2001 Statistics Department Highlights

2001 Statistics Department Highlights

John Spurrier A Governer's Award Finalist

Rachel Austin, StatLab Research Int ern receives an award

Joe Padgett steps down after his second term as chair (13 years in total)

Joe Padgett receives 2001 Russell Award for Research

Holmes Finch is named the 2001 College Staff Employee of the Year

2001 Undergraduate Statistics Major Awards Announced

2001 Statistics Graduate Student Awards Announced

Congratulations John!
It was announced November 1, 2001 that John Spurrier was a finalist for the Governor's Professors award of the Year.

Congratulations Rachel!
Rachel Austin, a Claflin undergraduate, was awarded $500 for 2nd place in the SCAMP Summer Research Conference poster contest. Her poster was based on a Stat Lab project which involved the use of classification and regression trees for assessment purposes.

Thank You Joe
On Thursday, June 21, 2001, Anita and Debra organized a surprise luncheon in the department lounge to thank Joe Padgett for his work as chair. Joe stepped down as chair after a five year term (July 1, 1996-June 30, 2001). This was Joe's second tour as chair the first being from the department's inception in July 1, 1985 through June 30, 1993.

It was a top secret casual affair that took Joe totally by suprise. Around thirty people attended and enjoyed Debra's Beaufort stew (sausage, shrimp, corn) and a variety of delicious desserts. As a small token of the department's appreciation of his service, Joe was given a rocking chair. Joe commented that he was flattered by the gift and that he would be spending a lot of time "in his gift, since he was off his rocker to be chair." As you can tell from the photographs below (courtesy of Ahmed Al-hadhrami, who kindly took pictures at the event) a good time was had by all. Thanks again, Joe, for a wonderful five years.

USC Russell Award for Research in Science, Mathematics and Engineering

Joe Padgett received the 2001 Donald S. Russell Award for Research in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering at the general faculty meeting on May 3. The award recognizes his most recent research work on statistical models for the failure of modern composite materials and on survival analysis in engineering systems and medical studies. This research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army Research Office. Padgett is the Chair of the Department and has been at USC since receiving the Ph.D. degree in January 1971 from Virginia Tech. He also won the Russell Research Award in 1975 and the first Carolina Trustees Professorship Award in 1999, as well as the 1990 Governor's Award for Excellence in Science in South Carolina.

College of Science and Mathematics Staff Employee of the Year Award

Holmes Finch has received the 2001 Staff Employee of the Year Award from the College of Science and Mathematics at its annual picnic on March 27. This award is given annually by Dean Gerard Crawley to a staff member of the College who has continually demonstrated excellence as an employee. Holmes has been the Manager of the Statistical Laboratory since July 1990, responsible for many projects and surveys as well as consulting with clients and supervising the student assistants who work in the Lab. While holding the StatLab Manager position, he has also completed all requirements except the dissertation for a Ph.D. degree in Educational Research and Measurement at USC, and is currently working on his research under the direction of Professors Huynh Huynh of the College of Education and Brian Habing in Statistics. This award is well-deserved. Congratulations to Holmes!

Undergraduate Statistics Major Awards

Caroline Hoffman received the 2001 Mu Sigma Rho Award for outstanding academic achievement for a Statistics major. She also received the 2000-2001 College of Science and Mathematics Senior Scholarship in Statistics. Lisa Haney was recipient of the 2001 Stephen D. Durham Award for outstanding performance as a Statistics major. The awards were presented at the University Awards Day ceremony on the Horseshoe on April 19. Caroline plans to pursue a graduate degree in epidemiology and Lisa is entering graduate school in business administration.

Statistics Graduate Student Awards

Obaid Al-Saidy received the 2001 Outstanding Statistics Graduate Student Award at the USC Graduate Student Day awards presentations on April 4. Runner-up for this award was Wei Pan. Also during those presentations, Meredith Tomlinson was presented the Outstanding First-Year Statistics Graduate Student Award. Additional outstanding graduate student awards were given at the annual Statistics Club picnic on April 28. Outstanding Statistics Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards went to Brandon Julio, Wilma Sims, and Meredith Tomlinson. Megan Meece was recognized with an Outstanding Statistics Graduate Research Assistant Award, and Carl Miller received the Outstanding Statistics Graduate Student Citizen Award.

Obaid Al-Saidy also received the ENAR Student Paper Award at the ENAR Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, in March 2001.

Thank You Joe On Thursday, June 21, 2001, Anita and Debra organized a surprise luncheon in the department lounge to thank Joe Padgett for his work as chair. Joe stepped down as chair after a five year term (July 1, 1996-June 30, 2001). This was Joe's second tour as chair the first being from the department's inception in July 1, 1985 through June 30, 1993.
It was a top secret casual affair that took Joe totally by suprise. Around thirty people attended and enjoyed Debra's Beaufort stew (sausage, shrimp, corn) and a variety of delicious desserts. As a small token of the department's appreciation of his service, Joe was given a rocking chair. Joe commented that he was flattered by the gift and that he would be spending a lot of time "in his gift, since he was off his rocker to be chair." As you can tell from the photographs below (courtesy of Ahmed Al-hadhrami, who kindly took pictures at the event) a good time was had by all. Thanks again, Joe, for a wonderful five years.