These are simple problems compared with what MU students learn about analyzing complex economic, biomedical, sociological and other data. Our Strengths Six of the department's faculty members are Fellows of the American Statistical Association. Two are Fellows of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and elected members of the International Statistical Society. One is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. Their professional accomplishments put them at the frontier of modern statistics, which is being shaped by the collaborative research of teams of scientists using computer-intensive statistical methodology.
Teaching methods mirror the approach to research.
Through course work and the senior seminar, each major works closely with five or more faculty members on projects involving collaborative research and statistical computing on the computer lab's network of PCs and Unix workstations. The department offers majors broad training in statistical theory and applications. Individualized programs designed in consultation with an adviser prepare students for graduate study or careers in actuarial science, biomedical areas, government or industry. Faculty members have interests in diverse fields, such as engineering, economics, life sciences, psychology, business and agriculture, making it easy to advise undergraduates about career possibilities in many areas. Reliability and survival analysis, using probabilistic models to predict events such as the failure of a mechanical component, death or the recurrence of a tumor.