2024 Statistics Departmental Graduation highlights Faculty and Student Awards
The Spring 2024 graduation ceremony for the statistics department was a resounding success, marked by moments of inspiration and celebration. Dr. Rebecca Doerge, former PhD student and current Provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, delivered a compelling commencement address, reflecting on the journey of the graduates and offering insights into the promising future ahead. Amidst a backdrop of academic achievement and camaraderie, the event epitomized the culmination of hard work, dedication, and the vibrant spirit of the statistics community.
During the ceremony, we had the privilege of honoring the exceptional faculty and students whose achievements have truly distinguished them within the statistics department. Read below to see the honorees and their awards:
Faculty Awards:
Dr. Emily Hector was awarded the 23-24 Dennis Boos Citizenship Faculty Award. This award was given in recognition of Dr. Hector’s work chairing and now being a member of the Seminar Committee.
Dr. Shu Yang was awarded the 23-24 Cavell Brownie Mentoring Faculty Award! This award was given in recognition of her outstanding work as a faculty advisor. She has advised or co-advised 10 Ph.D. students and is currently working with 13 Ph.D. candidates.
Dr. Herle McGowan was awarded the 23-24 D.D. Mason Faculty Award. This award was given in recognition of the distinction Dr. McGowan has brought to the Department of Statistics through her outstanding record of high-profile service.
Graduate Student Awards:
Shih-Ni Prim won the BB Bhattacharyya Graduate Excellence Award: This award honors a student who has excelled in their mathematical statistics studies and shows promise of exceptional dissertation research.
Chenin Gao won the Paige Plagge Award: This award is given for good citizenship to a graduate student with an outstanding academic record, who in the judgment of the committee has especially enhanced the life of fellow students with encouragement, generosity and/or humor.
Wei Zhao won the Rawlings Family Award for Communication in Data Science: This award is given to students who have demonstrated great communication skills and active participation in classes, and making great project presentations.
Sukanya Bhattacharyya won the William H. Swallow Fellowship Award: This award is given to students who help to diversify our graduate program, such as help with the department recruiting events and help with the department diversity missions.
Neil Dey & Wenwei Vivia Jiao won the William Mendenhall Graduate Award for excellence in teaching of statistics: This award is given to students for their excellent performance in teaching a statistics course.
Haitao Hunter Jiang won the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award: This award is given to students for their excellent TA work.
Naomi Giertych won the Francis Giesbrecht Award for Statistical Consulting: This award is given to students for their excellent consulting work.
Manting Jin & Jisu Oh won the Gertrude M. Cox Academic Achievement Award: This award is given to students for their excellent performance in the PhD Qualifying Exams.
Undergraduate Outstanding Senior awards:
Amanda Baright won the Outstanding Senior Award for Community Service for her broad reaching service to the department and university, including her role as a COS Ambassador, leadership of multiple student groups, and one-on-one mentorship of younger students.
Ava Collier won the Outstanding Senior Award for outstanding transfer student for fitting in as much experience as humanly possible in her two years at NC State, finishing with a 4.0 in Statistics and adding. Computer Programming minor.
Andrea Stancescu won the Outstanding Senior Award for Scholarship for completing a grueling collection of courses leading to a 4.0 double major in Math and Statistics, preparing her to begin her PhD program at NCSU in the Fall. Not only that, but she also found time for multiple research projects, an internship at SAS, and served as a TA for math classes.
Andrea Stancescu also won the Outstanding Senior Award for research for participating in multiple research experiences during her time at NCSU, highlighted by work to improve the university’s efforts for supporting students from underrepresented populations to succeed in STEM fields.
Leah Rohde won the Outstanding Senior Award for Resiliency for overcoming a series of obstacles and for tackling her education with both passion and grace in the face of those situations.
Kudos to all the award winners and congratulations to the Statistics class of 2024. Way to go!
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