Sally W. Thurston

Sally W. Thurston is a Professor of Biostatistics and Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester's Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology within the School of Medicine and Dentistry. She leads the Biostatistics Core of the Environmental Health Sciences Center and directs the T32 grant 'Training in Environmental Health Biostatistics.' Her research focuses on Bayesian methods, environmental health applications, and modeling multiple outcomes, with major collaborations including the Seychelles Child Development Study and air pollution studies in Beijing and Rochester.

Dr. Thurston holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Harvard University (1997), preceded by an M.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell and an A.B. in Biology from Oberlin College. She joined Rochester in 2002 after postdoctoral work at Harvard School of Public Health.

Her research interests span Bayesian inference, latent variable models, and environmental exposures. Notable projects include examining mercury exposure’s effects on neurodevelopment and investigating air pollution’s health impacts. She has also contributed to studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and gender-specific outcomes in children.

Dr. Thurston has received prestigious awards, including ASA Fellowship (2019), the University of Rochester's 2016 Outstanding Graduate Course Director Award, and the 2022 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award. She is actively involved in mentoring and has advised numerous postdoctoral trainees and students.

Her work bridges statistical methodology with environmental and public health applications, emphasizing collaborative interdisciplinary research. She leads the Seychelles Child Development Study’s statistical efforts and contributes to global environmental health initiatives.