Lecture 1: Introduction
January 13, 2025 (1st week of lectures)
This is BioStatistics!
Let me put it frankly: I’m deeply passionate about biostatistics, teaching, and engaging with students and researchers about this subject! It’s my field of research as well. I aim to foster a supportive and enjoyable learning environment where you can develop robust skills in data analysis and data science, particularly within the realm of biology. You may have already observed that statistics permeate every discipline. Thus, a solid foundation in biostatistics will not only enhance your proficiency within biological fields but also in any career path you choose, even beyond biology.
Statistics, with its significant applications to biology, is a vibrant and captivating field. Unlike many other disciplines, the presence of statistics is ubiquitous, influencing even our smallest daily decisions—like whether to carry an umbrella. It plays a crucial role in major drug trials and even saves lives, both human and non-human. Statistics is everywhere! It uniquely combines subjective and objective thinking, challenging and expanding our intellectual limits in thrilling ways. However, this excitement can sometimes feel overwhelming. While pervasive, statistics is not always accessible to all, often due to the apprehension that is surrounded by numbers and mathematics. Let’s work together to change this perception.
One of the fundamental concepts in biology is variation—variation among genes, individual cells, behaviors among individuals, and differences among species, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Grasping this variation is pivotal in biology, and statistics is essentially about understanding variation—or more mathematically, variance.
Below, I’ve listed some exceptional resources to ignite and nurture your interest in statistics.Why you should love statistics?
by Alan Smith, Editor at the Financial Times in London
This is Statistics!
by Genevera Allen, Faculty at Rice University
Big message: Statistics is a great and vibrant field
Teach statistics before calculus!
by Arthur Benjamin, Faculty at Harvey Mudd College
Big message: Statistics is everywhere and should be taught in the early days of education
The importance of statistics
by Keon West, Faculty at University of London
Big message: Statistics may appear challenging, but its methods and “ways of thinking” are key to understanding the world
Lecture