Professor Pragya Sur Receives 2026 IMS Thelma and Marvin Zelen Emerging Women Leaders in Data Science Award

The Department of Statistics is pleased to share that Assistant Professor Pragya Sur received a 2026 IMS Thelma and Marvin Zelen Emerging Women Leaders in Data Science.  According to the IMS website,

"Pragya Sur, Department of Statistics, Harvard University, has made foundational contributions at the intersection of high-dimensional statistics, statistical theory, and modern machine learning. Her work is particularly notable for bridging classical asymptotic theory with the high-dimensional regime, resulting in a rigorous understanding of algorithms such as logistic regression, least squares, and their regularized counterparts in settings where traditional theory fails. She has also developed novel inferential tools for variable selection and testing in high-dimensional models, offering insights that influence both theoretical and applied communities. Her scholarship combines mathematical depth with relevance to contemporary data science challenges, positioning her as a leader in statistical theory for the modern statistical science era."

This award is given annually to three women data scientists who are within 10 years of completing their Ph.D. (or similar degree).  Read more about the award on the IMS Award website.  Congratulations, Prof. Sur!