UPDATES FROM OUR ALUMNI Making Us Proud residency program director at UC Irvine. Ford told her brother, it’s a remarkable thing to live a life that leaves a legacy. And Eleanor Ford did just that. Applying analytics to improve lives and industries Jon Francis (M.S. Statistics, ’96) has navigated a dynamic career across various sectors, including healthcare, technology, retail and automotive. Beginning at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, he contributed to the Women’s Health Initiative, focusing on post-menopausal women’s health issues. Transitioning into the tech industry, Francis held roles at Amazon, Expedia, T-Mobile, Microsoft, and Nike, where he advanced data science initiatives and cloud analytics. Currently, as chief data and analytics officer at General Motors, he oversees enterprise data stewardship and applies machine learning and AI to evidence needed to make informed conservation decisions. This ’62 alumna left a lasting legacy Eleanor Ford (Microbiology, ’62) exemplified resilience and dedication throughout her life. As a first-generation college student from rural Oregon, she overcame significant challenges to pursue her passion for science. Ford’s career spanned continents and disciplines: she served in the Peace Corps, establishing a tuberculosis research program in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; advanced to become the lab safety director for all 26 state labs in California; and contributed to public health microbiology education. Her commitment to fostering future scientists led her to establish the Eleanor G. Ford Memorial Scholarship, benefiting over 25 microbiology students, including Amber Leis, now a division chief of plastic hand surgery and Advancing environmental science through statistics Steve Stehman (Statistics, ’82) blends statistical expertise with environmental problem-solving, using data to better understand how landscapes change over time. He first encountered statistics while studying biology at Penn State, where analyzing diatom samples sparked curiosity about extracting meaning from complex datasets. That interest led him to Oregon State, where mentorship from W. Scott Overton and the department’s emphasis on environmental applications shaped his path. Now a distinguished teaching professor at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Stehman integrates statistical methods with environmental research, focusing on land cover mapping and ecological monitoring. His work helps agencies like the EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitor ecosystems over vast, often remote areas, providing the 12 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
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