Dr. Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen has been awarded the inaugural David Cox Medal for Statistics, which honors mid-career researchers for outstanding contributions to the field. The medal, jointly awarded by the American Statistical Association (ASA), Bernoulli Society, International Biometric Society (IBS), Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS), International Statistical Institute (ISI), and the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) was announced on April 2, 2025, and will be awarded every three years.
Dr. Tchetgen Tchetgen received this honor in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to statistical theory and methodology, particularly in causal inference. His work has significantly advanced the discipline, most notably through the development of Proximal Causal Inference and instrumental variable methodology—two essential frameworks for addressing confounding in causal analysis. Beyond these achievements, he has made influential contributions to mediation analysis, missing data, conformal inference, survival analysis, higher-order influence functions, and data fusion. His research has reshaped both the theoretical and practical applications of causal inference.
Alongside Dr. Tchetgen Tchetgen, Professor Nancy Zhang of the University of Pennsylvania was recognized for her work in statistical genomics, and Professor Richard Samworth of the University of Cambridge for his contributions to methodological and theoretical statistics.
Professor Peter McCullagh, Chair of the Prize Committee, remarked: “Sir David Cox’s work had a profound influence on statistics, making this recognition particularly meaningful. The contributions of Eric, Nancy, and Richard exemplify the same spirit of innovation and excellence that he embodied. We are delighted to celebrate their remarkable achievements.”