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News Releases
MARRTC Researcher Received Distinguished Scholar Award
Columbia, Mo. (Nov. 3, 1999) - John Hewett randomly landed in arthritis research - an accident he now calls one of the best things that ever happened to him.
The University of Missouri professor of statistics and biostatistician with the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) was honored for his 20-year commitment to rheumatology by the profession's national association. Hewett received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP), a division of the American College of Rheumatology.
Along with the distinction, Hewett received a plaque and check at the ACR/ARHP annual meeting in Boston. The annual conference draws about 7,000 rheumatologists and related health professionals from around the world.
ARHP Distinguished Scholars must demonstrate exceptional academic achievement in the rheumatic diseases, said Kelly Sheahan, communications director for the ACR.
The annual award is given to an ARHP member recommended by three or more colleagues, then selected by an ARHP committee. ARHP is a society of professionals who share an interest in rheumatology practice, education and research. Members include groups such as physical therapists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists and even statisticians such as Hewett.
The opportunity to work with scholars whose goals were to enhance the quality of life and health for persons with arthritis was what initially attracted Hewett to arthritis research.
Hewett came to the University of Missouri in 1965. Trained as a mathematician, Hewett taught himself applied statistics in the early 1970s when a sudden job vacancy left the medical school in need of statistical support.
"It was kind of a fluke," Hewett said. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
By the mid-1970s, Hewett began providing arthritis researchers with statistical support. Today, he helps researchers design experiments and examine their data to determine if the results are significant. Hewett works with all of MARRTC's research projects and says he enjoys this research for both its challenges and potential benefits.
"I like to help people design experiments that have the potential to help society," Hewett said. "Most MARRTC research is aimed at improving health status or quality of life. It's very difficult research to do, because the kinds of innovations that have the potential to do good are hard to accomplish."
Each year for the past 12 years, Hewett shared his knowledge with other rheumatology professionals at the American College of Rheumatology's conference. At ACR's 1999 conference in Boston, Hewett taught health professionals how to decide the appropriate sample size for arthritis research.
Hewett first learned he was chosen as an ARHP Distinguished Scholar when a staff member phoned him. Still, he didn't tell anyone except his wife until, he saw the award in writing. "I thought it was too good to be true," he said.
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