Limin Peng, PhD, professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, has been selected as the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2017 Mortimer Spiegelman Award recipient. This top award is given to junior biostatisticians in the United States for their contributions to the statistics and biostatistics community.

Lance A. Waller, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Amita K. Manatunga, PhD, professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, nominated Peng for the award.

"It's a singular honor for Limin to have won this award," says Waller. "Our department benefits not only from her receiving this recognition but also from the contributions she has made to the department. She is joining a list of winners who have gone on to become the who's who in biostatistics—a list where her name belongs."  

The award is named for demographer, actuary and biostatistician Mortimer Spiegelman, and has been presented annually since 1970 to an APHA Applied Public Health Statistics Section member under the age of 40 who has made outstanding contributions to the field of public health statistics.

"I was thrilled and surprised to receive the award notice," says Peng. "I feel so supported by my department and humbled to have been recognized. I'm hopeful this award brings honor to the department and the school as well."

Peng joined Emory as a Rollins assistant professor in 2005. In the years since, she has established a reputation of being an excellent researcher, mentor, educator and collaborator. Her methodological research programs have been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Her collaborative research includes work in such areas as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, mental health and neurology.

Peng will receive her award during the APHA 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo, held November 4-8 at the Georgia World Congress Center.