EP178 Biostatistical Collaboration and Consultation Core (BC3) with Fred Lei and Kofi Agyabeng

About this episode

The episode features a discussion with Kofi Agyabeng and Fred Lei about their work in biostatistics and public health, emphasizing the importance of data in addressing health issues.

In this episode, we speak with PhD student Kofi Agyabeng and Master's student Fred Lei to discuss how they bring together the worlds of mathematics, economics, and public health. Kofi shares his journey from Ghana, where a national service posting at the University of Ghana School of Public Health served as an inflection point, leading him to realize he could impact population health through data without ever entering a clinical facility. Fred discusses his background in math and econometrics, explaining how a research assistant posting for Professor Alex Dahlen drew him into public health. Together, they detail their collaboration under Dr. Dahlen on a project analyzing changes in opioid overdose mortality and their work within the Biostatistical Collaboration and Consulting Core (BC3). BC3 supports researchers at every step—from the first spark of an idea and designing a study to checking data and creating clear charts. Kofi and Fred explain how mathematicians and economists are essential for measuring whether policies actually work and making sure limited resources are used where they can do the most good. This conversation highlights the power of numbers as a "translator" for…

People in this episode

Guests: Kofi Agyabeng, Fred Lei

Topics covered

• biostatistics
• public health
• opioid overdose
• data analysis
• collaboration
• education

Keywords

• biostatistics
• public health
• opioid overdose
• data analysis
• collaboration
• NYU

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NYU School of Global Public Health, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Biostatistical Collaboration and Consulting Core (BC3)

Places: Ghana

More episodes of I AM GPH

• EP181 The Nexus of Food, Water, and Climate with Dr. Abrania Marrero and Chloe Dourmashkin · April 23, 2026 · 36 min
• EP180 Service is Joy: Building a Career in Community Advocacy with Gail Viaje · April 9, 2026 · 30 min
• EP179 Policy Analysis for Community Benefit with Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford and Reilly Fitzpatrick · March 26, 2026 · 32 min
• EP177 Building Research Skills for Community Impact with Whitney Rigodon · February 12, 2026 · 30 min
• EP176 Tanzania Fieldwork: Climate Change and Systems Thinking with Bethel Abraham and Sona Fall · January 22, 2026 · 40 min
• EP175 Lead, Literacy, and Livelihoods: Environmental Health Education with Kate Porterfield · December 4, 2025 · 37 min