Shannon Gutenkunst, PhD

I have a background in astrophysics, scientific editing, and statistics, which helps me in my role as a statistician at the University of Arizona Statistics Consulting Lab (Stat Lab). As a physics PhD student, I analyzed data from the Spitzer Space Telescope and the 200-inch Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory, wrote a successful proposal for time on the Hale Telescope, and published two peer-reviewed papers as part of my dissertation. After my PhD, I worked as a scientific editor before pursing my MS in Statistics. For my Master's thesis with Professor Melanie Bell, I designed and ran a simulation study analyzing how to manage missing items in the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. I have collaborated with researchers associated with the University of Arizona Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center on projects that include carcinogens in firefighter breastmilk and in the air of auto and beauty shops.