Florida Summer Institute for Biostatistics and Data Science

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ABSTRACT Florida Atlantic University (FAU), the University of Miami (UM) and Florida International University (FIU) propose a six-week Florida Summer Institute in Biostatistics and Data Science (Florida SIBDS) focused on health disparities related to cardiovascular and infectious diseases. At present, Florida SIBDS would be the first SIBDS in the southeastern United States. FAU and FIU are both Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and State Universities, and the University of Miami is a pre-eminent private institution with significant diversity. Florida SIBDS is innovative: 1) It introduces rigorous quantitative careers to primarily Hispanic and African- American young adults through the combined efforts of three ethnically diverse institutions; 2) The diverse leadership team and faculty have unique complementary skillsets in biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, computational biology, AI, machine learning (ML), and big data analytics; and 3) SIBDS students will be actively involved in “learning through teaching” to others, culminating in a short curriculum they will teach to first year high school students. This novel partnership approach will address the shortage of biostatisticians in government, academia and industry by providing a diverse, well-qualified pipeline of future biostatisticians, many of whom may not have had the opportunity due to lack of awareness, educational access and financial barriers. Florida SIBDS will recruit nationally to enroll 136 undergraduate and early graduate school students over five years with requisite mathematics coursework and a budding interest in health, while targeting groups typically underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences; recruitment methods include social media, websites, professional organizations and personal contacts with administration and student influencers. Florida SIBDS will engage students in a multi-faceted, peer and faculty mentored, intensive 6-week training experience driven by research questions that highlight health disparities and social drivers of health, using current cardiovascular, COVID-19 and HIV databases. Although the curriculum encompasses basic, advanced and cutting-edge statistical and data science methods delivered in ways to engage students, it also highlights scientific communication, collaborative skills, project teamwork, social interactions and career guidance. Quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to evaluate peer and faculty mentors and students annually. An External Advisory Committee, pedagogy and evaluation consultants, leadership team and student advisors will use their experience and these data to inform the curriculum. Florida SIBDS alumni will retain mentorships with faculty and have access to revised curriculums for five years after completion.