Hongyu Zhao was recently presented the Pao-Lu Hsu Prize at the 11th International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA) conference in Hangzhou, China.
Zhao is chair of the Department of Biostatistics at the Yale School of Public Health and the Ira V. Hiscock Professor of Biostatistics.
The prize is awarded every three years by the ICSA to an individual under the age of 50 who makes influential and fundamental contributions to any field of statistics and probability, and exemplifies Hsu’s deep involvement in developing statistics and probability research with a significant impact on education.
Born in 1910, Hsu was as a pioneer and founder of the newly formed discipline of statistics and probability in China. He was best known for his rigorous research and its profound impact on younger generations. He became the first professor of statistics and probability at Beijing University in 1940.
Zhao, Ph.D., was recognized for his “fundamental and impactful contributions” to statistical methodologies in a broad area of genetics and computational biology and his pioneering work in microbiome analysis; for his dedication and passion for teaching, mentoring, and professional service; and for his engagement and leadership in promoting the advancement of statistics and biostatistics research in China.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the Pao-Lu Hsu Award. Professor Hsu was the founding father of statistics and probability in China, and trained generations of statisticians both in China and in the United States,” Zhao said. “I benefited tremendously from the mentoring, teaching, and support of many of my college professors who were his students while attending Peking University, where Professor Hsu worked for several decades. He is a role model for all of us.”