Gina Pizzo joined Rice University as an instructor in Spring 2025, teaching Linear Regression and Statistical Inference while completing her Ph.D. in Statistics at Michigan State University. As a doctoral student, she gained extensive teaching experience, leading 14 different statistics courses. Her research focuses on applied statistical methods, with an emphasis on Bayesian statistics and applications in agriculture and natural resources.

Pizzo recently earned her Ph.D. in Statistics from Michigan State University, where she also completed an M.S. in Applied Statistics and a B.S. in Mathematics from Lyman Briggs College, with a minor in Music from the College of Music. She received the L.C. Plant Award Scholarship from MSU’s Department of Mathematics, and her academic experiences include conducting field research in the Galápagos Islands and Amazon Rainforest. Outside her research and teaching, she enjoys collaborating with colleagues, participating in the performing arts, and advocating for persons with disabilities.