A STATISTICIAN’S LIFE
Jeffrey Mark Gonzalez
Degree(s)
BSPH in biostatistics from The University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2003)
MS in biostatistics from the
University of Michigan (2005)
Currently a third-year PhD student in the
Joint Program in Survey Methodology at
the University of Maryland, College Park
Employer
Office of Survey Methods Research,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Current Title
What or who inspired you to be a statistician?
Mathematical Statistician
When I was an undergraduate at UNC, I began
working at the university’s Survey Research Unit.
At the time, my primary responsibility was to enter
What is a skill you would like to learn to be
data from various surveys; however, my boss, Ashley
better at your job?
Bowers, began teaching me about surveys. It was
One skill that I would like to learn to be better at
because of her enthusiasm for and breadth of knowl-
my job is to work under production environment
edge about surveys that I really became fascinated
constraints. I think research is important, but unless
with survey statistics. She took a keen interest in my
it is feasible or can be operationalized in a produc-
professional development and was instrumental in
tion environment, then it might not be useful to the
my decision to pursue statistics and, in particular,
various survey programs here. So, it is taking more
survey statistics at the graduate level. So, I owe a
theoretical research and making it practical that I
lot to her with respect to my current educational
would like to learn how to do better.
pursuits and career as a statistician.
Name one or two favorite books you have
What is the hardest or most interesting thing
read and would recommend to others.
about being a statistician?
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Roberston
The hardest thing about being a statistician is keep-
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
ing in mind that, at the end of the day, we need to
be able to convey a message to the public and our
Given the current economy, would you recom-
data users. I think that, as statisticians, we can tend
mend statistics as a profession to a student?
to get caught up in our numbers and formulas, but
Most definitely, I would recommend statistics as a
we should really make an effort to remember others
profession to a student. I think what students might
will use our information for a variety of purposes,
fail to realize is that statistics is such a diverse field
some of which we haven’t anticipated. Therefore, it
and has applications in many fields (e.g., public
is essential that we provide enough information to
health, economics, surveys, etc.). I doubt the need
make the statistical information transparent, useful,
for statisticians will ever go away.
and informative.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I am an avid runner. Living in Washington, DC,
What is the best career advice you were ever
there is no shortage of places to run and people
given?
to run with. In fact, I am an active member of a
It may sound cliché, but the best career advice I
local running club, the DC Front Runners. In the
have ever been given is to love what you do and do
past year, I have run four marathons and have two
what you love. I have been fortunate to find a career
planned for the fall. My ultimate (running) goal is
that I truly enjoy and am passionate about.
to shave three minutes off my best marathon time
and qualify for the Boston Marathon.
SEPTEMbER 2009 AMSTAT NEwS 57
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