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Statistics Turns 75

Legendary statistician Gertrude Cox founded the department in 1941.

NC State’s Department of Statistics turns 75 years old in 2016, and alumni are invited to come back to campus for an exciting weekend of events to celebrate the department’s storied history and bright future.

The event, to be held the weekend of Oct. 7–9, will include presentations from distinguished statisticians, tours of department facilities, and panel discussions showcasing department research across a number of statistics-related disciplines.

Alumni will have the chance to meet and network with one another and with current faculty and students. They will also have the opportunity to share their NC State experiences with their families at an evening banquet. The weekend will close with a golf tournament at the acclaimed Lonnie Poole Golf Course on Centennial Campus.

More details and a full schedule will be available in the spring.

“As a department, we have much to celebrate,” said Montserrat Fuentes, head of the department. “This department’s accomplishments are all thanks to our outstanding alumni and supporters, and we are excited to take this occasion to celebrate all that we have achieved while looking ahead to what’s next.”

The department, founded by renowned statistician Gertrude Cox in 1941, is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious. Its undergraduate program is among the largest in the country, and its outstanding graduate program — the nation’s second largest, with about 150 students — is ranked in the top 15 by U.S. News & World Report.

Alumni have gone on to shape the statistical sciences in professional and academic settings around the world. Notably, the department is the birthplace of analytics powerhouse SAS Institute, the world’s largest privately owned software company. Funding for SAS Hall, the gleaming home of the department that opened in 2009, included a substantial contribution from the company. The department maintains a close relationship with SAS and other industry members through student programs and other activities.

“We can’t wait to see our alumni back on campus this fall,” Fuentes said. “Much more information is coming, so stay tuned!”