The SSC Community Connections initiative aims to foster connections across the Statistical Society of Canada (SSC) by highlighting individual members of our community. This initiative aligns with one of the SSC’s strategic priorities: promoting a sense of community in the statistical sciences and related fields. Selected individuals will be featured in articles published in SSC Liaison.

The SSC Community Connections initiative is proud to highlight Luke Hagar, a recent graduate, active SSC member, and coeditor of SSC Community Connections, whose work bridges cutting-edge statistical theory and practical applications in clinical research. Luke obtained a PhD in statistics from the University of Waterloo in 2024, working with Dr. Nathaniel Stevens. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biostatistics at McGill University, under the supervision of Dr. Shirin Golchi. Luke is currently a research officer with the University of Queensland’s Clinical Trials Capability.

Luke’s journey with the SSC began in 2021, when he virtually attended the Canadian Statistics Student Conference (CSSC). Inspired by the connections he made, he later became deeply involved in the conference’s organization, even serving as cochair in 2023 alongside Vanessa McNealis. That year’s event remains one of his fondest SSC memories: "This was the first in-person CSSC in four years, so it was so nice to finally meet everyone from the organizing committee and connect with students from across the country who were presenting their research."

The SSC has had a profound impact on Luke’s career trajectory. During the 2023 annual meeting in Ottawa, he connected with Dr. Shirin Golchi of McGill University, which led to a postdoctoral opportunity. Prof. Golchi also introduced him to his current supervisor in Australia, meaning that both of Luke’s most recent positions were the direct result of SSC networking. For Luke, the best part of his job is helping others use data to guide meaningful real-world decisions. “I like helping practitioners reliably draw conclusions from their data to inform real-world decisions,” he shares.

Outside of research, Luke enjoys long-distance running and learning new languages. Reflecting on his career so far, Luke highlights the importance of learning by example. He credits his mentors with teaching him valuable professional qualities through their supportiveness, open communication, and generosity with feedback. He strives to emulate these traits as he builds his own career.

For junior members of the profession, Luke offers this advice: “I would strongly encourage trainees and new investigators to prioritize working with collaborators and mentors who are supportive and kind. When it is a pleasure to work with your collaborators, it becomes more manageable to juggle working on various projects under competing deadlines.”

We sincerely thank Luke for sharing his insights and for participating in our SSC Community Connections initiative.

Would you like to be featured in a future SSC Liaison article, or do you know an SSC member we should spotlight? If so, please submit a nomination via our Google form. You must log in to mySSC to submit a nomination.