of and interest in the field of Biostatistics among high school students in groups underrepresented in STEM fields. We describe in this article an outreach program targeted to underrepresented students in New York City with innate aptitude and interest in STEM subjects, but minimal exposure to Statistics. Virtual Biostats Day is a 1–1/4 hr online exposure program that incorporates interactive elements exploring statistical concepts alongside clear descriptions of the field of Biostatistics and the roles and responsibilities of a Biostatistician. Students are also introduced to professional Biostatisticians who describe their journeys from high school to where they are today. This combination of didactic and active learning has engaged students, even in the online environment. We relate our experience in implementing and presenting our program to students and provide a complete toolkit for other Bio/Statistics departments or organizations interested in engaging in similar outreach work. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. © 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Keywords: community outreach; online; diversity, equity and inclusion; fun; interactive; statistical activities
Journal Title: Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education
Volume: 33
Issue: 1
ISSN: 2693-9169
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group  
Date Published: 2024-08-20
Start Page: 52
End Page: 61
Language: English
DOI: 10.1080/26939169.2024.2362150
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC11951261
PUBMED: 40160468
DOI/URL:
Notes: The MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) is acknowledge in the PDF -- Corresponding authors is MSK authors: Esther Drill -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Joanne Fu-Lou Chou
    336 Chou
  2. Esther Naomi Drill
    97 Drill
  3. Kay See   Tan
    246 Tan
  4. Jessica Flynn
    182 Flynn
  5. Jessica Ann Lavery
    81 Lavery
  6. Stephanie Marie Lobaugh
    57 Lobaugh
  7. Samantha Brown
    63 Brown
  8. Hannah Kalvin
    31 Kalvin