Associate Professor Jahar Bhowmik

Biography

Associate Professor Jahar Bhowmik earned his PhD in Applied Statistics and Econometrics from Monash University, Australia, in 2004. Before joining Swinburne, Jahar served as a biostatistician at the Menzies Research Institute at the University of Tasmania in Hobart and held a postdoctoral fellowship at Monash University in Melbourne.

His research interests span a broad spectrum, including Applied Statistics, Biostatistics, Applied Epidemiology, Public Health, Statistical Inference, Health-Related Data Modelling, Econometrics, Time Series and Forecasting, Experimental Design, and Higher Education. At Swinburne University of Technology, Jahar is actively involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate programs, covering Applied Statistics, Applied Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Design and Measurement, Research Design, and Forecasting. He also conducts tailored short statistics courses for delegates and provides statistical consulting services. Currently serving as the major discipline coordinator for applied statistics courses and the course director for postgraduate applied statistics programs, Jahar supervises PhD and master's students in various areas, including applied epidemiology, biostatistics, experimental design, public health, and health-related data modelling.

Jahar's extensive publication record includes contributions to prestigious journals such as Health Services Research, PLOS ONE, Autism Research, BMJ Open, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Journal of Clinical Nursing, Disability and Rehabilitation, Measurement, Materials, and Journal of Public Health. He has co-authored approximately 95 peer-reviewed publications and four book chapters, often as the first or last author. Notably, he has exhibited a strong upward trajectory in research output, with 12 peer-reviewed papers published in 2017 alone. His current research focus revolves around the assessment of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 3 and 5. Additionally, Jahar aims to assess and enhance the quality of life for older adults with mild to moderate dementia living in residential aged care settings. Jahar, along with other Swinburne researchers, has successfully secured over $2.8 million in research funding, including a $985,750 NHMRC targeted project grant.

As the topic editor of the special issue 'Analytics and Modelling Clinical Data Using Advanced Biostatistics Methods' linked with five high-ranked MDPI journals, and a Guest Editor of the high-impact peer-reviewed journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jahar continues to make significant contributions to the field of applied statistics and biostatistics.
Ongoing research projects include:
1) Assessment of Sustainable Development Goals 3.1, 3.2, 3.7, 5.1 and 5.2 through their indicators.
2) Socio-demographic factors associated with intimate partner violence in the low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC).
3) Effect of health awareness on accessing skilled birth attendant services in the  low- and-middle-income countries (LMIC).
4) Trajectories and key social determinants of maternal health service access and utilisation, in low- and-middle-income countries (LMIC).
5) Evaluating a wellbeing clinic to support older adults with mild to moderate dementia living in residential aged care settings.
6) Pregnancy, Birth, Infant Feeding and Child Health Outcomes.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=Ig6lC4QAAAAJ&hl=en