Michael Boehnke Distinguished Visiting Scholar Award
History of the Award
The award was established in 2022 to honor an outstanding statistical scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of biostatistics, including statistical or computational genetics and genomics. The award was created to celebrate the legacy and work of Professor Michael Boehnke. This award recognizes Professor Boehnke's extraordinary contributions to the department of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan and to the fields of biostatistics and human genetics. Professor Boehnke has developed and applied groundbreaking, widely used statistical methods and computational tools to understand the genetic basis of human health and disease, with a particular focus on type 2 diabetes and related traits. He has also been a generous mentor over his 40-year career, serving as advisor for more than 40 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, and supporting nearly 200 students and fellows through his NIH research grants and as founder and director of the University of Michigan Genome Science Training Program.
Nomination and Selection Process
The award is given annually. Biostatistics faculty nominate and vote on a slate of candidates who best embody Professor Boehnke’s commitment to the fields of biostatistics and human genetics. The process is completely internal to the department. The award comes with an honorarium, a plaque and a weeklong visit to Ann Arbor to present a lecture and interact with the department community.
Contribute to this Endowed Award
To support the Department of Biostatistics in honoring Michael Boehnke's legacy and recognizing oustanding advancements in the field of biostatistics, please consider contributing to the Michael Boehnke Distinguished Visiting Scholar Award fund.
Contribute to the MICHAEL BOEHNKE dISTINGUISHED vISITING sCHOLAR Award Fund
2023: Professor Sylvia Richardson, PhD
Professor of Biostatistics, Former Director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge
Dr. Richardson will be visiting the University of Michigan Department of Biostatistics Sept. 20 - 30. During her visit, she will deliver a featured lecture on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 3:30pm with a reception to follow at 5:00pm. Her visit will also include workshops and small group meetings.
Past Winners
2022: Professor Kenneth Lange, PhD
Maxine and Eugene Rosenfield Professor of Computational Genetics & Human Genetics, Professor of Biomathematics and Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles