Our Faculty

Emily Peterson

Assistant Research Professor
Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
Emily Peterson

Bio

My research lies at the intersection of Bayesian hierarchical modeling, measurement error, partial identifiability and recoverability, spatial epidemiology, and population dynamics. My primary research focus is the development of Bayesian methods for learning from incomplete, imperfect, and heterogeneous data, particularly when data are spatially or temporally structured and subject to measurement error, misclassification, or other sources of uncertainty. I integrate Bayesian hierarchical modeling with spatial and small-area estimation, data integration, and computational methods to develop practical estimation frameworks for population health research and surveillance. My work is highly collaborative, involving researchers and public health professionals at Emory and other academic institutions, as well as partners at the CDC, U.S. Census Bureau, Tribal public health organizations, and other federal and local agencies.

Areas of Interest

  • Bayesian Analysis
  • Health Disparities
  • Spatial Analysis/GIS
  • Data Science
  • Disease Surveillance
  • Social Determinants of Health

Education

  • Ph.D. in Biostatistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • M.S. in Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University,
  • M.S. in Public Health Sciences, Penn State University
  • B.S. in Psychology, Davidson College

Courses Taught

  • BIOS 526 - Modern Regression Analysis

Affiliations

Professional Activities

Leadership & Service

  • Founder and Director, LENS (Learning, Estimation, and Nonidentifiability in Statistics)

  • Faculty Advisory Council, Rollins School of Public Health

  • Invited Reviewer, NIH CSR PDAH Study Section

  • PhD Admissions Committee, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

  • Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Working Group, Rollins School of Public Health

  • Leader, Interdisciplinary Bayesian Spatial Working Group, Emory University

Professional Associations

  • American Statistical Association (ASA)

  • Population Association of America (PAA)

  • International Biometric Society, Eastern North American Region (ENAR)

  • Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER)

Invited Talks & Scientific Presentations

  • U.S. Census Bureau

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • Population Association of America

  • International Society for Bayesian Analysis (ISBA)

  • Small Area Estimation Conference

  • Spatial Statistics Conference

  • Southern Regional Council on Statistics

  • University of Massachusetts Bayesian Working Group

  • Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM)

Peer Review

  • The Annals of Applied Statistics

  • Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A

  • Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology

  • Epidemiology

  • Annals of Epidemiology

  • Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Epidemiology

  • The American Statistician

  • Population Health Metrics

  • Ecology

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