Picturing Data: USU Scholar Named American Statistical Association Fellow
Professor Jürgen Symanzik of USU's Department of Mathematics and Statistics has been named a Class of 2015 Fellow of the American Statistical Association. He’s the first Utah State scholar to receive this honor.
Utah State University statistician Jürgen Symanzik is among 62 scholars elected to the 2015 class of Fellows of the American Statistical Association, the nation’s top professional statistical society. He is the first USU statistician to receive the ASA honor.
“Each newly designated Fellow has distinguished him or herself through the advancement of statistical theory, methodology and applications as well as service to the ASA,” said ASA President David R. Morganstein in a prepared statement. “(These Fellows) are now rightfully recognized as preeminent contributors to the field of statistical science and they are truly the foremost members of our field.”
Symanzik, professor in USU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, was praised for his “pioneering research in statistical graphics using virtual reality” as well as his “substantial contributions to new methodology for exploratory analysis of spatial data.” He was also recognized for his service to the Statistical Graphics section of the association and the profession at large.
“This is a distinct and well-deserved honor for Jürgen,” says Richard Cutler, professor and head of USU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We’re privileged to have a scholar of his caliber at Utah State and thank him for his many contributions to our university efforts.”
Symanzik, who joined USU’s faculty in 1999, pursues diverse research interests in data visualization, visual analytics, exploratory data analysis, exploratory spatial data analysis, interactive and dynamic statistical graphics and presentation graphics, as well as the history of statistical computing and graphics. His combined expertise in statistics and computer science benefits his colleagues at USU and beyond, as he aids scientists studying diverse topics ranging from climate and natural resources to birth defects, West Nile Virus and occupational illnesses. In addition, the statistician is assisting USU researchers in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services with iPad studies in education.
“In short, I study graphical representations of statistical data and develop software that allows scientists of all disciplines to look at graphical representations of their data, as well,” Symanzik says.
Statistics, he says, is about making sense of data and discerning what all those numbers mean for “real life.”
According to its website, the ASA is the world’s largest community of statisticians and the second-oldest continuously operating professional society in the United States. Its members serve in industry, government and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. The designation of ASA Fellow has been a top honor for nearly 100 years.
Related links:
USU Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Contact: Jürgen Symanzik, 435-797-0696, juergen.symanzik@usu.edu
Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu
USU statistician Jürgen Symanzik is among 62 scholars elected to the 2015 class of Fellows of the American Statistical Association, the nation's top professional statistical society.
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