- April 25, 2024
UTRGV Celebrates Florence Nightingale Legacy
Kristen Hallas, a second-year Ph.D. student at UTRGV, presents her research poster to La Joya ISD students during a recent event celebrating the legacy of Florence Nightingale in Edinburg. (UTRGV Photo by Jesus Alferez)
By Maria Gonzalez
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS– UTRGV recently celebrated Florence Nightingale’s groundbreaking contributions to statistics, data science and nursing, inspiring students toward STEM careers.
An event held on Feb.16 in Edinburg highlighted the importance of statistics and data science in various fields, including healthcare. Sponsored by UTRGV’s School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI), Florence Nightingale Day for Statistics and Data Science aimed to inspire future STEM professionals.
The celebration included a video showcasing Nightingale’s advancements in healthcare hygiene and trivia games engaging high school students to learn about her legacy while having the chance to win prizes.
Keynote speakers, Dr. Monnie McGee, associate professor in the Department of Statistics and Data Science, Southern Methodist University, and Dr. Lilian Fuentes, UTRGV School of Nursing dean, presented on Nightingale’s lasting impact.
In support of UTRGV’s Statistics Program, faculty members, including Dr. Timothy Huber, director of the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; Dr. George Yanev, coordinator for the master’s in Applied Statistics and Data Science; and Santanu Chakraborty, co-coordinator of the bachelor’s in Statistics, demonstrated their efforts to advance statistics and data science.
The event provided networking opportunities for La Joya ISD high school students and UTRGV students. In addition, UTRGV students shared their research, demonstrating the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary work.
Kristen Hallas, a second-year Ph.D. student at UTRGV, shared her experiences praising the Mathematics and Statistics with Interdisciplinary Applications (MSIA) Ph.D. program, emphasizing its importance for her work in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
“UTRGV was the place where I learned that I could be a researcher,” she said. “With this degree, UTRGV recognizes how valuable collaboration between disciplines can work to solve the biggest challenges in science.”