"Statistics is not merely a tool of analysis — it is an instrument of justice, capable of revealing inequity, holding institutions accountable, and empowering communities."— Tortorella Statistics for Social Justice Initiative
Where Rigorous Scholarship Meets Community Need
The Tortorella Statistics for Social Justice Initiative at Fordham University combines the rigor of academic learning with the impact of community engagement. Through this initiative, undergraduate and graduate students work alongside faculty, research mentors, and local community partners - bringing the power of statistics, probability, data science, and applied mathematics to bear on pressing societal challenges.
A distinctive hallmark of the program is its emphasis on critical quantitative methods: equipping students to think not only about how to use data, but about the history and politics of data itself — how statistical practices can perpetuate inequity, and how they can be deliberately deployed to advance justice.
Students participate in the program will develop comprehensive skills in data analysis, policy analysis, project management, and community-based research. Each year, Tortorella Fellows present their work at an annual showcase, bringing together community partners, Fordham faculty and staff, and the broader public.
Housed within Fordham's Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), the initiative is positioned to have sustained, real-world impact in the communities Fordham serves, with the goal to create a center for statistics and social justice.
Goals of the Initiative
Practical Statistical Fluency
Equip students with hands-on experience applying statistics, probability, data science, and machine learning to real-world problems, preparing them for careers in data, social services, law, medicine, and policy.
Advocacy Through Data
Support students in understanding the power of statistical ideas in areas of social justice, and help them become effective advocates who can translate findings into meaningful action.
Community Partnership
Strengthen students' ability to collaborate with community organizations, co-develop research agendas that reflect community priorities, and communicate results to diverse audiences.
Critical Quantitative Methods
Train students to examine the ethical and political dimensions of data, interrogating who collects data, how it is used, and whether it advances or undermines equity.
NYC & Beyond
Directly support CCEL's goals of conducting community-driven research to address critical challenges of justice and equity in the Bronx and surrounding communities.
Research Engagement
Advance Fordham's strategic goal of broadening student participation in applied research, creating a pipeline of data-literate graduates who are committed to the common good.
Focus Areas
Tortorella Initiative projects engage with a range of interconnected social challenges. Research topics are developed in partnership with community organizations and guided by community-identified priorities. Current and anticipated focus areas include:
Projects typically employ quantitative approaches rooted in community-based participatory action research (CBPAR), ensuring that research design and outcomes are responsive to the communities involved.
Program Structure
Tortorella Research Fellows are selected through a competitive application process. The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students with background and interests in statistics, mathematics, data science, social science, pre-law, pre-medicine, and beyond. Placements are available during the summer or academic year.
Competitive Selection
Students apply to become Tortorella Research Fellows. Selections are made based on academic preparation, interest in social justice, and potential for community-driven research projects.
Paired with Faculty & Community Partner
Each fellow (or team) is matched with a research mentor and a community partner organization identified through CCEL. Together, they co-design a research project addressing a real community need.
Experiential Learning
Fellows have opportunities to attend activities organized by CCEL and faculty mentor to learn about applications in social justice contexts; stakeholder communication and policy translation; ethical dimensions of research; and guest lectures from academics, practitioners, and community leaders.
Portfolio Development
Throughout the program, fellows build a professional portfolio documenting their research process, methods, findings, and reflections, demonstrating both technical competency and real-world impact.
Annual Showcase
Fellows present their work at the Tortorella Initiative Annual Conference, attended by community partners, Fordham faculty and staff, students, and invited guests. The event celebrates student achievement and strengthens community ties.
Faculty Director
Dr. Juntao Chen
Department of Computer and Information Sciences
Fordham University, New York
Dr. Chen provides scholarly leadership for the initiative, overseeing research design, mentoring, and the academic direction of Tortorella Fellows. His research intersects computational methods, data science, and community-engaged scholarship, with a focus on applying rigorous quantitative approaches to problems of social significance.
Contact
For questions about the initiative, research collaborations, or fellowship applications, please contact:
Dr. Juntao Chen, Faculty Director
Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Fordham University
📧 jchen504@fordham.edu
For community partnership inquiries, please also reach out through the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) at Fordham University.