Ada Youk, PhD, associate professor of biostatistics and associate dean of undergraduate academic affairs at Pitt Public Health, has been named the 2026 Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the American Statistical Association Section on Teaching Statistics in the Health Sciences.
The national award recognizes an educator who has demonstrated excellence in teaching statistics and mentoring within the health sciences. Selection criteria are rigorous, evaluating the length and extent of teaching activities, diversity of courses taught, student accomplishments and leadership in developing new training programs.
“I’ve always felt called to teach,” said Youk. “My PhD advisor, Roslyn Stone, was a huge influence; I don’t just stand there and talk; I incorporate active learning. Especially with undergrad students, I try to meet people where they are.”
Throughout her 30-year career, Youk has taught many of the biostatistics courses available. Since the launch of the school’s Bachelor of Science in Public Health program, she has personally taught every undergraduate student through the Intro to Public Health Biostatistics course. To date, she has mentored over 1,000 students across the undergraduate, master's and PhD levels.
“I don't just rely on high-stakes exams,” Youk said. “I use lower-stakes activities so students who struggle with testing can still be successful. I attend a lot of pedagogy workshops because teaching undergrads is a 'whole new world' compared to grad students. I like to change things up and I always read my student evaluations to see what I can improve.”
Youk was nominated for the award by Yan Ma, PhD, chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science. Jeanine Buchanich, PhD, vice dean and professor of biostatistics and health data science, also provided a letter of recommendation highlighting Youk’s decades of dedication to the field.
“Dr. Youk’s accomplishments exemplify sustained excellence, innovation, leadership and mentorship in statistics education. Her ability to translate complex statistical concepts into accessible, engaging lessons is unparalleled,” said Ma. “Whether she is mentoring a doctoral candidate or welcoming our newest undergraduates, Ada’s passion for student success is what makes her a truly national leader in statistics education.”
Beyond the classroom, Youk’s research portfolio is equally diverse. She has focused on novel measures of frailty and health disparities among Veterans, and, earlier in her career, she made significant waves in occupational epidemiology by applying complex exposure computation methods to pharmacy claims data.
“It’s a national award, so I was actually surprised that I won,” she said. “I think the length of my career and the variety of activities I’ve done gave me an advantage.”
Youk will be presented with a certificate and a cash award during the Teaching Statistics in the Health Sciences Reception and Awards ceremony on Aug. 3 at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Boston, Mass.
– Ava Dzurenda