Two alumni from the Department of Statistics and Data Science were recently recognized as leaders in the field of statistics.
Irina Gaynanova, Ph.D. ’15, now an associate professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan, received the inaugural 2025 IMS Thelma and Marvin Zelen Emerging Women Leaders in Data Science Award from the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS). One of three scholars to receive the award, Gaynanova was recognized for her significant contributions in the development of statistical methods for high-dimensional biomedical data. The award was announced in February and will be formally presented at the IMS Presidential Awards Ceremony in August. Hear why Gaynanova chose to stick around Cornell to earn a Ph.D. in statistics after completing her master’s in applied statistics in this Q&A.
Gaynanova also received this year’s Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS) Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes early career statistical scientists.
COPSS – a consortium of field leaders representing the most prestigious statistics societies – cited Gaynanova’s “significant contributions to statistical methods for integrative analysis of biomedical data, advancing continuous glucose monitoring data analysis with open-source software, commitment to statistical education, mentoring, and leadership in editorial and professional roles.”
She wasn’t the only Cornellian to receive the award: Eric Daza, MPS ’02, now an associate director and principal clinical data scientist at Boehringer Ingelheim and founder and chief editor of Stats-of-1, was recognized, too. COPSS acknowledged Daza for building an entirely new field of statistics called esametry, which is “idiographic statistics that expand n-of-1 and single-case methods for precision digital health.” He was also recognized “for leadership and service in making statistics and data science more inclusive, and for improving statistical scientific communication.”
By Louis DiPietro, a writer for the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.