Leif Peterson

Leif Peterson is a Lecturer in the Department of Statistics at Rice University since 2022. He concurrently serves as Principal of NXG Logic, LLC, a data analytics startup, and operates as an independent consultant in biostatistics, bioinformatics, and machine learning. His research focuses on computational methods, quantitative finance, and advanced statistical techniques including Monte Carlo simulation and neural networks.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Epidemiology-Biostatistics from The University of Texas Health Science Center
• M.P.H. in Radiological Physics from the University of Michigan
• B.S. in Nuclear Medicine from Ferris State University

Prior roles include Radiation Specialist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (1986-1995), Associate Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (1995-2006), and Director of the Center for Biostatistics at Houston Methodist Research Institute (2006-2019). He held adjunct roles at the University of Texas School of Public Health and taught at the University of Houston and Texas A&M.

Research interests span mathematical algorithms, eigendecomposition, text mining, and numerical optimization. His recent work addresses portfolio optimization, genetic algorithms for financial trading, and PCA analysis in time series.

Scientific contributions include studies on radiation dosimetry, ALS pathophysiology, and cardiovascular interventions. Notable honors include the 2000 Young Investigators Program Award (National Research Council) and 1995 Program Scholar (First Annual Schull Symposium).

Professional affiliations include IEEE Computational Intelligence Society and the International Neural Network Society. His work bridges academia and industry, with active roles in biostatistics, healthcare policy, and data science innovation.