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Spring 2025

Inaugural Chair of the Department of Statistics & Data Science

Kotzubei-Beckmann Distinguished Professor of Statistics & Data Science

In this first newsletter of the Department of Statistics and Data Science (SDS), I am pleased to share highlights from the past year and a half. Supported by the Arts & Sciences Strategic Plan at WashU, we have been building a data science hub for WashU and a premier research department of which I am honored to serve as the inaugural chair.

I want to begin by recognizing our esteemed faculty. SDS has recruited two teaching faculty and more than ten tenure-track faculty at various ranks. Including our statistics colleagues from the former Department of Mathematics and Statistics, we will start Fall 2025 with more than 20 faculty members. They are internationally renowned leaders of their fields, including Professors Soumen Lahiri and Bo Li, as well as some of the brightest junior scholars in statistics. Our new faculty bring with them expertise and passion in several emerging areas of statistics and data science: machine learning, spatial statistics, Bayesian statistics, and causal inference. Our faculty are ready to engage in interdisciplinary data science scholarship in marketing, social sciences, public health, environmental science, artificial intelligence, and biomedical research.

We serve over 100 A&S students majoring in Statistics or Data Science. Last year, our graduate program, including the PhD and master’s programs in Statistics, doubled in size. We are updating our curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to train the next generation of statisticians, data scientists, and other quantitative, data-driven leaders. We have introduced new courses and topics such as data analysis with Python, machine learning methods for biological data, and data science in the humanities. Our PhD program now offers more pathways to completion, including an option with more focus on statistical computing.

We are committed to serving more WashU students in the years ahead. Our programs will be led by Professor Joe Guinness, a WashU alumnus, as Director of Undergraduate Studies; Professor Nan Lin, a veteran of the WashU faculty, as Director of the Master’s Program; and Professor Jose Figueroa-Lopez, an expert in stochastic processes and statistical finance, as Director of Graduate Studies.

As a rapidly growing department, we have already reached capacity on the fifth floor of the recently renovated Jolley Hall and are now expanding into the fourth floor. We have a welcoming SDS lounge in front of the department’s administrative office, individual workspaces for PhD students and postdocs, a well-equipped study room for master’s students, and a multi-purpose seminar/meeting room in Jolley Hall. We foster an inclusive environment, and I am grateful to our faculty, staff, and students who spearhead the collaborative culture of this young department. In this newsletter, you will find information on some of the professional and social events that took place in SDS over the past year; more details are available on our departmental website.

I invite alumni, friends, and prospective students to stay in touch with us. If you are attending the Joint Statistical Meetings 2025 in Nashville, please visit our WashU Alumni & Friends Reception. I am proud of what we have accomplished together in these first two years and confident that we will be in a much stronger position two years from now. With your continued support, we will aim higher and achieve more.

Learn more about Xuming He→

We want to hear from you! To get in touch with SDS, click the button below.

As of Spring 2025, our Department is made up of:

...and growing!

Updates to Undergraduate Programming:

Directors of Undergraduate Study, Jimin Ding and Joe Guiness are working together to create new programming for their undergraduate students.

About these ongoing updates, Guinness shared "The department of Statistics and Data Science will be offering a new course in Fall 2025, SDS 4135 - Applied Statistics Practicum. The course is aimed at advanced undergraduate majors in Statistics and Data Science who have completed SDS 439 - Linear Statistical Models. Applied Statistics practicum will develop critical thinking, practical data analysis skills, and effective communication by working on a series of data analysis projects".

Bo Li, Stanley A. Sawyer Professor in Statistics and Data Science, was recently appointed as Co-director of The Transdisciplinary Institute in Applied Data Sciences (TRIADS) at Washington University in St. Louis.  Tammy English, Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, will co-direct the institute.

TRIADS is co-sponsored by the University and Arts & Sciences’ strategic plans.  The goal of TRIADS is to advance research that leverages the unprecedented resources of the computational age to address critical problems facing society today.

Thanks to Bo Li for taking up this new leadership role.  She will further strengthen the coordination between the SDS department and TRIADS.

José Figueroa-López has been awarded a new NSF grant for his project “Collaborative Research: Systemic Shock Inference for High-Frequency Data.” Unexpected shocks during periods of stability naturally occur in time-dependent data-generating mechanisms across various disciplines. High-frequency observations of such systems appear in econometrics, climatology, statistical physics, and many other empirical sciences that can benefit from reliable inference of shock events. This project aims to develop new statistical techniques for detecting and analyzing shocks in large systems of time-dependent variables observed at high temporal sampling frequencies.

Nan Lin has received a new NSF award for his project titled “Quantile Regression in the Big Data Regime: Online Learning, Missingness, and Causality.” Quantile regression is a powerful statistical tool that goes beyond the “average” relationship captured by traditional regression analysis. This project will address the challenges of big data in quantile regression by developing methods that achieve computational efficiency without sacrificing statistical accuracy. These new methods are needed in various fields, including economics, finance, social sciences, and healthcare. 

Established in 2014, this award recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching and have a transformative impact on Washington University students in Arts & Sciences. 

