The Biostatistics, Epidemiologic and Bioinformatic Training in Environmental Health training grant, known as BEBTEH, provides funding for PhD students and postdocs interested in data-based analysis of environmental health issues.
Trainees in this program come from three UW departments: Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and Epidemiology.
The curriculum is designed to promote a balance between the life sciences and quantitative disciplines, so graduates have insight into disease causation as well as the bioinformatic and statistical tools to analyze data at a population level.
Positions, funding and requirements
Student positions and funding
Students accepted into BEBTEH receive a stipend and tuition assistance. The number of open positions varies from year to year. Eligible individuals who wish to apply should contact the program coordinator to learn about the latest application deadlines.
The training grant is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Program requirements
In addition to meeting all requirements for a PhD in their home department, trainees will meet specific NIH requirements and may participate in additional activities sponsored by BEBTEH, the participating departments, and other UW partners:
- Weekly seminars
- Working groups and journal clubs
- Presentations
- Attendance at the Department of Biostatistics Summer Institutes
- Additional sessions on responsible conduct of research, project management, and responsible conduct of research
Our faculty
Lianne Sheppard, PhD and June Spector, MD, MPH direct the program.
Trainees choose one of two pathways – laboratory-based or population-based. Mentors help the trainees craft individualized training plans and identify cross-disciplinary research opportunities relevant to their areas of interest.
LABORATORY-BASED PATHWAY
Quantitative Mentors
Kathleen Kerr: Biostatistics
Kevin Lin: Biostatistics
Ken Rice: Biostatistics
Guanghao Qi: Biostastics
Ali Shojaie: Biostatistics
Jon Wakefield: Biostatistics
Amy Willis: Biostatistics
Daniela Witten: Biostatistics
Life Sciences Mentors
Elaine Faustman: EOHS
Erica Fuhrmeister: EOHS
Yijie Geng: EOHS
Karen Levy: EOHS
Judit Marsillach: EOHS
Christopher Simpson: EOHS
POPULATION-BASED PATHWAY
Quantitative Mentors
Marco Carone: Biostatistics
Patrick Heagerty: Biostatistics
Eardi Lila: Biostatistics
Ken Rice: Biostatistics
Andrea Rotnitzky: Biostatistics
Lianne Sheppard: EOHS, Biostatistics
Adam Szpiro: Biostatistics
Jon Wakefield: Biostatistics
Ting Ye: Biostatistics
Life Sciences Mentors
Elena Austin: EOHS
Joan Casey: EOHS
Daniel Enquobahrie: Epidemiology
Nicole Errett: EOHS
Elaine Faustman: EOHS
Anjum Hajat: Epidemiology
Catherine Karr: EOHS
Joel Kaufman: EOHS, Epi, Medicine
Julianne Meisner: Epidemiology, Global Health, EOHS
Steve Mooney: Epidemiology
Peter Rabinowitz: EOHS, Global Health
Coralynn Sack: EOHS
Edmund Seto: EOHS
Christopher Simpson: EOHS
June Spector: EOHS
Sean Gibbons : EOHS, Biostatistics, Genome Science
Sarah Collier: EOHS
How to apply
BEBTEH trainees must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The material listed below should be sent via email to the BEBTEH program coordinator, bebteh@uw.edu.
Predoctoral applicants: You must first be formally admitted to a PhD program in biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, or epidemiology. Then, submit a letter of interest, unofficial UW transcript, and current CV.
Postdoctoral applicants: Applicants should have an MD or a PhD in public health or a quantitative discipline. Send a current CV and a cover letter describing your research interest. Name a BEBTEH faculty member with whom you wish to collaborate and clearly indicate you are applying for a postdoctoral position. You may be asked to submit further information.
For more information
Detailed information about program requirements is also available in the BEBTEH Trainees Guidelines.
For further questions, contact the people listed below or the graduate program adviser in your department.
Program Director
Lianne Sheppard, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Rohm & Haas Professor of Public Health Sciences
Phone: 206-616-2722
Email: sheppard@uw.edu
Administrative Contacts
A. Mallory Thomas
Program Manager
Email: bebteh@uw.edu
Mary Saucier
Program Coordinator
Phone: 206-616-3886
Email: bebteh@uw.edu