Supporting CSTAT
The Center for Statistical Training and Consulting is a research unit at Michigan State University. We provide statistical services to support strong research programs of MSU affiliated faculty, staff, and graduate students. CSTAT is a Center of Excellence for mentoring graduate students to become expert statistical consultants. To maintain this excellence, we must attract the best graduate students and staff to support research programs and offer training on new and existing methods to promote professional development. As traditional funding sources continue to decline, the need for private support is greater than ever.
The experience I gained as a part of CSTAT team has been truly transformative. Through collaborating with clients and colleagues, I developed my communication skills—learning how to explain complex statistical concepts in ways that are accessible to diverse audiences, which is essential for me to be a statistician. This has given me greater confidence in presenting technical insights and tailoring solutions to meet practical needs.Phuong Vo
Working with real-world data at CSTAT also deepened my understanding of various statistical models beyond what I encountered in my coursework. I had the chance to apply methods I had only previously studied theoretically, allowing me to connect between my academic learning and practical application. Importantly, handling real-world data taught me how to navigate the challenges of imperfect datasets—something textbooks rarely prepare us for!
Thank you for fostering such a supportive and dynamic environment. The skills and knowledge I gained during my time with CSTAT continue to serve me in my current work, and I’m truly grateful for the experience.
My time at CSTAT was a life-changing experience. I was able to immerse myself in the world of statistics and realized how much I enjoy understanding behavioral patterns through numbers. Steve’s mentorship helped me build confidence, motivation, and dedication to pursue knowledge that otherwise may have been too overwhelming.”Shay Yao
Words are not enough to describe my experience at CSTAT; working here enriched my PhD experience in no small measure. The consulting experience helped me appreciate the importance of rigorous research in various fields of knowledge. Working with clients from different fields of applied research helped me understand Statistics from multiple perspectives and built my confidence as a Statistician. I am eternally grateful for the great mentors and colleagues I had the privilege to work with at CSTAT. They held my hands, taught, nudged, and encouraged me until I could do the same for others. No classroom study could have afforded me such an enriching adventure! My experience at CSTAT would remain pleasantly unforgettableHope Akaeze
Working at CSTAT was a great experience as is taught me to think about research methods and statistics from a variety of perspectives and gave me excellent practice at explaining various techniques to very different audiences. I have used those skills in teaching and giving workshops on various statistical and methodological approaches to undergraduate, graduate, and faculty audiences. I have also found the skills I acquired very useful when consulting in organizations and discussing results with managers and stakeholders.Mike Braun
Of all the things I did while at Michigan State, CSTAT, without question, had the biggest influence on my professional and academic trajectories. The mentoring and the community offered at CSTAT helped me to gain confidence in my ability as an applied statistician, and to better understand my trade.Michael Frisby
CSTAT has been an integral part of my PhD. training. It was a way of expanding my avenues with respect to the variety of applications I had the opportunity to solve different types of statistical problems in. It was a place where I was exposed to many perspectives of the way this subject is viewed and tweaks in methodology carefully employed to fit the application. I also became much less afraid of data analyses and truly learned the need for rigor in it. My resume stood out of the crowd due to CSTAT and I got a much broader view of statistics and its place in the sciences and social sciences alike.Abdhi Sarkar
I really appreciate the analytical training that I received from CSTAT before the start of my career. Dr. Pierce is a great mentor to me and gave me great support in my career. CSTAT is a great organization in MSU. I am honored to be called one of it.Emma Xue
I've assisted graduate students to develop their quantitative skills and advised them on the data analysis parts of their research. This advising experience is very helpful for graduate students who are planning academic careers where such experiences are valued highly. Finally, interacting with clients, understanding their expectations and collectively searching solutions for their research problems is a valuable experience by itself and it is an experience worth mentioning for jobs in industry.Emre Gonulates