Dr. Jacob Oleson has been named head of the University of Iowa Department of Biostatistics. His appointment will begin July 1, 2026.

Oleson is currently a professor in the Department of Biostatistics in the UI College of Public Health with a complimentary appointment in the UI Department of Otolaryngology. He directs the Statistics and Analytics Core in the college’s Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy, and has served as the director of graduate studies in the Department of Biostatistics since 2015.

His research interests focus on speech and language learning, cochlear implant research, infectious disease modeling, small area estimation, and cancer epidemiology and population science.

Oleson has taught a variety of courses, including introduction to biostatistics, survey design and analysis, biostatistical methods, and longitudinal data analysis. He has received honors for numerous journal articles and has been recognized with several awards from the College of Public Health, including the Faculty Award for Teaching in 2012, Faculty Award for Service in 2019, and the Faculty Award for Research in 2020.

“Dr. Oleson has a distinguished record of research and teaching along with strong administrative experience, giving him an excellent background to lead the department,” says Edith Parker, dean of the College of Public Health. “Jake’s expertise in interdisciplinary research, experience in teaching and mentoring, and knowledge gained from years of leadership roles will ensure the continued success of our outstanding Department of Biostatistics.”

Oleson earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Central College in Pella, Iowa, followed by a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in statistics from the University of Missouri – Columbia. After beginning his academic career at Arizona State University, he joined the College of Public Health faculty as an assistant professor of biostatistics in 2004 and attained the rank of full professor with tenure in 2018.

He is a member of the American Statistical Association, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and the International Biometric Society. Oleson has served on numerous collegiate and university committees, and he is a member of the Oberkotter Foundation Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing and the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa.

“It is truly an honor to serve as the next head of biostatistics,” says Oleson. “The faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the department are outstanding, and they make Iowa Biostatistics an exceptional place to come to work every day. I look forward to working with everyone in the department to continue making Iowa the home of outstanding teaching, research, and training related to biostatistics and data analysis.” 

Oleson will succeed Dr. Joseph Cavanaugh, professor of biostatistics, who has served as department head since 2015, and one year as interim department head in 2014. Cavanaugh will remain on faculty in the College of Public Health to continue his teaching, mentoring, and research.

“I sincerely thank Dr. Cavanaugh for his exceptional leadership of the Department of Biostatistics and in his role as a member of the leadership team of the College of Public Health. Under Joe’s leadership, the department thrived and continued to excel in teaching and scholarship. His thoughtful guidance and commitment to students, faculty, and staff is deeply appreciated, and I am grateful for his service to the college and university,” says Parker.