Founded in 1974, The Department of Statistics at The Ohio State University has grown steadily over the last 40 years to become an internationally recognized hub of research in statistical science and of statistics education. The department currently has 23 tenure-track/tenured faculty members, 6 professors emeriti in residence, and 4 associated faculty members with expertise in statistical education and consulting. The department also regularly hosts visiting scholars from around the world.
In terms of its research profile, the department aims to contribute to virtually all areas of statistical science, including the development of novel statistical theory and methodology. Specific areas of excellence include Bayesian statistics, spatio-temporal statistics, statistical learning, and biostatistics. Research is directed toward modern and emerging areas of interest. For example, in concert with the “big data” or “data science” revolution, many faculty members include high-dimensional analysis and computing as primary foci of their research programs. A large portion of the department’s faculty and students are involved in interdisciplinary research and make significant scientific contributions beyond the field of statistics. Faculty members are highly successful at securing competitive grants from various research funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH); research expenditures from these grants typically ranges from $1-2 million per year. In addition, the department is a partner in administering the NSF-funded Mathematical Biosciences Institute on the Ohio State campus.
The department offers several graduate degree programs, including the MS and PhD in Statistics and the Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) degree. It jointly administers a unique Interdisciplinary PhD in Biostatistics with the Division of Biostatistics in the College of Public Health. Currently, 121 graduate students are pursuing these graduate degrees. In conjunction with Ohio State’s recent initiatives in data analytics, the department partnered with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering to develop and administer a new undergraduate major in Data Analytics. The department also operates the Statistical Consulting Service, which provides support to researchers and graduate students at Ohio State, as well as to commercial and governmental organizations.
More information about the department and its activities and academic programs can be found at www.stat.osu.edu.