Paul Rathouz, PhD, former Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, passed away from complications of multiple myeloma on Wednesday afternoon, December 10, 2025.
Paul served with distinction as the chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics from 2010-2017. He will be missed by those who knew him.
Paul leaves behind his beloved daughters, Annika and Hanna Lou, sisters Georgianne and Maggie, brothers Mark and John, stepmother Dee, several nieces and nephews, and many other loved ones.
Paul received his PhD in Biostatistics from Johns Hopkins University in 1997.
His academic career spans being assistant and associate professor at the University of Chicago Department of Health Studies; Professor and Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics at SMPH; followed by the positions of Chief of the Division of Health Informatics, Data Science & Epidemiology and Founding Director of the Dell Medical School Biomedical Data Science Hub.
Before he started his academic career, Paul served as Peace Corps Mathematics and Teacher Training at the Bambari High School in the Central African Republic. He served another year in the Central African Republic as a School Health Education Coordinator for the National AIDS Prevention Program.
He had experience as a public health analyst in the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration for DHHS, as well as a biostatistics intern in the HIV branch of the CDC Center for Infectious Diseases.
He was honored by being named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association in 2015. In 2003, he received the James E. Grizzle Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding contributions to biostatistical methodology, consulting, and/or teaching by his master’s degree alma mater, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Department of Biostatistics.
Paul’s methodological research interests included estimating functions, errors in regression covariates, missing data in highly stratified studies, applied health econometrics, and behavior genetics (especially twin studies). While at Dell Medical School, he conducted research in generalized linear models,; the analysis of longitudinal, multivariate, or clustered data; outcome-dependent sampling, and other sampling problems related to missing data; and cluster randomized trials.
Paul was particularly interested in developmental psychopathology, epidemiology, and health services research.
In addition to his impressive scientific and leadership accomplishments, Paul led a full family and social life. He had a broad circle of friends, and contributed immensely to the lives of many people, both professionally and personally.
We miss him.
Ways to honor Paul
If you wish to send condolences to the family, you may mail them to:
5001 Ave. H
Austin, TX 78751
Donate to:
–a local food bank
–Travis Lilley Fund, which was established in the memory of a former PhD student of Paul’s (giving.utexas.edu, designation Lilley)
Donate blood or platelets to help cancer patients
Paul was a kind and thoughtful person, a great chair, and a generous mentor, always willing to share his knowledge, time, and insights. He had an extraordinary way to make everyone feel supported, respected, and appreciated. He made a lasting impression on my life through the opportunity he offered me to work in the department, and the invaluable guidance he provided. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him.
-Roxana Alexandridis
-Geert Molenberghs
Paul always combined hard work, talent and humanity. Regarding his work ethic: he was known in the chemotherapy outpatient clinic for holding office hours while being infused, at a time when I would have just rested or at most read an easy novel. His talent showed itself, among many other ways, through supervising the creation of our Department’s PhD program. And I’ll always be grateful to him for his comfort after my daughter died. He invited me to an energetic joyful lunch with his two lovely daughters, which was about the best thing he could have done. I will miss him.
-Rick Chappell
I first met Paul in 2015 through his leadership role with ICTR and the Waisman Center. We ended up working closely together on several large joint projects that spanned the past 10 years, and continued even after he moved to Texas. I will be forever grateful for Paul’s brilliant contributions to my longitudinal research on communication development in children with cerebral palsy. He shared innovative statistical approaches, methodological insights, and a keen ability to convey complicated information in an accessible way, among many other things. Paul undoubtedly changed the course of my work, and elevated it in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. Paul was deeply dedicated to the advancement of others. He was a selfless leader, mentor, colleague, and friend to many people. He approached everyone and everything with humility; nothing was below him. And of course there was his trademark dry, slightly snarky, sense of humor. Paul valued his role as a father above all else. His two daughters, Hannah Lou and Annika, were the light of his life. I am honored to have known Paul as a dear friend and colleague. He leaves a lasting legacy at the Waisman Center.
-Katie Hustad
Remembering Paul
Please submit anything you would like to share by sending an email directly to Sue Carlson at carlson@biostat.wisc.edu.
Paul made a big impact in my life, both with the opportunity he gave me to work with him in the department and chance to get to know him a bit. I particularly appreciated his sense of humor and play when he let it show itself.
I enjoyed my time working with Paul and am sad that he is no longer with us.
-Sue Carlson
Paul was more than a colleague. He was a mentor, a friend, and an inspiration. His advice was always thoughtful and timely, and his leadership shaped the way I lead today. He had a wry sense of humor that could lighten any moment, and he created spaces where people felt welcome and valued, whether hosting students at his home or sharing laughter with friends. I will always cherish the times our families came together, especially watching our girls play. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the example he set.
-Whitney Sweeney
Paul was a kind colleague and loyal friend. He helped me understand nuanced issues for joint staff between BMI and stats when I was chair. He was always a straight shooter with time to chat. He had a way of keeping things light and real, even when it got complicated. I still remember his chuckle followed by a useful insight. I missed him when he left Madison and continue to miss him today.
-Brian Yandell
Paul was the chair who recruited me in 2016. During my early years as a junior faculty member, he offered guidance, support, and encouragement when I needed it most. I will always remember the opportunity he gave me and the care he showed as I was starting my academic career.
-Lu Mao
As a former graduate student at UW-Madison, I benefited from Paul’s encouragement and wisdom, which he offered generously throughout my time in the department. His support meant a great deal to me and shaped not only my own path, but also the experiences of so many students and colleagues. Paul had a remarkable way of believing in people, a quality that inspired those around him and created an environment where everyone felt valued and supported. I feel fortunate to have witnessed his leadership firsthand and carry its lessons with me every day.
-Rhonda Bacher
Paul was one of the strongest reasons I chose to move to Madison and work with our department. I found him extremely welcoming and supportive when I arrived, and throughout the time he served as our chair. He was a true mentor to me. Our conversations did not always center on academics and work. We bonded over his service in the Peace Corps in Africa, as he shared funny stories about that experience. Sometimes our conversations digressed into family, and the joys and challenges of raising young kids. His face always lit up every time he talked about his daughters, Annika and Hannah Lou, and I know the kids will miss him dearly. I pray that Paul’s loved ones find peace amidst the loss. I feel very blessed to have known Paul.
-Emmanuel Sampene