Staff Spotlight New Professorship
Kristen Campbell Honors Fisher
I
joined the ASA team a
little more than a year N
orth Carolina State
University announced a
new endowed professor-
ago as the meetings coor- ship in honor of Sir Ronald
dinator. The majority of my Aylmer Fisher. The R. A. Fisher
job is arranging the commit- Distinguished Professorship will
tee meetings that occur support a full professor in the
throughout the year at the Department of Statistics at
ASA headquarters and in the NC State.
Washington, DC, area. I One of the leading scientists of the
work closely with your staff 20th century and a father of modern
Fisher
liaisons and Mike Chevalier, statistical science, Fisher visited what was
the ASA’s registration coordi- then North Carolina State College as a faculty member for the
nator. Together, we arrange 1946 summer session at the invitation of Gertrude M. Cox.
null
My favorite part
your flight, hotel, and meals. Cox, herself a pioneer in the statistical sciences, founded
of working on
There are roughly 40 com- NC State’s Department of Statistics in 1941. In the years
mittee meetings that take since, the university has continued to be a leader in research
meetings is being
place in the building every excellence and educational innovation in the statistical scienc-
able to interact
year, so thank you for keeping es. The R. A. Fisher Distinguished Professorship will help the
me very busy and employed. I department continue to recruit and retain outstanding faculty
with you and
am also privileged to be part of members to build upon these traditions.
your colleagues
the team that makes JSM hap- More than 50 alumni and friends of the department have
pen every year. I think most made commitments or contributions to the endowment,
face-to-face
null
.
of you would be surprised to according to Sastry Pantula, current head of the Department
know that planning for JSM of Statistics at NC State and 2009 president-elect of the ASA.
is a multi-year process. In fact, “We have many successful alumni across the country and
people in the office are already around the world who always feel a deep connection with the
thinking about and planning department,” Pantula said. “I think a lot of them find a great
for JSM 2015. sense of pride in helping enhance its reputation.”
As each year progresses, I am able to understand more of the com- The drive to establish the endowment was led by alumni
plexities involved with such a large meeting. A new task for me this Robert Starbuck and Ji Zhang. Starbuck recently retired from
year was coordinating the university housing, which has been a chal- a long and distinguished career in the pharmaceutical indus-
lenging undertaking. But, with the help of the other staff members in try. Zhang is vice president of international clinical opera-
the Meetings Department, I have learned a tremendous amount. tions and international development at sanofi-aventis and was
Another new undertaking for me this year was pairing up with the 2006 recipient of the NC State College of Physical and
ASA Meetings Planner Donna Renee-Arrington to plan the 2008 Mathematical Sciences Medal of Achievement.
ASA Radiation and Health conference in Vail, Colorado. Under her The R. A. Fisher Distinguished Professorship was made
wing, I was able to learn about abstract submission, attendee registra- possible by a unique matching system that allowed donors
tion, program and budget management, and meeting logistics. My to establish the $1 million endowment for only $333,000.
favorite part of working on meetings is being able to interact with you An additional $333,000 came from an anonymous gift origi-
and your colleagues face-to-face. nally earmarked for endowment in any unmet area of need as
On a personal note, I moved to DC from Chicago and unexpect- part of the university’s recently concluded capital campaign.
edly fell in love with the area. I never knew there was so much to do The remaining funds came from the Distinguished Professors
in our nation’s capital. How can you not love the free museums? And Endowment Trust Fund, a matching program funded by the
the national zoo is my all-time favorite. Most days, you can find me on North Carolina Legislature.
the trails with my dog, RJ. My new favorite sport is biking, and with Other endowed professorships in the department include
more than 100 miles of trails in the area, I stay pretty busy. Although the J. Stuart Hunter Distinguished Professorship and the
I am a self-proclaimed wine snob, I am slowly getting used to the Gertrude M. Cox Distinguished Professorship. These were
distinct taste of local wines. So, if you are ever traveling here and need established in 2007 by a gift from J. Stuart “Stu” Hunter,
suggestions for restaurants, parks, museums, or other local activities, professor emeritus at Princeton University and an NC
just let me know. n State alumnus.
For more information, visit
www.pams.ncsu.edu.
AUGUST 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 11
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