PHS Insider - Tosin Boyede

| 19 May 2026

I am able to deepen my knowledge of various statistical methods used in health data analysis, while building a stronger foundation in epidemiologic and public health concepts

In this edition of the PHS Insider, we are excited to introduce Tosin, a Masters of Science student in Biostatistics. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary, Tosin brings a rich foundation in health data and a well-guided vision for where she wants to take it.

Tosin's path to biostatistics began earlier than most. Long before she set foot in a university lecture hall, she participated in a high school research program organized by the Youreka Calgary chapter. There, she was introduced to health research and gained hands-on experience in data analysis. "I have always been passionate about health education and awareness," she shares, “and I was lucky enough to discover my other passion for data and health data analysis before starting undergrad."

From there, Tosin continued to build on that foundation. At the University of Calgary, she completed a BSc, majoring in biological sciences and minoring in bioinformatics. She pursued health data research projects and entered competitions to build her skillset. Through these experiences, her path became clear.

"This all helped form my vision of using quantitative data analysis to contribute to improving global health outcomes through evidence-based decision-making and knowledge sharing. This led me to my current Master's program in Biostatistics where I am able to deepen my knowledge of various statistical methods used in health data analysis, while building a stronger foundation in epidemiologic and public health concepts."

Moving from Calgary was no small feat, but what drew her to our MSc Biostatistics program was its collaborative nature and the supportive atmosphere. As an intensive 12-month experience spanning eight courses and a summer practicum, it offers foundational skills weaving together mathematics, statistics, data analysis, and epidemiology for further public health research.

"One of my favorite things about this program is that, across courses, we get the opportunity to build conceptual knowledge but also get to put our knowledge into practice with hands-on projects using real world data like the CanPath dataset."

As the student representative for her MSc biostatistics cohort, which only consists of just 3 students, she finds that "it has been great for building stronger and deeper connections”, as she has been better able to learn about and address the concerns of her peers.

This summer, Tosin will complete her practicum under the supervision of Dr. Zihang Lu, exploring the use of machine learning methods for functional data analysis. She describes the field as “ever evolving and is always requiring research into how we can improve the statistical analysis methods for this unique type of data." However, Tosin’s ambitions do not stop here. She hopes to pursue health analyst roles within international organizations such as the World Health Organization and MSF, contributing to initiatives with, tangible impacts on people's lives.

As for her favourite coding language? R, and she makes no apologies for it. "R will always be my favorite, and I am very loyal to it." Outside of her studies, Tosin enjoys keeping her life full, which allows her to be the most creative version of herself. She enjoys cooking, sunset walks, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends. She is also an enthusiastic event planner, having contributed to local and national events in STEM education, social programming, and faith-based organizations.

As we ended our interview, we asked Tosin for her advice to peers and newcomers of the program. Lucky for us, she had some encouraging words.

“You never know where you can find a new passion or find a new reason to keep pursuing your current passion. Take every opportunity that you can to grow your skills. Whether through mentorship, academic competitions, volunteer opportunities, online courses, there are so many programs and resources out there to help you grow your skills in the particular field you are interested in. Also, take the time to form connections with other students in the PHS department, both inside and within your program. This is something I wish I got the chance to do more! Finally, never hesitate to ask questions whenever you need extra clarity on anything!”

Written by: Kamalvir Pablay

Interviewers: Anushka Saini and Naomi Kudo

Editors: Isabella Tsan and Surabhi Velagala

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PHS Insider - Tosin Boyede

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