Mary G. and Joseph Natrella
Scholarship
The Quality and Productivity
Section of the American Statistical Association announces the 2008 Mary G. and
Joseph Natrella Scholarship, which supports student participation in the 2008
Quality and Productivity Research Conference (QPRC). Winners will receive a $2500 grant, a
$500 stipend toward travel and housing expenses, complimentary registration for
the conference and complimentary registration for any pre-conference tutorial
that is given in conjunction with the conference. In addition, winners will
give a presentation on their research at the 2008 QPRC, which will be held in
Purpose and History
The scholarship was initiated
by a contribution to the ASA Quality and Productivity Section given by Joseph
Natrella at the time of Mary Natrella's death to honor her many contributions
to the statistical community. The Natrellas always maintained a strong mutual
interest in quality applications of statistics. Mary was for many years a staff
member of the Statistical Engineering Division of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST). Most of Joe's career was spent with the
Department of Defense and NASA as a mathematician in charge of data processing
and computations.
Mary's most important
publication, NBS Handbook 91: Experimental Statistics, is one of the
all-time best selling publications of NIST. Originally published in 1963 by the
Government Printing Office, it was later reprinted by Wiley-InterScience in its
Selected Government Publications series, and has been recently reprinted in
paperback by Dover Publications. The ASA Q&P Section established the
scholarship in 2000 to honor Mary's 36 years as an author, teacher and
consulting statistician.
Recent recipients of the Natrella Scholarship
describe their experiences as follows.
"It was a great honor to receive the Natrella Scholarship. Attending the Quality and Productivity Research Conference allowed me to present my research for the first time and to get some valuable feedback on my work. I was also able to make new contacts as well as reestablish old ones. The experience was a great opportunity and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in quality research." - Shannon Fraker, 2007 recipient from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
"Receiving the Natrella Scholarship was a great honor. The grant provided support for me as a student and allowed me the opportunity to present my research at the 2007 Quality and Productivity Research Conference. Presenting research at a conference is an important part of a student's learning and development. At the QPRC conference I was also able to meet with other researchers in my area and attend presentations of new statistical methods that sparked ideas for my current and future research." - Rachel Johnson, 2007 recipient from Arizona State University
Eligibility
Application is open to students
who are currently pursuing a master's or doctoral degree full-time in an
accredited college or university. The student must have a demonstrated interest
in Quality applications as evidenced by course work, research topic, prior work
experience, etc. Applicants should be prepared to make a presentation of their
research work at the 2008 Quality and Productivity Research Conference.
Applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, religion,
gender, or national origin.
Selection Criteria
The Mary G. and Joseph Natrella
Scholarship Award Committee will select the scholarship recipient based
principally on the following criteria:
·
Mentorship and teaching
·
Professional service
·
Leadership
Also considered will be:
·
Scholarship
·
Authorship and research
·
Recommendations from major professors
·
Community service
Important Dates
The application deadline is March 17, 2008.
Scholarship recipients will be announced the first week of April, 2008. Scholarships will
be awarded at the Quality and Productivity Research Conference banquet on June 4, 2008.
Application instructions and materials can be found at
http://www.amstat-online.org/sections/qp/Natrella_Scholarship_Application.doc
.
The conference will be held, June 4-6, 2008 at the University of Wisconsin in