From: Statistical Science Majors Union
Date: January 12
Subject: [StatQuest TOMORROW!] SSMU Snapshots: Week of Jan 12, 2026


Welcome to the first newsletter of the semester! Hope the new year and semester are starting off well for everyone!

🍵 Upcoming Events

1. Josh Starmer (StatQuest) Seminar 💡
The Research Committee is excited to present an upcoming seminar featuring Dr. Joshua Starmer! Dr. Starmer is an accomplished bioinformatics researcher and founder of the StatQuest YouTube channel, a prominent educational platform (with 1.56M subscribers) known for making statistics accessible without sacrificing rigor. In this talk, Dr. Starmer will share the origins and guiding principles of StatQuest, what has driven its success, and the intersection of AI, statistics, and the sciences in modern research. Snacks will be provided! Register here: https://cglink.me/2do/r2275661
🗓️ 3:15 - 4:15 PM on Tuesday, January 13th
📍 Social Sciences 136
🌱 Competitions & Opportunities

1. Duke’s Center for Data and Visualization Sciences is offering lots of resources on Data Science! You can register for a free workshop, schedule a project consultation, access data sources, visit the lab, and learn from online sources. All are free of charge, and you can visit them on the first floor of the Bostock Library in the Edge.

2. HackDuke is excited to announce that applications for the 2026 edition of our Code for Good hackathon are OPEN! Join us at Duke Jan. 31 - Feb. 1 for 24 hours of building, learning, networking, and fun! Apply by the priority deadline on Jan. 1 to hear back earlier, or by the final deadline on Jan. 16 at the following link: portal.hackduke.org. Learn more at 2026.hackduke.org, and follow us on Instagram @hackduke for updates!
HackDuke Code for Good

3. The +Programs at Duke are immersive, experiential learning opportunities across a wide range of disciplines, including technology, climate, creative arts, applied ethics, documentary studies, math, and history. These co-curricular programs provide students with hands-on experiences that emphasize research, creative problem-solving, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Open to students from all academic paths and experience levels, the +Programs foster innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking, preparing participants for impactful careers and further academic exploration. Visit their website here or attend the information fair on January 15 from 1:30-3:30 in Gross Hall!
Duke+ Programs

4. The University of South Carolina’s Big Data Health Science Student Case Competition is a virtual event in which teams compete to solve a healthcare issue using big data analytics for a chance to win cash prizes. The event will be held virtually between February 6th-8th, before the University of South Carolina’s National Big Data Health Science Conference, scheduled for the following weekend, February 12th-13th, 2026. Each participating team will analyze the case and datasets to be released on Friday, February 6th, 2026, at noon EST. During this period, team members will work together to present their methods, analyses, and results to a panel of industry and academic experts.
📅 Stay Connected

Want to keep track of all our events? Add our Google Calendar here (SSMU Events Calendar) and follow us on Instagram @dukessmu!

Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you at our events!

Until next week,
SSMU

Got ideas for events or newsletter features? Reply to this email; we’d love to hear from you!

Statistical Science Majors Union. Cover image

EVENT

Seminar: Josh Starmer (StatQuest)

clock Tuesday, January 13
3:15pm - 4:15pm
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Join SSMU's Research Committee for a seminar with Josh Starmer, creator of StatQuest, as he discusses innovative approaches to teaching complex statistical and machine learning concepts through clarity, creativity, and storytelling.
REGISTER