Associate Dean Lisa Sullivan conducts meeting of the SPH Education Committee. Photo: Cydney Scott

biostatistics

Updated Biostatistics Textbook Incorporates New COVID Case Studies

Essentials of Biostatistics in Public Health tackles pandemic-related problems in fully revised fourth edition

COVID-19 tested the resilience of public health in myriad ways over the past three years and the pandemic’s challenges are used as teaching touchstones in an updated textbook by Lisa Sullivan, associate dean for education at SPH and professor and former chair of biostatistics.

The fourth edition of Essentials of Biostatistics in Public Health features new case studies based on COVID-19 in nearly every chapter, a decision designed to “highlight the importance and practical applications of biostatistics for addressing the pandemic.”

To reinforce the real-world utility of biostatistics, Sullivan chose relevant news stories and social media posts to illustrate actual problems faced by public health practitioners and researchers. These examples will join ones from previous editions based on Sullivan’s clinical experiences with the renowned Framingham Heart Study, the long-term multigenerational study that analyzes family patterns of cardiovascular disease and other ailments. Both the newer and prior examples are intended to be practical, interesting, and accessible for students with little mathematical background. 

Sullivan teaches Biostatistics and Quantitative Methods for Public Health at SPH and was instrumental in developing a minor program in public health which is open to BU undergrads – many of whom go on to further study in public health.

Essentials of Biostatistics in Public Health is one of the books included in The Essential Public Health Series of texts intended to incorporate the skills and knowledge of public health into a broader liberal arts education, and as preparation for a wide range of health professions.

Series Editor Richard Riegelman, founding dean of George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, said Sullivan “possesses a unique combination of sophisticated biostatistics expertise and a clear and engaging writing style—one that can draw students in and help them understand even the most difficult topic.… There is no better book to recommend for the anxious student first confronting the field of biostatistics.” 

As a key proponent of the “Teach” element of the School’s motto of “Think. Teach. Do.” Sullivan has earned numerous awards for her teaching both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She was awarded the prestigious Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching, one of the top teaching honors that BU bestows. She is also a past winner of the Norman A. Scotch Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the education program at BUSPH.

She is also a past recipient of the ASPH/Pfizer Award for Teaching Excellence, given annually to an outstanding teacher in accredited schools of public health in North America.  She also received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the Section on Teaching Statistics in the Health Sciences of the American Statistical Association, the Massachusetts ACE National Network of Women Leaders Leadership Award and the Mosteller Statistician of the Year award presented by the Boston Chapter of the American Statistical Association.