Director

Daisy Dai, PhD

Associate Dean of Research, Department of the Dean

Overview

Hongying (Daisy) Dai, PhD, is Associate Dean of Research in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health and a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics. She is also a full member of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, contributing to interdisciplinary cancer research and population health initiatives. Her career reflects a strong integration of statistical science, public health, and data-driven innovation. Dr. Dai joined University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2020 after serving in faculty roles at Children’s Mercy Hospital and the University of Missouri–Kansas City Department of Pediatrics. She was also a full member of the University of Kansas Cancer Center. She holds a PhD in Statistics, along with master’s degrees in statistics and mathematics, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Kentucky. Her research program focuses on advancing statistical methodology and applying it to complex public health challenges. Key areas include tobacco policy evaluation, behavioral health surveillance, and the use of big data sources such as social media platforms (e.g., Twitter/X) and Google Trends for disease monitoring. She also develops novel approaches for high-dimensional data analysis, including Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), hierarchical modeling, mixture models, and asymptotic theory. A major theme of her work is translating large-scale, rapidly evolving data into actionable insights for population health. Dr. Dai’s research also emphasizes substance use prevention, particularly among adolescents and racial minority populations. Using advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, she studies patterns of initiation and progression in substance use and monitors online misinformation related to health behaviors. Her work has informed community-based interventions, including school-based training programs addressing e-cigarette use. She has contributed to studies supported by more than $60 million in research funding and has been recognized with honors such as the UNMC New Investigator Award (2019) and designation as a UNMC Distinguished Scientist (2023). An active member of the broader statistical and public health community, Dr. Dai is affiliated with the American Statistical Association (ASA), the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), and the International Biometric Society’s Eastern North American Region (ENAR). Beyond research, she is deeply engaged in mentoring trainees and medical students, coordinating research training for dual MD/MPH students, and advancing community outreach efforts. Her work reflects a commitment to using data science and statistical innovation to improve health outcomes and inform public health policy in a rapidly changing world.

Education

1997 B.S., International Economics, University of International Business and Economics, P.R. China

2004 M.S., Statistics, University of of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

2004 M.S., Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

2006 Ph.D., Statistics, University of of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Daisy Dai, PhD