Iowa State University has named Heike Hofmann, professor of statistics and CSAFE researcher, the Kingland Data Analytics Faculty Fellow. The named fellowship supports professors whose teaching and research advances the university’s focus in data analytics, entrepreneurship and other high-growth areas.
Hofmann is internationally recognized for her work on data visualization. Her research on visual inference provides a framework to evaluate the statistical significance of a graphical finding, thereby establishing a p-value for charts. Hofmann’s research also focuses on statistical graphics, statistical computing and multivariate methods, particularly categorical data.
Hofmann’s work at CSAFE is focused on developing and refining techniques for matching striae—the ridges and grooves on spent bullets—for use in forensic investigations. She was a key contributor to research developed by CSAFE in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to improve the statistics and science behind the analysis and interpretation of forensic evidence and to provide statistical training for forensic practitioners and legal professionals.
Hofmann is grateful to Kingland for the named fellowship, and she intends to use the funding to advance her data science research.
“The award will allow me to build infrastructure in support of transparent data science pipelines consisting of open data, open results and open algorithmic routines,” she said. “The Fellowship will also allow me to recruit and support an undergraduate with a minority background in the data science research experience program.”
Read the entire fellowship announcement here.
Learn more about Hofmann’s research on firearms and toolmarks analysis.
