Umit Tokac

Umit Tokac, PhD is an Associate Professor of Data Science at the University of Missouri–St. Louis College of Nursing and a data scientist at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute through the NIH Data Scholar Program. He holds a PhD in Measurement and Statistics from Florida State University and brings interdisciplinary expertise spanning data science, artificial intelligence, and health research. His work focuses on machine learning, geospatial modeling, and AI-driven methods to address public health challenges, including climate-related cardiopulmonary outcomes, personalized mental health treatment, and surgical risk prediction. Dr. Tokac has led federally and internationally recognized collaborations and is committed to research that advances health equity and social good. An award-winning educator, he teaches graduate-level biostatistics and data science using inclusive, active learning approaches and mentors students across disciplines.