KAUST Ph.D. student Zhuo Qu and fellow students from the Statistics Program launched the first American Statistical Association (ASA) student chapter outside of the U.S. in October 2019. The chapter aims to encourage and provide opportunities for KAUST students interested in statistics to connect with statisticians worldwide. In 2020, the chapter plans to organize seminars and connect students interested in statistics and data mining. Why it matters: This initiative highlights KAUST's commitment to fostering a global network of statisticians and promoting data analysis skills among its students, enhancing its role as a hub for international collaboration in STEM fields.
KAUST alumna Yuan Yan received an honorable mention from the American Statistical Association (ASA) for her paper on "Vector Autoregressive Models with Spatially Structured Coefficients for Time Series on a Spatial Grid." Yan, who graduated from KAUST in 2018, was part of Professor Marc Genton's Spatio-Temporal Statistics & Data Science group. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at Dalhousie University, researching fisheries science using spatial statistical models. Why it matters: This recognition highlights the quality of research and education at KAUST, especially in the field of spatio-temporal statistics, and its impact on addressing real-world sustainability challenges.
KAUST Ph.D. student Sabrina Vettori won the 2017 Student Paper Competition sponsored by the Section on Statistics and the Environment of the American Statistical Association. Her winning paper was titled "Bayesian clustering and dimension reduction in multivariate air pollution extremes", co-authored by Huser and Genton. The competition focused on environmental statistics, with winners presenting at the Joint Statistical Meetings. Why it matters: This award recognizes KAUST's contribution to environmental statistics and highlights the university's ability to attract and nurture talent in this critical area.
KAUST Ph.D. student Jian Cao received a best paper award from the American Statistical Association (ASA) for his paper on computing high-dimensional normal and Student-t probabilities. The paper uses Tile-Low-Rank Quasi-Monte Carlo and Block Reordering. Cao, a member of Professor Marc Genton's group, will be recognized at the ASA's Joint Statistical Meetings. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's strength in high-performance computing and statistical research, contributing to advancements in handling complex, high-dimensional datasets.
KAUST Assistant Professor Ying Sun won the 2017 Section on Statistics and the Environment Early Investigator Award. The award recognizes early-career researchers making significant contributions to environmental statistics. The award was given by the American Statistical Association. Why it matters: This highlights KAUST's strength in interdisciplinary research and its faculty's recognition on the international stage.
KAUST Assistant Professor Raphaël Huser received the American Statistical Association's 2019 Section on Statistics and the Environment Early Investigator Award for his contributions to environmental statistics. Huser's research focuses on developing models for extreme events observed in space and time. He leads the KAUST extSTAT research group, which develops statistical models to understand the stochastic behavior of rare events. Why it matters: Recognition of KAUST faculty highlights the university's growing prominence in statistical research and its application to environmental challenges in the region.
KAUST Ph.D. student Yuxiao Li received a Student Paper Award from the American Statistical Association (ASA) for his paper on efficient estimation of non-stationary spatial covariance functions. The award-winning paper is Li's first research paper at KAUST, completed as a member of the Environmental Statistics Group led by Professor Ying Sun. His research focuses on short-term space-time precipitation modeling, addressing the challenges of modeling rainfall zeros and amounts along with complex spatio-temporal dependencies. Why it matters: This award recognizes KAUST's contributions to advanced statistical methods for environmental modeling, highlighting the university's strength in addressing complex environmental challenges.
KAUST Professor Marc Genton received the 2024 Don Owen Award from the San Antonio Chapter of the American Statistical Association. The award recognizes Genton's excellence in research, statistical consultation, and service to the statistical community. Genton's research focuses on large-scale spatial and temporal data, with applications to environmental problems, including wind energy potential in Saudi Arabia. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's contributions to statistical research and its application to important environmental challenges in the region.