By the Numbers | Science + Technology - The UCSB Current

Harrison Tasoff, Science Writer at UC Santa Barbara reports now, As career paths expand, the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability experiences a surge in student interest. 

By the Numbers

It used to be that a degree in statistics and probability led to a career as a statistician or an actuary — someone who makes a living measuring and managing risk and uncertainty. And while that’s still true, a whole host of other industries and fields are now clamoring for individuals with a background in statistics and applied mathematics.

The ability to manipulate data and analyze trends has become a valuable skillset in nearly every corner of modern society.

Photo: Mike Ludkovski

Attesting to that fact, UC Santa Barbara students have flocked to the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability over the past decade. The number of PSTAT majors has more than tripled in the past six years, increasing from 361 in the 2012-13 academic year to 1,252 in 2018-19, and well over 1,300 today. Department chair and Professor Mike Ludkovski believes a confluence of factors have led to this wellspring of interest.

The PSTAT department offers three majors: actuarial science, statistics and data science, and financial mathematics and statistics. Each one has grown in the past decade...

To meet the growing demand, the department has added six new undergraduate courses and several graduate ones over the past five years. It is also bringing on new faculty and lecturers. In 2012, PSTAT had 11 full faculty members. Now there are 17, and Ludkovski anticipates the addition of four more in the coming year. “This growth is absolutely necessary,” he said, explaining that the number of adjunct professors and lecturers has seen a similar increase, and the number of TAs has more than doubled in the past six years.
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Source: The UCSB Current