‘It’s more than just math’: Biostatistician Mackenzie Edmonson ’16 shares story of career after St. Mike’s

Biostatistician and Saint Michael’s alumnus Dr. Mackenzie Edmonson ’16 returned to campus recently to share insights from his career and give advice to current students looking to follow similar paths.

Mackenzie Edmundson ’16 speaks at Saint Michael’s College on Nov. 1, 2024, about his career in biostatistics. (Photo by Elizabeth Murray)

On Nov. 1, Mathematics and Statistics Professor George Ashline, introduced Edmonson by saying that he majored in Mathematics and minored in Biology during his undergraduate experience. Professor Ashline was Edmonson’s academic advisor.

Saint Michael’s did not have a Statistics major during Edmonson’s time here, but he took as many statistics courses as he could. He also took advantage of a variety of summer research opportunities that he found with the help of career counselors at Saint Michael’s.

During the summer before Edmonson’s junior year, he attended the Columbia Summer Institute for Biostatistics program (SIBS). Among other summer research opportunities, Edmonson said these programs set him up well for his graduate studies.

Edmonson went on to pursue his Ph.D. in biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. According to Ashline, Edmonson focused his dissertation on “novel statistics methods for distributing regression analysis to assist in healthcare data analysis.”

“I started out as someone who wanted to apply math in some way, and throughout my undergraduate experience landed in the biostatistics realm, so that’s how I ended up pursuing graduate school opportunities in biostatistics,” Edmonson said.

After earning his Ph.D., Edmonson accepted a position at Merck & Co. He is currently a senior scientist in the early developmental statistics area. He is part of the Bards group which is in the biostatistics, research, decisions, and science department.

“It’s more than just math,” Edmonson said.

Mathematics and Statistics Professor George Ashline introduces Mackenzie Edmundson ’16 before his talk on Nov. 1, 2024. (Photo by Elizabeth Murray)

Edmonson emphasized that biostatisticians are critical in the development and evaluation of new drugs and treatments. He said he feels like he makes a difference in patients’ lives.

When Edmonson began his journey into biostatistics, he said, “it was a field that existed but was still coming into its own.”

Edmonson said his liberal arts experience at Saint Michael’s College helped him “thrive in areas of problem-solving.”

He also said that he is very grateful for the “focused mentorship” his undergraduate professors gave him, stating that the tight-knit experience paved the path for his success.