Falk Faculty listed below have agreed to share their statistical expertise. These faculty are available for interdisciplinary statistical collaboration and/or consultation for grant applications and research projects. Appointments may be made by contacting these faculty directly.
General questions can be addressed in the Falk College Office of Research Development by Kate Gratien at kgratien@syr.edu.

Bryce Hruska, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor435C White Hall | 315-443-5430 | bjhruska@syr.edu
Professor Hruska’s research focuses on better understanding how psychological stress “gets under the skin” to impact physical health. Since coming to Falk College, his work has primarily consisted of overseeing the operations of two research projects: “Environmental Toxicants, Race, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children” and “The Psychosocial and Physiological Consequences of Taking and Not Taking Time Off from Work.” He has most recently published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, as well as Environmental Research, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, and Social Science and Medicine, among others. He has published book chapters in the Handbook of Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine and in Trauma and Substance Abuse: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment of Comorbid Disorders, Second Edition. Hruska earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology, with concentrations in health psychology and quantitative methods, both from Kent State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Akron.
Read full biographyAreas of Specialization
Traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress and health, occupational stress, recovery experiences, quantitative methods.
Statistical Expertise
Regression-based techniques; multi-level modeling (linear and generalized linear mixed models); mediation and moderation; daily data collection designs; Stata, SPSS, R software packages.View CV

Brittany Kmush, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor430D Barclay | 315-443-1541 | blkmush@syr.edu
Brittany Kmush received her PhD from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her dissertation was entitled, “Risk factors for antibody loss after Hepatitis E virus natural infection and vaccination.” She earned a master of science in infectious disease epidemiology from the Bloomberg School at Johns Hopkins University and holds a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of Rochester where she graduated cum laude. Her areas of specialization include epidemiology, global health, infectious diseases, vaccines, nutrition, immunology and environmental exposures particularly within the context of risks for infectious diseases, and Hepatitis E virus.
Read full biographyAreas of Specialization
Epidemiology, global health, infectious diseases, vaccines, nutrition, immunology and environmental exposures particularly within the context of risks for infectious diseases, and Hepatitis E virus.
Statistical Expertise
Generalized linear models (linear regression, logistic regression, Poisson regression), model development, multi-level modeling, STATA, Excel.View CV

David Larsen, Ph.D., MPH
Department Chair Professor444F White Hall | 315.443.4059 | dalarsen@syr.edu
David Larsen holds a Ph.D. and MPH from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical medicine. He is an environmental epidemiologist with expertise in large data analysis, multi-level modeling, spatial statistics, geographic information systems, and study design. His content expertise lies broadly in global health, with specific expertise in mosquito borne illnesses, mhealth, and sanitation.
Read full biographyAreas of Specialization
Global health, Child survival, Infectious disease epidemiology and malaria
Statistical Expertise
Large data analysis, multi-level modeling, spatial statistics, geographic information systems, and study designView CV

Fei Pei, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor272 White Hall | fpei01@syr.edu
Fei Pei received a PhD from the Ohio State University College of Social Work with a graduate minor of the applied statistics. The overarching goal of her research is to promote healthy development among vulnerable children, including maltreated and immigrant youths by identifying neighborhood disparities. In particular, her research focuses on community health, child development, and resilience after traumatic childhood experiences. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology and Bachelor of Law in sociology. Her most recent research is published on the Child Abuse & Neglect, Development & Psychopathology, international Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and gets several grant awards and scholars in the areas of child welfare, human development, and environmental and community health, and immigrant children.
Read full biographyAreas of Specialization
Child Development & Family Wellbeing among Vulnerable Children, Neighborhood/Community Disparities, Children Maltreatment & Resilience, Maternal Health, Immigrant Children, Kinship Care, Data Science
Statistical Expertise
Qualitative Skills: Semi-Structured Interview, Focus Group, Case Study, Observations, Thematic Analysis, Usability Testing Quantitative Skills: t-test, ANOVA, Regressions, Logistic Regression, Casual Inference, Nonparametric Analysis, Factor Analysis & Structural Equation Models, Multilevel Analysis, Multivariate Analysis, Longitudinal ModelsView CV

Bhavneet Walia, Ph.D.
Associate Professor430B Barclay | 315.443.3930 | bwalia@syr.edu
Bhavneet Walia joins Syracuse University from Western Illinois University where she was an associate professor of decision sciences and director of the Business Analytics post-baccalaureate certificate program. Her research and scholarship includes numerous journal articles 14 journal articles and several grant awards in the areas of health policy, early childhood development, environmental health, and labor market policy. Prior to joining academics, Professor Walia worked as a health policy researcher for two years at Kansas Health Institute.
Read full biographyAreas of Specialization
Health care markets and policy, early childhood development, environmental health, labor market policy.
Statistical Expertise
Applied statistical programming and methodology, health statistics, biostatistics, health information systems, labor statistics, analysis of National Longitudinal Surveys and other social and behavioral statistical analyses (broadly defined)View CV
Additional campus-wide resources
- Paul Bern, Research Data Services Librarian, phbern@syr.edu
Research and Scholarship Subject Areas include: Census Information, Numeric Data, Statistical Information and Consulting, Survey/Poll Data - SU Libraries Research Data Services
- Faculty in Applied Statistics Program at SU