As a part of the Iowa Summer Institute in Biostatistics, participants have selected their top choices among 5 research projects available to them. They are matched in groups of 2-3 and assigned to a faculty mentor with whom they conduct an extensive research. Their work and findings presented at the 2022 Iowa Summer Research Symposium.

The 2022 participants’ presentations are listed below along with their comments about the program.

Brian Fodale and Grant Himmelmann

Presentation

Sensitivity Assessment of a Two-Step Method in Skin Image Identification

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 Brian Fodale: “My experience at ISIB has not only provided me with a strong introduction into the field of biostatistics but also what will be required if I pursue a graduate program. I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to get to know my classmates within my cohort, the ISIB faculty and Iowa City.”

 Grant Himmelmann: “ISIB served as an excellent introduction to the field of biostatistics. My favorite part of the program was getting to hear from current graduate students and ISIB alumni about their experiences in the field. I will definitely utilize the knowledge I’ve gained from participating in ISIB as I finish my undergraduate degree and prepare for graduate school.”

Bethany Astor, Delaney Underwood and Alan Wang

Presentation

Predicting Renal Failure in patients with C3 Glomerulopathy  

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Bethany Astor: “The exposure to the field of biostatistics that ISIB has given me has been invaluable. The mentors and other students in the program were extremely helpful and insightful and made my time in Iowa very enjoyable. Working on the project and hearing from so many guest speakers working in the field has convinced me to continue pursuing my education in statistics.”

Delaney Underwood: “ISIB was an unforgettable experience where I made connections and new friendships with a diverse group of students. I came in with little knowledge about Biostatistics and am leaving with a strong interest in the field. This program did a great job at immersing me into the field of Biostatistics and opened my eyes to many career possibilities.”

Alan Wang: “ISIB was a remarkable experience that I will never forget. I thoroughly enjoyed delving deeper into understanding what the field of biostatistics is all about and being able to glean from fantastic individuals that mentored us. I loved collaborating with my project group and experiencing the research process, but most importantly, I came out of the program getting to form meaningful relationships with my fellow peers.”

Taylor Anema, Alex Mellott and Tejavee Williams

Presentation

Evaluating the Effect of COVID on Hearing Aid Performance and the Relationship between Entropy and Auditory Environments using Ecological Momentary Assessment

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Taylor Anema: “ISIB has been a very enjoyable and educational experience learning more about biostatistics. The faculty and graduate students were very encouraging as we worked on our research projects and did all they could to expose us to the many opportunities in this field.”

Alex Mellott:  “ISIB has been an incredible experience, and it has thoroughly shown me what it means to be a biostatistician. I have not only improved in programming and statistics, but in my communication of those topics. My interactions with alumni, faculty, graduate students, and other ISIB members have made this program feel like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I recommend ISIB to anyone.”

Tejavee Williams:  “My summer experience in the 2022 ISIB program was great! I got to try new things like kayaking and ate different foods like Thai. I also had the opportunity to meet new people and make new friendships with other students in the ISIB program and on campus.”

Setara Nusratty, Sofía Rodríguez-Carrió and Quinn Stoddard-O’Neill

Presentation

Hospitals as Reservoirs for Clostridioides difficile in the Community

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Setara Nusratty:  “Had a great experience and learned a lot through my involvement in this program. The faculty were extremely kind and supportive, as well as my peers and the graduate students! I have definitely developed a newfound appreciation for the field of Biostatistics.”

Sofía Rodríguez-Carrió:  “The ISIB program gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity and unforgettable friendships that are going to accompany me throughout my whole life. It also gave me a new glimpse of a possible future career, where I can integrate my love for medicine with biostatistics. In addition, I have never felt so supported by a faculty as I did in Iowa, since they were always concerned about my interests and progress in ISIB. I believe that everything I have learned here is going to give me a clearer vision of my future and help me become a better professional.”

Quinn Stoddard-O’Neill:  “I am incredibly grateful to have attended the Iowa Summer Institute in Biostatistics! From the collaborative final research project to the many talks from faculty and alumni about their work, ISIB exposed me to an interesting, fast-growing field and gave me a taste of what graduate school life could be like. I also want to recognize the amazing group of people I met and worked with; they made this a summer to remember!  I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn about an interdisciplinary scientific field that meshes the biological with the quantitative sciences, especially those who have limited experience with statistics.”