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Biostatistics Student Awarded Wray Jackson Smith Scholarship by the American Statistical Association

Maria Ciarleglio, a Ph.D. student in the Division of Biostatistics, was awarded the Wray Jackson Smith Scholarship (WJSS) by the Government Statistics Section (GSS) and the Social Statistics Section (SSS) of the American Statistical Association (ASA), the most prominent professional association in the field of statistics. The scholarship will be awarded at the business meeting of the GSS at the Joint Statistical Meetings, held in Seattle, Washington on August 6-10.

The scholarship was established in memory of Wray Jackson Smith, a founding member of the GSS. It is awarded annually to one student each year to reward a young statistician for their dedication and diligence as well as to encourage careers in government statistics. The WJSS awarded Ciarleglio $1,000 for developing a career in government statistics. Past recipients have used the money for tuition, books, conferences attendance, software, or other supporting materials for research projects.

“The Wray Jackson Smith Scholarship fills an invaluable role by encouraging individuals to pursue careers in government statistics,” said Ciarleglio. “I can only hope to contribute to the pursuit of its commendable goals.  These scholarship funds will aid me tremendously in the execution of my current research.” Her current research is on the design of clinical trials. Robert W. Makuch, Ph.D., Professor in the Division of Biostatistics is her advisor.

Ciarleglio, a Yale College 2003 graduate, majored in Applied Mathematics and Economics. After receiving her degree, she hopes to work as a statistician for the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The WJSS is co-sponsored by the Washington Statistical Society, the Caucus for Women in Statistics, Harris-Smith Institutes, Mathematics Policy Research, and Synectics for Management Decisions, Inc.