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.

We are pleased to spotlight Dr. Amadou Barry, an assistant professor of biostatistics at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). Before joining the INRS, Amadou earned his PhD in mathematics from the Université du Québec à Montréal in 2018 and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) and McGill University between 2018 and 2022. He is a member of the INRS-UQAC Joint Research Unit in Sustainable Health. Amadou’s research focuses on applying machine learning techniques to solve genomics and neuroscience problems.

Amadou first became involved with the SSC through serving on the SSC’s committee on equity, diversity, and inclusion and the student and recent graduate committee. Among his favourite memories from the SSC’s annual meetings are the insightful presentations that gave rise to new research ideas and the camaraderie enjoyed at the SSC banquets. In fact, Amadou found his postdoctoral positions thanks to the robust professional network he developed through the SSC.

Amadou appreciates that his job allows him to tackle important health-related research problems. He is particularly passionate about training his students to become highly qualified professionals and fostering their enthusiasm for research. Looking back on his training, Amadou values the soft skills that his mentors helped him develop. He strives to create an environment where his trainees can cultivate those same skills.

Amadou encourages junior researchers in the field to encourage each other, get involved with the SSC, and take ownership in shaping its future. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, reading, music, and discovering new pastimes alongside his family.

We sincerely thank Amadou 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.