Media Contacts:
Sally Ramey, PAMS, 919/513-0300
Paul K. Mueller, News Services, 919/515-3470

Nov. 20, 2003

NC State’s StatFest 2003 Encourages Minority Careers in Statistics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statisticians from colleges, universities, government agencies and businesses across the nation will explain the benefits and advantages of careers in statistics for minority students at StatFest 2003, to be held on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Witherspoon Student Center at North Carolina State University.

Sponsored by the Committee on Minorities in Statistics of the American Statistical Association and other academic and business groups, the event is being held for the first time at an institution other than a historically black college or university (HBCU).

The one-day conference allows Hispanic, African-American and Native American students to meet and discuss career opportunities with business, government and industry leaders as well as directors of graduate programs at participating universities. A record number of students have registered.

Representatives from NC State, NC A&T, Shaw University, South Carolina State University, Tennessee State University, Spelman College, Fayetteville State University, Claflin University, Livingstone College, Voorhees College, Howard University, Florida A&M University, St. Augustine’s College and Albany State University will take part in the program.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Carolyn B. Morgan, professor and chair of the mathematics department at Hampton University. Dr. Daniel Solomon, dean of NC State’s College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and Dr. Sastry G. Pantula, head of NC State’s Department of Statistics, will welcome and greet attendees; Dr. Kimberly S. Weems, a postdoctoral fellow in statistics at NC State, will introduce Morgan.

Workshops will cover such topics as statistics in industry, academia and government, and graduate studies in statistical sciences. A StatFest Quiz Bowl will award a first-place prize of $250.

For more information, visit StatFest.

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