Career Opportunities Career Opportunities in Statisticsin Statistics

John BorkowskiJohn BorkowskiMontana State UniversityMontana State University

Panel DiscussionPanel DiscussionPattaya Conference on StatisticsPattaya Conference on Statistics

Pattaya, ThailandPattaya, 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 ActivitiesMy 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 In the United States, these problems include: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 ActivitiesCommon 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 ActivitiesCommon 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?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 StudentsRecommendations 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 StudentsRecommendations 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 Recommendations to Professional StatisticiansStatisticians

Develop collaborations between the universities, businesses and government

1) Help create internships

2) Form a consulting laboratory

Develop international collaborations

Opportunities within Thailand:Opportunities within Thailand:Some Questions to AskSome 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:Opportunities within Thailand:Some Questions to AskSome 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 Specific Opportunities within Thailand (and the United States)(and the United States)

Possible applications of statistics:

1. To improve traffic and transportation issues

2. To study patterns of agricultural production

3. To study patterns in tourism

4. To study public health issues

WebsiteWebsite

This PowerPoint presentation can be found at my website:

www.math.montana.edu/~jobo/ppt/index.html