About
Diversity and Inclusion
At the Gillings School, diversity and inclusion mean we welcome, value and learn from individual differences and perspectives. By cultivating inclusion within the School, we better prepare our students, faculty and staff for the diverse world that awaits them. A globally-interconnected world needs culturally competent people to serve as its leaders. Diversity and inclusion are assets that contribute to our excellence.
Our Vision
The Department of Biostatistics is a world leader in statistical research and statistical practice
for the purposes of improving the public’s health, improving biostatistical education, and
advancing the biostatistics profession.
Our Mission
Our mission is to forge dramatic advances in health science research that benefit human health in North Carolina, the U.S. and globally through the development of profound and paradigm-shifting innovations in biostatistical methodology and the thoughtful implementation of biostatistical practice to solve public health problems. We bring about positive, equitable and sustainable changes in health by:
- Supporting excellence in biostatistical practice by conducting theory and methods research of clear relevance to practice;
- Promoting sound application of new and existing statistical methods;
- Fostering equity and diversity in the biostatistics field and beyond;
- Improving biostatistical education at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- Working with undergraduate colleges to promote biostatistics as a discipline for graduate studies and a professional career;
- Anticipating and meeting the learning needs of our students by maintaining an open and inclusive environment in the department;
- Using the tools of our discipline to enhance human welfare through collaboration in research with colleagues in the biological and health sciences; and
- Seeking opportunities to advance the biostatistics profession.
Our History
Bernard Greenberg, PhD
In 1949, Gertrude Cox, MS, helped establish the Department of Biostatistics in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health, selecting her former student, Bernard Greenberg, PhD, to lead it. Dr. Greenberg pioneered efforts to establish the practice of cooperative multicenter trials, changing the course of practice for the evaluation of new drugs.
That tradition of statistical innovation continues in a program led by Michael Kosorok, PhD, W.R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor and past chair of biostatistics, who collaborates with colleagues at UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and N.C. State universities, and SAS, a business analytics software and services company.
Today, the biostatistics department is the statistical home for many studies in the UNC schools of medicine and nursing, and provides statistical support for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the N.C. Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS).
Celebrate our Milestones
Contact Information
Our offices are located on the third floor of McGavran-Greenberg Hall.
Office of Student Affairs
Contact your academic coordinator.
Assistant to Chair
Betsy Seagroves: bseagrov@bios.unc.edu
Phone
(919) 966-7250
Mailing Address
Department of Biostatistics
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
135 Dauer Drive
3101 McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB #7420
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7420