July-August 2019

School of
Statistics, UMN
https://cla.umn.edu/
statistics
Department of
statistical science,
Baylor University
www.baylor.edu/
statistics
Go Online
Photographs courtesy University of Minnesota
Above: Ford Hall, home of the
School of Statistics of University
of Minnesota. The school’s faculty
and students (top) work with
collaborators across the campus
and around the globe, including
research groups and local
companies.
Statistics graduates
pursue successful
careers in fields
like business,
academics, industry,
government,
medicine, publishing
and scientific
research.
Old and established
Founded in 1851, UMN is a public research
university located in Minneapolis. It
welcomes over 7,000 students from about 130
countries. Its faculty and students work with
collaborators across the campus and around
the globe to create meaning from vast
amounts of new information. This research
requires not only existing statistical models
and methodologies, but also creating and
developing models, methods and software to
address new and evolving challenges.
“Our courses are taught by internationally
distinguished faculty,” says Matthew Dangel,
administrator at the UMN School of Statistics,
“including many elected fellows of major
statistical organizations such as the American
Statistical Association, the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics and the International
Statistical Institute. Many faculty members are
or have been editors of major journals.
Several professors are the recipients of awards
for excellence in teaching.” He adds that the
school also provides opportunities for
interdisciplinary collaboration and professional
development through the university’s Institute
for Research in Statistics and its Applications
(IRSA). “Students are encouraged to work as
research assistants for IRSA’s Statistical
Consulting Center, where they receive handson
experience in solving challenges for realworld
clients,” says Dangel. “Furthermore,
students gain access to IRSA’s conferences,
workshops and short courses, where their
knowledge of statistics and data science is
applied across disciplines to address critical
challenges of the 21st century.” Dangel adds
that statistics graduates pursue successful
careers in fields like business, academics,
industry, government, medicine, publishing
and scientific research.
New and innovative
Baylor University is a private university and
has a total enrollment of over 17,000 students,
including those from 91 countries. Although
the university first administered Ph.D. and
Master of Arts (now Master of Science)
degrees in statistics in 1991, the undergraduate
Bachelor of Science degree in statistics was
initiated in 2005. Since then, the program has
had an increasing number of students express
interest in the major. A minor in statistics has
been added to provide an attractive option to
students entering graduate school or exploring
professional career opportunities.
The department provides quality statistics
instruction at all levels, to help discover and
disseminate statistical knowledge and develop
scholars, skilled professionals and leaders,
sensitive to the needs of society.
“We are a program that focuses on both
theory and methodology, with a strong
emphasis on modern computational methods,”
says Jeanne Hill, senior lecturer of statistical
science and undergraduate program director.
“The mission of Baylor University is to
educate men and women for worldwide
leadership and service.”
Jason Chiang is a freelance writer based in Silver
Lake, Los Angeles.
16 JULY/AUGUST 2019