Education Highlight – Jiangtao Luo, PhD, currently teaches the following courses:
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BIOS 918 Biostatistical Linear Models – Theory and Applications
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BIOS 835 / CPH 517 Design of Medical Health Studies
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BIOS 818 / CPH 516 Biostatistical Methods II (Applied Linear Regression Models).
BIOS 835 / CPH 517 is offered in both online and on-campus versions. Dr. Luo has also taught BIOS 806/CPH 506 Biostatistics I in past years. Dr. Luo joined the department in 2010 and conducts research in both statistical genetics and clinical trials.
Dr. Luo’s teaching philosophy centers on facilitating the learning process for the student and adapting to their knowledge background and individual needs. He emphasizes the importance of mastering the fundamental concepts, ideas, and methods in statistics in order to reduce common mistakes in how they are applied. In his teaching, Dr. Luo consistently gives students a big picture first before delving into the statistical process. For many people, statistics is about mathematical proofs, fancy equations, and fantasy models, but Dr. Luo unfailingly persuades his students to “use common sense and pictures as often as possible” in statistics. He continually encourages his students to “never be intimidated by statistics, never lose your common sense, and always start from graphs.”
The courses that Dr. Luo teaches serve many important purposes for students. BIOS 918 is required for PhD students in biostatistics, and BIOS 818 / CPH 516 provides fundamental skills in data analysis widely used in public health professions and in industry. BIOS 835 / CPH 517 provides essential skills for those who plan careers in research and in the pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Luo says “Higher education is the lighthouse in our civilization. As a keeper of the lighthouse, I use my knowledge to light the minds of my students. Therefore, teaching is much more than a simple repeating of knowledge. It involves preparation, interaction, follow-up, improvement, and sacrifice. Above all, I enjoy teaching biostatistics, and I am driven by a desire to continue the strong traditions of higher education in my own classes.”
Jiangtao Luo, PhD, is an assistant professor in the UNMC COPH Department of Biostatistics.