The Department of Statistics is among the nation's oldest and most prestigious, having been founded by renowned statistician Gertrude Cox in 1941. It receives support from both the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It also houses the Institute of Statistics, which is completely integrated within the department and the activities of the Institute are intertwined with the activities of the department since late 1940's. All of the information about the Department also pertains to the activities of the Institute of Statistics.
The Department provides a dynamic environment for teaching, core research and collaborative research across disciplines, with formal programs in genetic, environmental, and industrial statistics, as well as biostatistics, bioinformatics, and biomathematics. It also has strong programs in statistics education, mathematical statistics, and work in a wide range of applications.
The faculty are well-known for excellence in research and teaching, and have received numerous honors. Several are members of the NC State's Academy of Outstanding Teachers, and are Fellows of our professional societies. Faculty research is well-supported by National Science Foundation and National Institute of Health, among other agencies. Faculty members are well represented on editorial boards and in positions of leadership in our professional societies.
The statistics graduate program is the largest in the country, with about 170 graduate students. It attracts a diverse set of quality students from around the world. The undergraduate program is the second largest in the country with about 100 students. A number of students are transfers from other departments on campus. A significant proportion of our undergraduates enter graduate programs in statistics.
Students at all levels benefit from the department's National Science Foundation VIGRE program. As a second-time recipient of this grant, the department is able to provide collaborative educational and research experiences for its students.
The Department is the "birthplace" of SAS Institute, the world's largest privately owned software company, and one which specializes in statistical applications. It maintains a close relationship with SAS through student programs and other activities.
The Department houses the Bioinformatics Research Center (BRC), one of the world's leading centers in this developing discipline. It also houses the Institute of Statistics that was founded by Gertrude Cox.
As a partner organization of the Statistical and Mathematical Sciences Institute (SAMSI) funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department benefits from the research center's activities. SAMSI forms collaborative efforts bringing together mathematicians and statisticians to study challenging problems, including global warming and spread of infectious diseases.
Students benefit from research partnerships and traineeship programs held with public and private organizations located in Research Triangle Park and on Centennial Campus. Campus collaborations range from Agriculture to Zoology!
A unique partnership with the EPA held by the department allows our students unprecedented access to data for environmental analyses, sometimes leading to policy and procedural changes on the local, state and federal levels.
The job market for statisticians continues to be strong and salaries for our graduates are great. Graduates of our Department are well represented in academia and in a large variety of industries, such as bio-pharmaceutical, banking, and other research-oriented organizations, and government agencies.
