French pharmaceutical company.
Some of the important points I have learned over
These two experiences further sup-
the course of my education and career include the
ported my career path decision.
following:
I was fortunate to choose
Charles Quesenberry as my the-
It is much easier to focus on and complete your educa- sis advisor. He had a good track
tion if you are not simultaneously working for a living. record of getting PhD students
Education is valued in the workplace, and the delayed
through their theses and was
income resulting from pursuing a higher degree is
always available to me and sup-
more than offset by the increase in income resulting
portive of my efforts.
from the higher degree.
In preparation for the PhD
written exams, several students
Statistics offers multiple employment opportunities.
and I worked through the ques-
If you are not satisfied with your current job, you
tions on prior exams. The dis-
may be able to find a more rewarding one.
cussions we held were stimulat-
ing and thought-provoking and
Work colleagues (both management and employ-
gave us different perspectives on
ees) and work product are keys to job satisfaction.
the subject matter than we had
It is important to retain and demonstrate a sense of
obtained in the classroom. The
humor. Appropriate humor helps establish and main-
knowledge gained was at least
tain relationships with others, increases your like-
the equivalent of several gradu-
ability, and can help calm tense situations.
ate courses.
My first job was in
Maintaining your integrity is important to your self-
Connecticut, where I worked
esteem and to how you are viewed by others.
for nearly two years in the envi-
Oral and written skills are important. The ability to speak
ronmental branch of Northeast
to small and large groups, use good grammar, convey Utilities Service Company, an
technical topics in terms understood by nonstatisti- electric power company that
cians, convey an understanding of what is possible, and
had nuclear power plants on the
articulate the relevance of statistical methods to busi-
Connecticut River and Long
ness strategy increases your value to an organization.
Island Sound. I was the only stat-
Gaining a speaking knowledge of other disciplines
istician at NUSCO, and though
increases your relevance and ability to communicate.
the folks there were really fun to
work with, I was uncomfortable
Continue learning throughout your career. you may
being an isolated statistician and
need to reinvent yourself several times.
began looking for another job.
you need to deliver value that far exceeds your cost of
I had interviewed with the
employment.
USDA at the same time I inter-
viewed with NUSCO, so I con-
Follow up on all requests for collaboration, even if the
tacted Bill Wigton, who worked
answer is “no.”
at the USDA, had graduated from
Volunteer willingly and keep commitments. nothing turns
NC State several years before me,
people off more than you agreeing to do something and
and was already a friend. Wigton
then not delivering.
had an opening that I took in his
group in the Statistical Reporting
Be a critical thinker who asks hard questions but helps
Service, which was developing
define the path to success and is data-driven and willing
statistical methodology and com-
and able to see the big picture.
puter software to use Landsat sat-
Make yourself invaluable to a few good influential people. ellite data to enhance crop acre-
age estimation. The satellites took
Ask for feedback from colleagues.
a reading every 18 days of each
Ask for help from people inside and outside your circle or
acre of ground, and each mea-
comfort zone. surement had four dimensions—
two in the visible and two in the
What you know is important, but who you know can also be
infrared spectrum. A sample of
important.
acreage was photographed from
Professional societies provide an excellent venue in which the air, and USDA staff visited
to contribute and to become known in your profession. that acreage to confirm what was
52 AMSTAT NEwS SEPTEMbER 2009
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