Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
Hi! My name is Victoria Kennerley and I’m a first-year MSPH student in the biostatistics department. I am originally from Titusville, Florida and recently graduated from the University of Florida as a double major in mathematics and statistics. I first decided that I wanted to pursue a career in biostatistics after participating in the Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics at the University of Pittsburgh the summer after my first year in undergrad. After my experience at Pitt, I became involved with the Southern HIV & Alcohol Research Consortium at the University of Florida and spent two summers interning in the biostatistics branch of the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, MD. Though I initially was determined to get out of the south for graduate school, my mind was quickly changed after visiting Atlanta and speaking with current students and faculty. At Rollins, I have found an incredible community that inspires me regularly, several opportunities to push myself in my career, and an amazing set of faculty and staff that never fail to impress me with their willingness to help and care for the students. I currently work as a data analyst with the Biostatistics Collaboration Core and am additionally involved in RSGA as one of the two BIOS representatives. Outside of Rollins, I really love living in Atlanta because there are always things to do in the city, an endless amount of good food and concerts, and great hiking a short drive away. I’m so glad that I chose Rollins and hope to help show you why you should choose Rollins, too!
Hi! My name is Allyson Mateja and I’m a second-year MSPH student in the biostatistics department here at Rollins. I’m originally from Avon, Connecticut and I completed my undergraduate degree in biology and math at the College of William & Mary in Virginia in 2015. After graduation, I moved to Bethesda, MD to work as a contractor with the National Institutes of Health doing data management and data analysis. After about two years in the real world, I decided I wanted to go back to school to get a master’s degree, and I haven’t regretted it at all! I came to Rollins because of the sense of community I felt during Visit Emory. I could tell just how much the faculty and staff care about the students here and want them to succeed. Here at Rollins, I have a REAL position with the Department of Human Genetics at Emory, where I work with metabolomics data. I’m also the biostatistics representative for RSGA. I have made some incredible friends, both within and outside the biostatistics department, and in our spare time, we enjoy exploring different neighborhoods and restaurants in Atlanta. I’m very excited to be a Student Ambassador, and to tell you all about the incredible experiences Rollins provides!
Hello! My name is Madoc Smith, and I’m a first-year MSPH student in biostatistics. I’m originally from South Central Pennsylvania near Hershey. I completed my undergraduate degrees at the the University of Pittsburgh where I studied mathematical biology and urban studies with a minor in computer science. While I was there I worked at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, my college campus’s food pantry, and an ecoinformatics lab. I really fell for Rollins School of Public Health when I spent six weeks doing a Summer in Biostatistics internship at Emory. I met so many kind faculty members doing some really cool things with biostatistics. I also got the chance to explore CDC — where I currently work through a REAL position as an epidemiology assistant in birth defect surveillance. I’m a real goofball outside the classroom. Let me know if you have any questions about Rollins, biostatistics, or the great city of Atlanta!
