The University of Illinois Department of Statistics recently hosted its annual Robert E. Bohrer Memorial Student Workshop in Statistics, bringing together students, faculty, and distinguished scholars for a full day of research presentations, invited lectures, and community engagement.
The workshop honors the legacy of Robert E. Bohrer (1939–1993), a founding member of the department and a dedicated educator, researcher, and mentor. Known for his contributions to applied and theoretical statistics, Bohrer published more than 50 research articles and played a key role in establishing the department. Despite facing significant health challenges, he remained actively engaged in teaching and research for over two decades, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues.
This year’s program featured three distinguished invited lectures. Mikhail Belkin (University of California San Diego) delivered the department’s 40th Anniversary Lecture on feature learning in kernel machines and applications to large language models. Kosuke Imai (Harvard University) presented the Wijsman Lecture, examining whether artificial intelligence improves human decision-making. David Dunson (Duke University) gave the Bohrer Lecture on interpretable AI in scientific applications.
In addition to the invited talks, the workshop highlighted the wide scope of student research through a series of lightning talks covering topics such as causal inference, machine learning, computational statistics, and high-dimensional data analysis. The event concluded with a poster session, awards ceremony, and dinner.
Several doctoral students were recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the field. Bo Yuan received the Horace W. Norton Prize for Outstanding Research in Statistics, the department’s highest honor for doctoral research, recognizing exceptional scholarly achievement and innovative contributions to statistical science. Kaustav Chakraborty was awarded honorable mention for the Norton Prize, reflecting the strength and impact of his research.
Zhaohao Zu received the Qualifying Exam Award, which is presented annually to the PhD student who achieves the highest score on the department’s qualifying examination. This award highlights exceptional mastery of core statistical theory and methods at a critical milestone in the doctoral program.
In recognition of leadership and service, Georgios Avdis was honored with the Doctoral Student Leadership and Service Award. This award acknowledges doctoral students who, through sustained effort, mentorship, and service, contribute meaningfully to the department’s academic community and help foster a supportive and collaborative environment for their peers.
The Bohrer Memorial Student Workshop continues to serve as a cornerstone event for the department, celebrating research excellence while fostering collaboration and professional development among students and faculty.
Select photos from the 2026 Bohrer Workshop
