Jelena Bradic is a professor of statistics and data science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. Before joining Cornell, she held positions at the University of California, San Diego, in both the Department of Mathematics and the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute. She received her Ph.D. in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton University.
What is your academic focus?
I develop innovative statistical methods and theoretical frameworks at the confluence of causal inference, robustness, and high-dimensional machine learning, aiming to transform how we draw reliable conclusions and shape policy in complex, data-rich environments.
I create tools that remain valid under conditions such as weak identification, model misspecification, sparsity violations, and distributional shifts, among others. I also study how modern artificial intelligence and machine learning can advance causal reasoning and reliable decision-making.
What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
For me, the thrill is in doing math that matters. My journey began in cancer research, where statistics, optimization, and probability theory formed a powerful toolkit. But I soon learned that causal inference – the heart of that toolkit – has applications almost everywhere, from public policy to technology. That realization pulled me deeper into the field and continues to excite me about its limitless possibilities.
What are you most looking forward to as a Cornell faculty member?
I’m most looking forward to building a vibrant research group where ideas in statistics, optimization, and probability theory can grow into tools that make a difference. Cornell’s collaborative spirit and breadth of expertise mean I can work across disciplines while mentoring students who are just as curious about causal inference as I am. The chance to explore new problems together, and to watch our work have real impact, is what excites me most.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I love diving into the surreal and the avant-garde, reading Jodorowsky or getting lost in absurdist and surrealist plays by Ionesco, Beckett, and Ibsen that bend reality and logic. I also spend time on the road, following my son to his fencing competitions, cheering from the sidelines, and pretending not to be more nervous than he is.