We are delighted to share that Dr. Dingke Tang has been honored with an Early Career Award by the American Statistical Association Section on Statistics in Epidemiology for his statistical work. His winning paper, "The Synthetic Instrument: From Sparse Association to Sparse Causation," is part of his research initiated during his PhD studies at the University of Toronto. 

Currently, Dr. Tang is a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, working with Professors Xuming He (Department of Statistics and Data Science) and Shu (Joy) Jiang (Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery). 

 Xiaofeng Shao has joined the Department of Statistics and Data Science (SDS) as a Professor of Statistics and Data Science, with a joint appointment in the Department of Economics, beginning in January 2025.

Professor Shao earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2006. He then began his academic career at the Department of Statistics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where he was promoted to Professor of Statistics in 2016. 

When asked about his move, Professor Shao said “SDS is off to a great start with excellent new hires, and I am excited to be part of it. I was particularly attracted by WashU’s excellence in undergraduate education, the great vision for building a modern data science department, and the unique opportunity of working with both SDS and Economics departments to advance data science at the intersection of the two fields”.

Xuming He, the Kotzubei-Beckmann Distinguished Professor of Statistics and Data Science and chair of the Department of Statistics and Data Science in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has been appointed as joint editor for the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society – Series B (Statistical Methodology).

PhD students Yiqiao Jin and Gifty Osei worked with Dr. Nan Lin to launch the WashU Student Chapter of the American Statistical Association.

Jin and Osei shared "The WashU ASA Student Chapter is officially up and running! As part of the ASA’s student chapter network, our mission is to create a vibrant community for students passionate about statistics and data science. Our goal is to host academic talks, career workshops, and fun social events while creating opportunities to collaborate with faculty and industry professionals. We’re also teaming up with the St. Louis and Mid-Missouri ASA Chapters to plan an exciting event on campus for the 2025-2026 academic year. Whether you're looking to engage with industry professionals, explore research topics, or connect with peers, we invite you to join us in shaping this dynamic community!".

 Zhichen Xu, a PhD student under the mentorship of Professors Jimin Ding and Lei Liu, has been selected to receive one of the International Biometric Society Eastern North American Region’s (ENAR) Distinguished Student Paper Awards for the ENAR 2025 Spring Meeting. This competitive award recognizes her outstanding paper titled "Subgroup Identification via Interaction Tree and Mixed Model for Repeated Measures with Application to Alzheimer’s Disease."

The award will be acknowledged during the ENAR 2025 Spring Meeting Presidential Invited Address on Monday, March 24, 2025.

Our ongoing Seminar Series invites scholars from around the world to share their research with the WashU community. Notable guests from Fall 2023-Fall 2024 include: 

Robert Tibshirani, Lars Peter Hansen, and Robert Kass

Robert Tibshirani of Stanford University presents in Seigle Hall

Lars Peter Hansen of the University of Chicago

Robert Kass of Carnegie Mellon University

The Workshop on Translational Research on Data Heterogeneity, hosted in April 2024, served as a platform for bringing some of the leading scholars in statistics and data science to exchange new research ideas and train the next-generation data scientists in the analysis of heterogeneous data. The workshop convened interdisciplinary researchers to discuss the forefront of heterogeneous data analysis and identify emerging areas for future research, emphasizing both methodology and applications.

The workshop featured keynote speakers, invited talks, poster session and career panel for junior researchers. It was hosted by Department of Statistics and Data Science, Washington University in St. Louis, with support from National Science Foundation Grants DMS-1951980 and DMS-2406154.

View Upcoming Events→

MA in Statistics, 2018

Since leaving WashU, my career has taken me through several exciting roles at the intersection of social sciences and computational science:

For some reason, one of my fondest memories is studying late at night during my first year of the PhD in the law library. There was something almost magical about it—the quiet, the grandeur of the space, and the feeling of being surrounded by so much knowledge. It felt like something out of Hogwarts, and that atmosphere made even the hardest study sessions a little more special.

Right now, I’m particularly excited about the intersection of Generative AI and causal inference, which aligns with my new role. The potential of GenAI to enhance decision-making through better experimental design and causal understanding is something I find both fascinating and impactful.

José Figueroa-López and colleagues at the 2024 Field of Dreams Conferences

In Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, Dr. Nan Lin, Director for our Master’s Program, organized in-person information sessions about our graduate programs at a number of universities in China. In October 2024, Dr. Lin organized an online information session for students at Yonsei University, Korea. In November 2024, Dr. Figueroa-López, Director of Graduate Studies, attended the 2024 Field of Dreams Conferences at Purdue University. This is the main annual event organized by the Math Alliance whose goals include increasing the number of Ph.D. students and research opportunities in Mathematical Sciences (including Statistics) among underrepresented groups in the United States. These initiatives, along with other outreach efforts, led to increased applications for the Department's Fall 2025 application cycle.

In August 2024, SDS took part in "Bear Beginnings", an open house orientation opportunity for incoming freshmen to learn more about different departments and their majors. Dozens of freshmen came to the SDS with interest in our offerings in statistics and in data science.

In November 2024, Drs. José Figueroa-López and Nan Lin attended the 2024 Midstates Consortium Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Sciences to share information about the Statistics and Data Science Department.

