Ralph D’Agostino, a widely respected mathematician whose expertise helped guide global research into cardiovascular disease risk, died at his home in North Carolina on September 27. He was 83.

D’Agostino, a professor of mathematics, statistics, and public health, taught generations of Boston University students in his 58 years at BU and served as the co-director of the Department of Biostatistics’ MA/PhD program for more than 30 years. The PhD in Biostatistics is jointly administered by the Department of Biostatistics at the School of Public Health and the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.