History

The Department of Statistics, founded by renowned statistician Gertrude Cox in 1941, is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious.

Alumni have gone on to shape the statistical sciences in professional and academic settings around the world. Notably, the department is the birthplace of analytics powerhouse SAS Institute, the world’s largest privately owned software company. Funding for SAS Hall, the gleaming home of the department that opened in 2009, included a substantial contribution from the company. The department maintains a close relationship with SAS and other industry members through student programs and other activities.

In 2016, we celebrated 75 years of statistical excellence with a two-day conference that brought together alumni, faculty, students and friends of the department.

Watch this video to learn more about the rich history of our department.