Edward J. Stanek

Professor Emeritus of Biostatistics

Inference, mixed models, sampling, longitudinal data analysis, cluster randomized trials

I am actively involved in research that will lead to better methods and a better understanding of statistical inference. This research involves connecting two different areas in statistics: finite population sampling (a mainstay of public health) and Bayesian approaches for inference. The connection is via the role of identifiable units in the two frameworks. The theoretical development allows the increased accuracy of Bayesian estimators (best linear unbiased predictors) to be characterized, and parameter spaces with limited accuracy to be identified. This development is important since it clarifies the contribution that statistics can make when attempting to generalize from data. The application of these results is broad, ranging from applications in clinical trials, survey sampling, experimental design, to broader methodological research, and environmental health. The methods are applicable to studies where there is error in measurement, such as exposure assessments (such as low level radio frequency energy), spatial data, cluster randomized trials, and observational studies.

Education

  • PhD, University of North Carolina, 1984
  • MS, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1977
  • BS, University of Wisconsin, 1971

Key Publications

Stanek, E.J. III and Singer, J. (2004). “Predicting random effects from finite population clustered samples with response error,” Journal of the American Statistical Association, 99:1119-1130.

Stanek, E. J. III and Singer, J.M. (2011) “Sampling, WLS and Mixed Models,” Statistics in Biopharmaceutical Research, 3(2);409-424.

Singer, J.M., Stanek, E.J.III, Lencina, V.B., González, L.M., Li, W. and San Martino, S.  (2011)  “Prediction with measurement errors: do we really understand the BLUP?,” Statistics and Probability Letters 82: 332-339. NIHMSID # 335226; STAPRO6119.

Stanek, E.J. III, Calabrese, E.J., and Xu, B. (2011). Meta analysis of mass balance studies of soil ingestion in children, in press, Risk Analysis, 6/21/2011, Online: DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2011.01673.x

Stanek, E.J. III, Calabrese, E.J., and Xu, B. (2011). Reliability of soil ingestion estimates in mass-balance soil ingestion studies, in press, Risk Analysis, 8/1/2011, OnLine:  DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2011.01692.x