Investigating the Causal Effect of E-Cigarette Use on Minority Health Outcomes

Dr. Sixia Chen, an Associate Professor in Biostatistics, has been awarded the prestigious Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources (OSCTR) pilot grant. This grant, totaling $72,370, will fuel groundbreaking research aimed at understanding the impact of e-cigarette use on health outcomes within minority populations.

Dr. Chen’s expertise spans over 16 years of practical and theoretical research in survey sampling and missing data analysis. Before joining the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), Dr. Chen served as the senior sampling statistician at Westat, a world-leading research organization specializing in survey sampling and methods research. His interdisciplinary research experience covers data integration, causal inference, missing data analysis, survey sampling, biostatistics, tobacco research, and Native American health disparity. Recently, Dr. Chen has delved into the exciting field of machine learning and big data research, leading three NIH-funded projects (two as the PI). He has 38 independent methodological publications in top statistical journals, with 32 as first/senior author articles. As an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, Dr. Chen continues to shape statistical research globally. He serves as an associate editor for four renowned peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology and Survey Methodology. Dr. Chen’s work promises insights that will shape public health policies and improve the well-being of minority communities.