Career Opportunities in Statistics

John Borkowski Montana State University Panel Discussion Pattaya Conference on Statistics Pattaya, Thailand

 The world is becoming more and more quantitative and data dependent.  Many professions depend on numerical measurements to make decisions in the face of uncertainty.  Statisticians use statistical knowledge and quantitative and communication skills to work on many challenging problems.

My Professional Activities

 In Industry (Dupont Co.) • Statistical Intern • Statistical Specialist  In Academia (Montana State University) • • Professor of Statistics Director of Statistical Consulting Center • Collaborative Research with Scientists  At a Research Laboratory (Battelle) • Visiting Faculty Fellow

In the United States, these problems include:

 Evaluating the environmental impact of air, water, and soil pollutants (at a research laboratory, an environmental company, or the Environmental Protection Agency)  Designing and analyzing studies to determine if new drugs and medical devices are safe and effective (at a pharmaceutical company, medical research center, or the Food and Drug Administration)

 Analyzing consumer demand for products and services (at a consumer marketing firm, corporation, or consulting firm)  Designing studies and analyzing data from agricultural experiments to increase yield and productivity (at a university or corporation )  Estimating the unemployment rate, economic statistics, or population demographics (for a government agency)

 Designing experiments and monitoring the quality of manufactured products and industrial processes (at manufacturing sites, at a laboratory)  Helping scientists collect and analyze data to create information and develop new statistical methodology (at a university, for a government agency, at a corporation, at a laboratory)

Common Job Activities

 Analyze data to solve problems  Apply mathematical and statistical knowledge to solve problems  Work individually and as part of a team

Common Job Activities

 Travel to consult with clients  Attend conferences, seminars, and continuing education activities  Advance statistical knowledge through education and research

• • • • • • • • • • • •

What fields hire statisticians?

Agriculture Biology Chemistry Computer Science Demography Ecology Economics and Finance Education Engineering Epidemiology Genetics Insurance • • • • • • • • • • • Law Manufacturing Marketing Medicine Pharmaceuticals Political Science Psychology Public Health Safety Telecommunications Transportation

Recommendations to Thai Students

 Take as many statistics and mathematics courses as possible  Develop statistical computing, database and word processing skills  Get consulting experience whenever possible

Recommendations to Thai Students

 Develop written and verbal communication skills  Take advantage of internships  Have a background in a second field of study

Recommendations to Professional Statisticians  Develop collaborations between the universities, businesses and government 1) Help create internships 2) Form a consulting laboratory  Develop international collaborations

Opportunities within Thailand:

Some Questions to Ask  What issues are most important to address as a society and as an economy?

 What statistical methods are currently being used to address these issues?

 What data is currently being collected?

Opportunities within Thailand:

Some Questions to Ask  What additional tools and improvements can be be used?

• More efficient sampling techniques • • More efficient experimental designs Better estimation procedures  Is the information being communicated?

Specific Opportunities within Thailand (and the United States) Possible applications of statistics: 1.

To improve traffic and transportation issues 2.

To study patterns of agricultural production 3.

4.

To study patterns in tourism To study public health issues

Website

This PowerPoint presentation can be found at my website: www.math.montana.edu/~jobo/ppt/index.html