2025 Data Science Summit
On January 31, 2025, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health held its fourth Data Science for Public Health Summit. Faculty leaders and researchers across Columbia University and beyond came together to discuss how they are using data science in climate research, pandemic preparedness, and the role of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT in public health and society. Read about it in "Data Science Summit Spotlights Rapid Advances in Research Methods."
Keynote Presentation
Statistical opportunities to improve healthcare: analytic infrastructure, Bayesian hierarchical models, and major challenges
Scott L. Zeger, John C. Malone Professor of Biostatistics and Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and School of Medicine, spoke about an initiative he leads called inHealth. A decade in the making, inHealth draws from genetic insights, patient health history, environmental factors, and more, in service of personalized medicine. The goal is to help clinicians make informed decisions about treatments by predicting future outcomes. “In order to do right by individuals, you need to have a public health data science perspective,” said Zeger.
2025 Agenda
8:00 a.m. Breakfast and Check-In
50 Haven Avenue, Main Lounge
Continental breakfast available for attendees.
9:00 a.m. Welcome: Public Health in Data Science
Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Dean and DeLamar Professor, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Jeannette M. Wing, PhD, Executive Vice President for Research, Professor of Computer Science, Columbia University
Garud N. Iyengar, PhD, Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research; Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute
9:20 a.m. Keynote Presentation: Statistical opportunities to improve healthcare: analytic infrastructure, Bayesian hierarchical models, and major challenges
Scott L. Zeger, PhD, John C. Malone Professor of Biostatistics and Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine
10:45 a.m. Session 1: Advances in Pandemic Preparedness
Moderator:
Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA, Director, ICAP at Columbia University, Lead, NYC Pandemic Response Institute
Speakers:
Gretchen Van Wye, PhD, Deputy Director and Chief Epidemiologist in the Center for Population Health Data Science, DOHMH
Jeffrey Shaman, PhD, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and Professor of Climate, Climate School
Sam Sia, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Vice Provost for the Fourth Purpose and Strategic Impact, Columbia University
12:00 p.m. Networking Lunch
Sandwiches, salads, and pasta available for attendees.
1:15 p.m. Session 2: Data Science in Climate and Health
Moderator:
Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, ScD, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Speakers:
Donald E. Edmondson, PhD, MPH, Director, Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Oren Pizmony-Levy, PhD, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education at Teachers College, Columbia University
Tian Zheng, PhD, Professor of Statistics & Department Chair, Columbia University
2:45 p.m. Networking Break
3:00 p.m. Session 3: LLMs in Public Health and Society
Moderator:
Ying Wei, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Speakers:
Wenpin Hou, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Gamze Gürsoy, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Andrew G. Rundle, DrPH, Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
4:30 p.m. Closing Remarks
Gary W. Miller, PhD, Vice Dean for Research Strategy and Innovation and Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
5:00 p.m. Reception
Light bites and dessert available for attendees.
6:00 p.m. Event Adjourns