Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics at Georgia Tech

About This Grant

The Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics (SISG) provides training in advanced methods that are essential for all aspects of contemporary genetic and genomic analysis that require quantitative skills. Whether it is improved animal and plant breeding, deciphering the causes of complex disease and of behavioral and morphological variation, or better understanding of how organisms adapt and evolve or interact in ecological communities, SISG gives students access to constantly modernizing statistical methods. These are generally beyond the content provided by most graduate programs yet are essential for ensuring a skilled research workforce. SISG enhances the opportunities for students to excel during the most formative stages of their scientific development by broadening participation in an otherwise technically restricted discipline. Each June the SISG convenes for three weeks of training that consists of 20 two-and-a-half day modules taught by some of the best active genetics researchers in the world. Up to 60 graduate students will be selected each year from an applicant pool of over 200, drawn from all 50 States. They will have demonstrated their need for training in five streams, namely introductory modules in genetics and programming for early-stage graduate students; or for more advanced students, training in topics related to health and the environment; integrative genomics; quantitative genetics, and statistical methods. Each module consists of a mixture of lectures conveying the foundational principles of the discipline, and hands-on practical sessions giving students experience implementing current software. Attention is given to rigorous and responsible conduct of scientific research, to the use of cloud computing incorporating artificial intelligence and big data analytics, and adoption of sophisticated statistical approaches. SISG has trained over 7,500 scientists over two decades, creating a network of statistical geneticists who pass their expertise on to their own trainees, provide expert research capacity for industry as well as government, and contribute to science communication. In this way the program makes a critical contribution to supporting commercial agricultural research, protecting the environment, and improving the health and wellbeing of Americans. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.