Valbona Bejleri, PhD

Department of Mathematics and Statistics
vbejleri@udc.edu; Tel: 202.274.5771

Scholarship/Research Interests: Bayesian, prediction methods, assessing model uncertainty, randomized discontinuation trial designs, statistical techniques related to misclassification of outcome and exposure variables.

Education: PhD, Statistics (2005), American University, Washington, DC, USA; MA, Mathematics (2000), American University, Washington, DC, USA; BS, Mathematics (1989), Tirana University, Tirana, Albania

Teaching Responsibilities: Graduate courses: Mathematical Statistics I and II, Research Methods, Data Analysis with SAS, Theory of Probability, Experimental Design, Exploratory Data Analysis with R, Analysis of Variance etc. | Serving as a program director for the Master of Science in Applied Statistics (MSAS).

Selected Publications

  1. Bejleri V. and Flournoy N. (2011). “The Efficiency of Randomized Discontinuation Trials with Continuous Responses, Technical Report Series, Department of Statistics, University of Missouri-Columbia, http://www.stat.missouri.edu/AboutUs/technical_report_series.html.
  2. Bejleri V. and White A. (2010). “An Algorithm to Calculate Prediction Limits for Distributions from the Exponential Family”, Journal of Applied Global Research (JAGR), Vol.3, Issue 5, pp 1-13.
  3. Bejleri V. and Deksissa T. (2010). “Modeling Model Uncertainty for Storm Water Quantity and Quality Analysis in DC Urban Area” Water Resource Research Institute, University of the District of Columbia, http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/09grants/progress/2009DC100B.pdf.
  4. Bejleri V. and White A. (2010). “The Future Outcome from a Discrete Distribution”. Proceedings of the Intellectbase International Consortium, 2010, pp 120-130.
  5. Harkness, S.J., Bejleri, V., Kumar, D., Zeytinci, A., Petty, R. M. and Dixon, F. M. (2009). “Integrating Undergraduate Research Activities into a Campus-Wide Initiative”, (Insight F, Chapter 9) in Broadening Participation in Undergraduate Research: Fostering Excellence and Enhancing the Impact, Editors: Mary K. Boyd and Jodi L. Wesemann; Council on Undergraduate Research (Washington DC), p140-146.
  6. Bejleri V. and White A. (2008). “Comparison of the Bayesian Prediction Limits for the Poisson Distribution”, Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, pp 3632-3636.
  7. Bejleri, V. (2006). “Relationships between Frequentist and Bayesian Prediction Limits of the Poisson Process: Noninformative Priors”, Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, pp 9-12.
  8. Bejleri V. and White A. (2005). “Bayesian Prediction Limits for Atlantic Tropical Storm Occurrences”, Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, pp 19-24.

Invited Talks and Presentations

  1. Bejleri, V. (2013). “Asymptotic Behavior of Bayesian Prediction Limits for the Poisson Distribution with an illustration from Tropical Storm Occurrences”, 2013 Joint Mathematical Meetings Session on Probability and Statistics II, San Diego.
  2. Bejleri, V. (2011). “Maximum Likelihood Estimators and the Efficiency of Randomized Discontinuation Trials with Continuous Responses”, MedStar Health Research Institute, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hyattsville, MD (invited talk)
  3. Bejleri, V. (2011). Maximum Likelihood Estimators of the Treatment Effect for Randomized Discontinuation Trials with Continuous Responses, George Mason University, Department of Statistics (invited talk)
  4. Bejleri, V. (2011). Randomized Discontinuation Trials with Continuous Responses, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (invited talk)
  5. Bejleri, V. (2009). The Efficiency of Randomized Discontinuation Trials with Continuous Responses, American University, Department of Mathematics (invited talk)
  6. Bejleri, V. (2008). Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research at University of the District of Columbia, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the District of Columbia
  7. Bejleri, V. (2008). Prediction Limits for the Poisson Distribution, Georgetown University, Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics and Biomathematics (invited talk).
  8. Bejleri, V. and Luta, G. (2008). “Comparison of Two Poisson Rates in the Presence of Misclassified Counts”, 2008 Bayesian Biostatistics Conference, University of Texas, MD Anderson Center.
  9. Bejleri, V. and Luta, G. (2008). Statistical Methods for Misclassified Data: The Effects of Smoking and Radiotherapy on Lung Carcinoma in Breast Carcinoma Survivors, LCCC, Georgetown University.
  10. Bejleri V. and White A. (2008). “Comparison of the Bayesian Prediction Limits for the Poisson Process”, 2008 Joint Statistical Meetings, Section on Bayesian Statistical Science.
  11. Bejleri, V. (2006). “Relationships between Frequentist and Bayesian Prediction Limits of the Poisson Process: Noninformative Priors”, 2006 Joint Statistical Meetings, Section on Bayesian Statistical Science.
  12. Bejleri V. and White A. (2005). “Bayesian Prediction Limits for Atlantic Tropical Storm Occurrences”, 2005 Joint Statistical Meetings, Section on Bayesian Statistical Science.
  13. Bejleri, V. (2004). “Bayesian Prediction Intervals for the Poisson Model, Noninformative Priors”, 2004 Mid-Atlantic Probability and Statistics Day, John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Baltimore, MD.

Awards and Research Support

  • Tensor, Women and Mathematics Award, Mathematical Association of America, 2012
  • Supplemental NSF grant, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2011-2013
  • Academic Excellence Award, 2010 International Academic Conference, Houston – TX March 18 – 20, 2010
  • Seed Grant Award, Water Resource Research Institute, University of the District of Columbia, 2009-2010
  • Pilot Project Grant Award, UDC/LCCC U56 Partnership, 2006-2008
  • Summer Research Grant Award, University of the District of Columbia, 2006
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Washington Statistical Society, Washington, DC, 2004
  • President’s Award, Dissertation Fellowship, American University, Washington, DC, 2004-2005
  • Instructorship, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, American University; 2001-2004
  • Assistantship, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, American University, 1998-2000

Service

  • University Periodic Review Committee Administrative Services Task Force, UDC (2008-2009)
  • UDC Undergraduate Research Committee (2006-present)
  • Graduate Program Director, MS/PSM in Applied Statistics, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of the District of Columbia (2009-present)
  • Member
    • Council in Graduate School, University of the District of Columbia (2009-present)
    • Undergraduate Research Committee, University of the District of Columbia (2006-Present)
  • Member of the Statistics, Curriculum; Mathematics Majors, Evaluation, Hiring, and Research and Grants committees in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UDC (2005-Present)
  • Reviewing for the Journal of Applied Statistics, Journal of the Statistics Education and Journal of Higher Education and Self-Learning

Professional Memberships

American Statistical Association
Bayesian Statistical Society
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Professional Science Masters (HBCU PSM) Alliance
National Professional Science Masters Association (NPSMA)
Mathematical Association of America
Washington Statistical Society

Land Grant Research area