Student and staff members of the University of Washington Department of Biostatistics were honored with 2024 UW School of Public Health (SPH) Awards of Excellence at a ceremony held on May 14. Visit the School’s award page for more information.
Every year, the School recognizes a student from each program in each department for their outstanding achievement. Student award winners will also be recognized as part of the department graduation ceremony to be held June 12.
Outstanding Student Awards
María Valdez
Outstanding PhD Student, Biostatistics
Since entering the Department of Biostatistics PhD program, Valdez has contributed to HIV prevention and STI incidence studies at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and has dedicated efforts to the development of sophisticated mathematics to analyze complex biological data. Her current work focuses on phylogenetics. After graduation, Valdez strives to continue developing tools designed for nuanced medical and biological studies.
Erika Fox
Outstanding MS Student, Biostatistics
Fox recently completed the Master of Science in Biostatistics Capstone. During the program, she collaborated with Public Health—Seattle & King County to estimate small-area populations in the Puget Sound region. Fox now uses the knowledge and skills she developed as a student in her role as a staff epidemiologist with the University of Montana, where her work focuses on analyzing patterns and trends in routine childhood vaccinations in the United States.
Both Valdez and Fox were also nominated for the Gilbert S. Omenn Award for Academic Excellence which is given to one student by the UW School of Public Health each year. Student award winners will also be recognized as part of the department graduation ceremony to be held in June.
Outstanding Staff Awards
Sandra Coke
Outstanding Staff Member, Biostatistics
Sandra Coke, operations manager for the Department of Biostatistics, received the Outstanding Administrative Staff Member Award in recognition of her dedication to the department over the past 16 years. Coke has made invaluable contributions to the academic mission of the department. She played an instrumental role in the administration of the BIOST 590 Statistical Consulting course, coordinated department seminars and special lectures, and supported critical events such as graduation. She also helped with department outreach, compiling the eBulletin that goes out weekly to the local biostatistics community, and providing crucial support to programs such as the internationally-recognized UW Biostatistics Summer Institutes program that has trained thousands of researchers in statistical methodology and techniques.
Congratulations to all award recipients in the department.