What are you excited about right now in the field of Statistics and Data Science?

I am most excited about the opportunity to apply statistics and data science to solve real-world problems across various fields. Our field has evolved to focus more on using data to tackle concrete challenges in areas such as biology, climate science, engineering, healthcare, and medicine. The potential for Statistics and Data Science to make a tangible impact on these critical areas makes for an exciting future for our field.

What do you like best about living in St. Louis?

I love the beauty of the neighborhoods and the variety of restaurants and grocery stores within such a short distance. The area looks charming year-round, except for a few months in the winter. Even though St. Louis is a much larger city than where I used to live, I find that it takes me less time to drive to work or run errands, which is a nice surprise.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned in the last year?

I have learned many fascinating things this year. For example, I discovered that the smallest national park in the U.S. is our very own Gateway Arch National Park, and that the Arch itself is an inverted catenary curve -- shaped like a chain held at both ends. Additionally, having lived in college towns for most of my time in the U.S., I feel many small things in St. Louis are new and interesting to me. For instance, many streets have a gate at one end, the recycling company comes directly to your house to collect trash, and the mail carrier walks around with a bag, delivering mail to individual mailboxes instead of driving from house to house. There’s just a lot to discover here, which makes it hard to pick just one thing.

Learn more about Bo→

What are you excited about right now in the field of Statistics and Data Science?

Right now, I am really excited about how Statistics and Data Science are evolving to tackle complex, high-dimensional data with greater accuracy and interpretability. Advances in scalable Bayesian inference and causal machine learning are enabling more precise decision-making in fields like healthcare, economics, and technology. The rise of explainable AI (XAI) is particularly exciting, as it helps bridge the gap between powerful predictive models and human understanding, something I have been exploring in my research on improving uncertainty quantification in neural networks.

I am also fascinated by new developments in nonparametric methods, which provide flexible tools for uncovering patterns in data without making strong assumptions. Whether it is detecting shifts in financial markets, tracking environmental changes, or refining machine learning models to be more reliable, these techniques help us better understand complex and evolving systems. It is exciting to see how they are being applied across fields like public health, finance, and artificial intelligence, making data-driven decision-making more robust and impactful.

What do you like best about living in St. Louis?

I appreciate the vibrant academic community and the collaborative atmosphere at WashU, which has made my transition both exciting and rewarding. One of the most enjoyable aspects has been the interaction with students, they are highly motivated, engaged, and make every discussion intellectually stimulating. It is truly rewarding to spend time with them, whether in the classroom or through research collaborations.

Beyond the university, St. Louis offers an incredible mix of culture, history, and outdoor spaces, making it a great place to live and explore. When my family and I moved here eight months ago, we never expected to feel so at home. St. Louis has all the advantages of a major city like world-class museums, entertainment, and excellent healthcare, without the overwhelming traffic or relentless pace of larger metropolitan areas. Everything feels accessible, from outdoor parks to cultural events, allowing us to enjoy both the energy of city life and the ease of a more relaxed lifestyle. It has been the perfect place for us to settle in, and we truly appreciate everything it has to offer.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned in the last year?

As a new assistant professor transitioning from my PhD, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role has been advising PhD and Master's students. Guiding them through their research, discussing ideas, and seeing their growth has been both fulfilling and intellectually stimulating. Each student brings unique challenges and perspectives that push me to think in new ways and refine my own understanding. Mentoring is not only an opportunity to support their development but also a dynamic learning experience for me. It comes with challenges, but ultimately, it is one of the most meaningful and gratifying parts of my work.

Learn more about Carlos→

To learn about our other faculty and department members, visit the People page on our website.

Fiona Vaughn

Manager of Financial Operations

Rhiannon Amato

Assistant to the Chair

Savannah Boehlein

Academic Coordinator

Samantha Beams

Administrative Coordinator

The week before Thanksgiving, Academic Coordinator Savannah Boehlein organized a potluck for the department. Many of our faculty and staff were not going to visit family over Thanksgiving break, so it was especially important to take time to be together and fill our stomachs! The spread was impressive, with dishes from all over the world. We also celebrated what we are thankful for or looking forward to by writing messages on leaves, which were later displayed in a department common area. As our department Chair, Xuming wrote so aptly on his leaf, “Warm hearts will win and keep us in great spirit!” 

This event was hosted in by Arts and Sciences Dean Feng Sheng Hu at his home, in partnership with SDS faculty and the medical and biomedical researchers at WashU School of Medicine in November 2024. This event was an opportunity to connect, learn about overlapping areas of interest, and foster new collaborations between the schools.

The department closed out their Fall semester with a Holiday Party, attended by faculty, staff, students, and their loved ones in the Goldberg Lounge inside the Danforth University Center. The event marked a celebration of all the hard work in the department over the semester and provided an opportunity to learn more about each other.

Learn more about Department Engagement from Fall 2024 →

You can support the Department of Statistics & Data Science by donating through the button below, where your gift will be designated to support our Department.

We are a rapidly expanding department, with many exciting updates. Visit our website to see the latest News and Events, or to learn more about our Programs!

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