The SPHIS Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics (DBB) and JG Brown Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Facility (BSF) are working together to encourage high school students to use and appreciate statistics in their science projects.

In support of this goal, DBB and BSF faculty and staff judged students' science projects for the 47th Louisville Regional Science Fair on March 12, 2011. A total of four awards were given to those students who most effectively used statistical analysis in their projects. Faculty also provided a monetary prize that was presented to each winning student.

Maiying Kong, PhD, assistant professor, and Shesh Rai, PhD, professor, also helped high school students with statistical issues in their science projects. “We see some very bright young students making biostatistics a career choice and advancing statistical science,” explains Dr. Kong. “We look forward to continuing this community engagement activity in the future.”

Keywords: Maiyong Kong, Shesh Rai, bioinformatics, biostatistics, science fair, community engagement, UofL, University of Louisville, Public Health, Information Sciences, SPHIS