This summer twenty-five high schoolers from the Providence area participated in the GirlsGetMath@ICERM summer program learning about mathematics, statistics, data science, and programming. The program organizers included Amalia Culiuc (Brown University), Katharine Ott (Bates College), and Ulrica Wilson (ICERM/Morehouse College).
Anarina Murillo, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biostatistics (Teaching Scholar), introduced students to applications of data science, biostatistics, and statistics in public health and medicine. Using real-world examples, students were able to see how calculating the probability of heads or tails in a coin toss experiment relate to calculating the probability that a patient with COVID-19 is hospitalized. Students were engaged in a group discussion about statistical inference and key aspects of the research process such as, defining the research question, study design and data collection, and interpreting data summaries and visualization.