Sally Morton and Thomas Gerig received the 2013 NISS Distinguished Service Awards, which were presented by Alan Karr, Director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS) on August 5, 2013. The awards were given at the NISS/SAMSI (Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute) reception, which was part of the 2013 Joint Statistical Meetings held in Montreal, Canada.
The NISS Distinguished Service Awards were established by the Board of Trustees in 2005 to recognize individuals who have given extraordinary service that significantly advances NISS and its mission. As Karr noted, the recipients “didn’t have to do what they did for NISS, but did it because they believe in NISS and what it does for the statistics community.”
Morton, Chair and Professor at Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, was given the award for her long-term service to the Board of Trustees for NISS, serving on the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee and the National Presence Committee. She is currently serving on the Affiliates Committee and also on the SAMSI Governing Board.
Gerig , Emeritus Professor of Statistics at North Carolina State University, was recognized for his four years as Assistant Director for the NISS and SAMSI Affiliates Program. Gerig helped establish and grow this program. He was also recognized for being the Treasurer of NISS for several years.
Morton's and Gerig's names will be added to a plaque that is displayed in the lobby of the NISS building in Research Triangle Park, which lists the names of all recipients.