Department of Statistics

Overview

Purdue University’s Department of Statistics is one of the first dedicated Statistics programs in the country. From its inception as a Statistical Laboratory in 1947, it has been a prominent center of statistical research and has grown to become one of the largest Statistics departments in the United States. By pursuing foundational research in probability, statistical theory and methodology, and computational statistics, combined with interdisciplinary research in statistical genetics and bioinformatics, machine learning, computational finance, industrial Statistics, and other fields across Purdue University’s campus, the Department of Statistics continues the proud tradition of making fundamental contributions to science while developing new methodologies, theories, and algorithms for statistics and machine learning. It has been a consistently top-ranked department among Statistics departments in the United States. In a world where data are being generated faster than they can be analyzed, the Department of Statistics promotes the design of meaningful experiments, observational studies, and surveys for data collection, the development of analysis and modeling methodologies for performing rigorous and valid inferences from the collected data, as well as the computational algorithms necessary to perform rigorous and valid inferences from the collected data and informed decision making based on the results of data analyses.

Housed in both Haas Hall and the Mathematical Sciences Building, the department’s diverse faculty work to advance the frontiers of statistical science and data science in both theory and applications. They seek to provide learning environments that produce well-educated data scientists, statisticians, probabilists, and quantitatively literate people. They have a long history of providing cutting-edge learning environments conducive to successful and impactful graduates: https://www.stat.purdue.edu/alumni/profiles/index.html. Through their interdisciplinary partnerships, the faculty, staff, and students of the department bring the strengths of the statistical sciences to address significant societal needs.

The department offers an undergraduate degree in Statistics, allowing students to focus on either Applied Statistics or Mathematical Statistics. Partnership with the Department of Mathematics also provides the opportunity to major in Actuarial Science, while a collaboration with the Department of Computer Science enables undergraduates to pursue a Data Science major. Undergraduates from a range of disciplines can minor in Statistics as well. Graduate students have access to an array of certificate, MS, and PhD programs with distinct concentrations and collaborative opportunities.

As of March 2021, there are 36 tenured and tenure-track professors, 5 emeriti faculty, 12 adjunct and courtesy faculty members, 5 visiting professors, and 16 lecturers who form the Department of Statistics faculty. The department has approximately 538 undergraduate students majoring in Statistics and/or Actuarial Science (a joint major with the Department of Statistics), and 410 student have the major Data Science. The department has 173 graduate students, 95 are Ph.D. students and 78 are M.S. students.

Department of Statistics Website

Faculty

Contact Information

Department of Statistics
Purdue University
250 N. University Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2066
USA

Phone:1-765-494-6030
Fax:1-765-494-0558
Administrative Contacts
Department Head: Hao Zhang zhanghao@purdue.edu
Associate Head: Tom Sellke tsellke@purdue.edu
Assistant to the Head: Julie Wise jlwise@purdue.edu