The Department of Statistical Sciences is pleased to announce that Professor Gwen Eadie has been named a recipient of the COPSS Emerging Leader Award. The award recognizes early-career statistical scientists who show evidence of, and potential for, leadership and who will help shape and strengthen the field.
For Eadie, leadership is not only what you produce, but it’s also what you help others become. That philosophy is reflected in the way she builds interdisciplinary communities, mentors emerging researchers, and creates the conditions for ambitious work to take hold.
Eadie is a Professor of Astrostatistics at the University of Toronto, with a joint appointment between the David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Department of Statistical Sciences. Her work sits at the intersection of statistics and astronomy, where she develops and applies modern statistical methods to help scientists draw reliable conclusions from complex astronomical datasets.
Her leadership has been especially visible in efforts that connect statisticians and astronomers. At U of T, she founded the Astrostatistics Research Team (ART), an interdisciplinary group that brings together researchers and trainees across statistics and astronomy. Beyond the University, she has taken on service and governance roles that help shape the field, including serving as Chair of the American Astronomical Society’s Working Group on Astroinformatics & Astrostatistics (2021–2024) and as Chair of the American Statistical Association’s Astrostatistics Interest Group (2025).
Mentorship is another cornerstone of Eadie’s leadership. She emphasizes encouragement, independence, and professional growth for trainees, and takes pride in supporting students as they move into the next stages of their careers. As she puts it, "I really believe in encouragement, and I see myself as… a little bit of a coach."
Eadie also describes inclusive practice as part of building a strong research culture, including practical steps aimed at reducing barriers in hiring and supporting a broader range of researchers.
Reflecting on her path, she credits the University of Toronto for enabling the cross-disciplinary work that defines her role, describing it as “my dream job of being cross-appointed between two departments.” She also credits her spouse and statistician, Dr. Aaron Springford, for his constant encouragement and many collaborations, including introducing her to the field of statistics, the ASA, and the SSC in graduate school. She also expressed gratitude to her nominator and mentor, Prof. Derek Bingham, and to the letter writers who supported her nomination.
Please join us in congratulating Professor Gwen Eadie on this well-deserved recognition.