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10Science mixes it up with statisticsKathryn RoederDepartment of StatisticsCarnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PAIhavemanypeopletothankforencouragingmetowritethisessay.IndeedI believe I am among the very last group of stragglers to complete the task.My biggest problem was deciding who was the likely audience. My wonderfulthesis advisor, Bruce Lindsay, also an author in this volume, told me to pickmy own audience. So, while I welcome any reader, I hope that the story of mycollaborative work might provide some insights for young researchers.10.1 IntroductionAn early inspiration for my career was a movie shown in an introductorybiology class “The Story of Louis Pasteur.” Paul Muni won an AcademyAward playing Pasteur, the renowned scientist who revolutionized microbiology.Filmed in 1936, the movie was dark, creepy, and melodramatic. Somepeople might have taken inspiration from the contributions Pasteur made tomankind, but what struck me was that he was portrayed as a real person —vain, egotistical, and driven by his ideas. It resonated with me and gave me aglimpse of a future that I could not have imagined when I was growing up onafarminruralKansas.ItprovidedacluethatthecrazyintensityIfeltcouldbe put to good use. My next realization was that while I felt driven, I was nota great scientist. After working for some years as a research assistant, it wasapparent that the life of a mediocre scientist would be dreary indeed; however,I liked the mathematical and statistical stuff the other science majors founddull. And so an academic statistician was born.109