Westat

06/04/2026

Westat has been named one of Forbes 2026 Best Employers for Company Culture for the second consecutive year. This recognition reflects the workplace our employees create every day, one built on purpose, collaboration, and empowerment.

Forbes' list of employers with top company culture showcases the importance of workplace culture to employee and company success.

06/02/2026

We’re proud to congratulate Lloyd Hicks, Jr., MS, who will receive the 2026 Washington Statistical Society President’s Award for Distinguished Service. The honor recognizes his outstanding contributions to survey sampling and his longstanding service to the statistical community. Congratulations, Lloyd!

Lloyd Hicks, Jr., MS, a Westat Principal Statistical Associate for Statistics and Data Science, has been selected to receive the 2026 Washington Statistical Society (WSS) President’s Award for Distinguished Service.

06/01/2026

Join us in welcoming Justin Baer, PhD, to Westat as Vice President and Practice Director for Education and Social Policy. With more than 20 years of experience leading research, evaluation, and data initiatives across federal agencies, Justin brings deep expertise in strategy, client engagement, and program delivery. Welcome to the team, Justin!

Justin Baer, PhD, has joined Westat as Vice President and Practice Director for Education and Social Policy.

05/28/2026

Westat’s Minsun Riddles, PhD, will present “AI-Driven Synthetic Data Generation for Complex Data” at the Statistical Society of Canada annual meeting on June 1 at McMaster University. The session explores how AI can support privacy-protected data sharing while preserving data utility.

Minsun Riddles, PhD, a Westat Principal Statistical Associate for Statistics and Data Science, will be presenting at the Statistical Society of Canada (SSC) annual meeting on June 1, 2026.

05/27/2026

Our staff are heading to Seattle for the 2026 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (ARM). Learn more about the conference and check out their presentations:

Westat health policy experts will be participating in the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (ARM), May 30–June 2, 2026, in Seattle, Washington.

05/26/2026

Westat’s Courtenay Kessler, PhD, will copresent at the 2026 National WIC Association Annual Education and Training Conference in Dallas on May 28. Her session with Alison Hard of NWA will highlight a new model for forecasting WIC funding needs for FY 2027. NWA will use this work in their efforts to help ensure continued access to services for eligible families.

Courtenay Kessler, PhD, a Westat Senior Research Associate, will copresent at the 2026 National WIC Association (NWA) Annual Education and Training Conference, which takes place May 27–30 in Dallas, Texas.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor the service members who made our freedoms possible.

05/20/2026

Congratulations to Westat’s Hanyu Sun, PhD, who has been elected Associate Secretary-Treasurer for the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). Hanyu will focus on maintaining accurate, organized, and accessible Executive Council records, supporting leadership continuity, strengthening documentation and decision-tracking, and promoting clear communication to keep members informed and engaged.

Hanyu Sun, PhD, a Westat Associate Vice President for Statistics and Data Science, has been elected Associate Secretary-Treasurer for the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).

05/14/2026

Liz Mannshardt, PhD, Westat’s Director of Statistics and Data Science, delivered the commencement address on May 8 at UNC’s joint ceremony for Statistics, Operations Research, and Mathematics graduates (undergraduate, master’s, and PhD), including those from the new Data Science program. Her speech, “Excitement and Adventure: Embracing the Uncertainty,” played on the concept of uncertainty in statistics, where uncertainty is quantified to understand the variation in the world around us. Another theme of the talk was the excitement of this moment for statisticians, mathematicians, and scientists. She highlighted the wide range of opportunities in science, research, and emerging technologies that graduates can explore as they take their next steps. She encouraged graduates to embrace new possibilities with curiosity and confidence. Congratulations to the graduates and to Liz, a proud UNC alum!

05/13/2026

We're at AAPOR! Don’t miss our staff presentations on topics including large language models (LLMs), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) tools, methodological innovations, data privacy and confidentiality considerations, and more:

Westat experts will be presenting at the 81st Annual American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Conference, taking place in Los Angeles, California, May 13–15.