Welcome from the Chair

This is an exciting time to pursue advanced training in statistics and the Statistics Department here at Madison, we believe, is a great place in which to engage in this pursuit. There are many stimulating questions in statistics that are in need of fresh minds to explore. Indeed, the underlying discipline is one that studies the basic question as to how we really 'know' things and how we can quantify the certainty (or uncertainty) of our knowledge. Many fields of science and public life are making increased use of statistics. In research, statistical ideas are becoming ever more important in fields like medicine, engineering, business, agriculture, and social science among others. Industry is making increasing use of statistical design and analysis in areas like research and development, marketing, and consumer satisfaction. Statistics is finding increasing use in fields like preventive health, law, and public policy. Jobs for well trained statisticians -- at both the MS and PhD levels -- are plentiful. New opportunities are constantly being created in academia, industry, and government.

Our Department has been a leader in research and training graduate students for over 40 years. We pride ourselves on providing opportunities covering the full range from theory to applications. We have 25 faculty members with a wide diversity of expertise and over 100 graduate students. Our MS Program focuses on training its graduates for careers as statistical consultants in industry, government, and wherever else statistical consulting is needed. The PhD Program provides training for a research career in academia, industry, government or elsewhere. The course requirements for both tracks include a mix of theory and applications as well as statistical computing. Courses in the PhD Program cover material at greater depth, include topics in cutting edge areas, and provide students with research experience. At both the MS and PhD levels, our programs have very strong reputations and virtually all of our graduates obtain excellent jobs.

Our Department is a part of a great University with academic strengths in many areas. As a medium sized city with the state capitol and a major university, Madison contains many of the attributes of a large city -- e.g. sports, entertainment, cultural offerings, shopping -- with the feel of a much smaller community. Almost all of our students view Madison as very livable and most are sad to leave. Even if the weather in winter is sometimes cold (although almost never as cold as people anticipate) our University and city communities are always very warm and friendly.

I hope that you will look at the materials about our programs on this website. I believe that you will find answers to most of your questions. However, if you do not, please do not hesitate to contact us.

With best wishes,

Jun Shao

(August 2005)