The Journal of Statistics Education recently published an extensive interview with Nicholas Horton, the Beitzel Professor in Technology and Society (Statistics and Data Science), in which he discusses his life, career and involvement with the College’s burgeoning program in statistics.
“There’s a growing interest in statistics and data science amongst our students. I suspect that students are attracted by the ability to dove into complex problems, to use modern tools, and then to communicate their results,” he said. “Many of our students double major, most commonly with mathematics, computer science, and economics, but also with psychology, music, political science, sociology, and history.”
“My greatest hope is that statistics education can fully embrace data science and broader learning outcomes,” he said. “I’m proudest of the work that I’ve done as part of the National Academies and the American Statistical Association to help improve statistics and data science education at the undergraduate level.”