Brooke Alhanti, PhD, brings a passion for scientific discovery and a strong foundation in biostatistics to her role as instructor of BIOSTAT 701: Introduction to Statistical Programming I at Duke University. Outside the classroom, she is deeply involved in collaborative clinical research, particularly projects that lead to real-world improvements in health care systems. In this interview, Alhanti shares insights into her teaching approach, her favorite moments in the classroom, and what students can expect from their journey into programming with R.
Please share a bit about your background and what led you to the field of biostatistics/bioinformatics?
I have always been interested in health and scientific research. I spent two years as a biochemistry major (planning to work in drug development) but discovered I loved my statistics classes more than my chemistry ones. I switched my major to biostatistics and never looked back!
What is your current research or professional focus outside of teaching?
I love doing collaborative clinical research and learning about new therapeutic areas. I especially enjoy projects with practical impacts like implementation studies or quality improvement projects in the health system.
What do you most enjoy about teaching this/these course(s)?
I like seeing students come in with no previous programming experience and finish feeling confident in both their programming and problem-solving skills.
What are the key skills or concepts you hope students will take away from the course?
I want students to develop good programming habits that can be applied to any language.
Are there particular projects, examples, or applications that students tend to find especially meaningful or exciting?
I think students enjoy the plotting unit because we get the immediate gratification of pretty figures.
What do you enjoy most about working with Duke MB students?
I love the students’ enthusiasm for learning and developing new skills. And they keep me current in the world of R!
How do you see students grow or change as they move through your course and the program?
The students tend to start the semester with some apprehension, but by the end of the course they feel confident that they have a solid foundation in programming for the rest of their program and future careers.
What advice do you give students for getting the most out of your class?
Spend time exploring on your own — both the coding workspace (IDE) and the code itself. The best way to learn coding skills is to jump in and apply them.
What is something students might be surprised to learn about you?
I grew up in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains.
What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching and research?
I enjoy being with my husband and my two daughters. We like to hike, swim, and bake together.