Iowa State University Statistics Department

Abstract

Early developments in Statistics at Iowa State University hinged on the willingness of a young Mathematics professor to collaborate with scientists on issues involving Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and to interact with an agricultural entrepreneur with a developing interest in Statistics and computational methods. Increasing demand for statistical support resulted in the establishment of the Statistical Laboratory and the Statistical Section in the Agricultural Experiment Station which fostered development of statistical and computational methodology for agricultural experimentation and surveys, genetics research, and applications to the engineering sciences. It also encouraged the development of graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Statistics and the eventual establishment of a Department of Statistics. This evolved into a centralized and highly collaborative program in statistics that now involves 36 faculty, about 140 graduate students, and over 100 undergraduate statistics majors.