Drexel University - Comprehensive, integrated academics enhanced by co-operative education, technology, and research opportunities. | Drexel University
Drexel University
Search events. View events.

All Categories

Click for help in using calendar displays. Print the contents of the current screen.
Display Format: 
Event Details
Notify me if this event changes.Add this event to my personal calendar.
Go Back
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Seminar Series
Start Date: 12/5/2024Start Time: 3:30 PM
End Date: 12/5/2024End Time: 4:30 PM

Event Description

Gary Hettinger, MS, University of Pennsylvania, will present Semi-Parametric Causal Methods for Health Policy Evaluations Under Interference."

Evaluating health policies requires understanding how they may spill over into nearby regions and differentially impact areas implementing the policy, which demands rigorous confounding adjustment and robust modeling to uncover these causal mechanisms. In this talk, I introduce novel difference-in-difference methods to assess spillover effects and continuous exposures, developing semi-parametric approaches that relax model specification requirements and incorporate flexible modeling techniques. I demonstrate these methods by studying the effects of Philadelphia’s excise tax on sweetened beverages.

Gary Hettinger is a doctoral candidate in Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is advised by Dr. Nandita Mitra. His research focuses on health policy evaluations, comparative effectiveness analyses, and oncologic outcomes. Methodologically, Gary specializes in developing causal inference techniques to address statistical challenges inherent in observational data while integrating flexible modeling techniques such as machine learning tools. He is particularly passionate about applying causal inference methodologies to health research to foster robust and actionable insights for healthcare decision-making.

Before beginning his doctoral studies at Penn, Gary earned his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from Brown University. He also has experience as a data scientist, developing products and algorithms to optimize online advertiser spend and predict user behavior.

During his time at Penn, Gary has been an active participant in various leadership and outreach roles, including serving on the Penn Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the ENAR Council for Emerging and New Statisticians, and outreach committees for the International Conference on Health Policy Statistics and the Society for Causal Inference.

Contact Information:
Name: Nancy Colon-Anderson
Email: nanderson@drexel.edu
Event graphic
Location:
Nesbitt 132 and online via Zoom
Audience:
  • Undergraduate Students
  • Graduate Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff

  • Display Month:

    Advanced Search (New Search)
    Date Range:
    Time Range:
    Category(s):
    Audience: 

    Special Features: 

    Keyword(s):
    Submit
    Select item(s) to Search



    Select item(s) to Search
    Select item(s) to Search
    Select item(s) to Search