Statistics is relentlessly interdisciplinary. Statistical tools and methodologies have applications in virtually every discipline across campus. The Department of Statistics and Data Sciences is a community engaged in research and education in statistics and scientific computation.
PhD Students
The SDS PhD in Statistics program is a four-year degree that focuses on training future researchers on the theory and methods of statistics. Major emphases are placed on probability models and modern computational statistical tools. Throughout the program, students are exposed to central ideas of both Bayesian and classical approaches to inference. The degree consists of 52+ hours of coursework: 22 hours of required courses, 18 hours of research/electives, 12+ hours of dissertation.
Preston Biro
Email: prestonbiro@utexas.edu
BS Electrical Engineering, Texas A&M University
BS Applied Mathematical Science, Texas A&M University
Research Interests: sports analytics, spatial statistics
Brandon Carter
Email: carterjb@utexas.edu
MS Statistics, Brigham Young University
BS Statistics, Brigham Young University
Research Interests: Bayesian nonparametrics, biostatistics
Omar Chavez
Email: ochavez@utexas.edu
MA in Applied Statistics, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Certificate in Computer Science, Texas State University
BS in Mathematics, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: causal inference, inference for big data, non-parametric function estimation, natural language processing
Fuheng Cui
Email: cuifuheng@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, University of Chicago
BS in Mathematics, Fudan University
Amber Joule Day
Email: amberday@utexas.edu
MA in Mathematics, SUNY Brockport
MS in Adolescence Education: Mathematics, University of Rochester
BS in Mathematics with minor in Secondary Education, Texas State University
AS in Mathematics, Austin Community College
Jingjing Fan
Email: jfan25@utexas.edu
BS in Computational Math Sciences, Arizona State University
BM in Keyboard Performance, Arizona State University
Research Interests: Bayesian nonparametrics, probabilistic machine learning, dynamic systems
Xinjie Fan
Email: xfan@utexas.edu
MS in Mathematics, Texas A&M University
BS in Mathematics, Beihang University, China
Mauricio Garcia Tec
Email: mauriciogtec@utexas.edu
MS in Mathematics (Part II of the Mathematical Tripos), University of Cambridge, U.K.
BS in Applied Mathematics, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico, Mexico
BS in Political Science, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico, Mexico
Research Interests: Bayesian machine learning, Bayesian nonparametrics, continual learning, statistical scalability, applied statistical modeling
Yiwei Gong
Email: yiwei.gong@utexas.edu
MS in Statistical Science, Duke University
BSc in Economics & Mathematics (First Class Honours), University of Bristol, U.K.
Research Interests: statistical machine learning, Bayesian methods, dynamic and hierarchical models
Xizewen Han
Email: xizewen.han@utexas.edu
MS in Data Science,Columbia University in the City of New York
BA in Mathematics, New York University
Research Interests: Bayesian statistics, deep learning
Rebecca Knowlton
Email: rknowlton@utexas.edu
BA in Mathematics, Trinity University
Yanxin Li
Email: yanxinli@utexas.edu
MS in Applied & Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame
BS in Electrical Engineering and Finance, Nankai Univeristy
Research Interests: machine learning, Bayesian parametric and nonparametric methods
Travis Lilley
Email: trlilley12@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, Texas A&M
BS in Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Research Interests: mental health clinical trials, missing data, censored data, survival analysis, causal inference
Qiaohui Lin
Email: qiaohui.lin@utexas.edu
MA in Economics, Duke University
BA in Economics, Fudan University
Research Interests: Bayesian methods, hierarchical models, machine learning and applications in social sciences
Vera Liu
Email: veraliu@utexas.edu
BA in Statistics, Rice University
Research Interests: Bayesian methodology and application on time-series data
Anna Morgan
Email: anna.morgan@utexas.edu
BS in Mathematics, Louisiana State University
Research Interests: Bayesian nonparametrics, missing data, causal inference, and applications in the social sciences
Blake Moya
Email: blakemoya@utexas.edu@utexas.edu
BS in Cognitive Science, The University of Texas at Dallas
Ciara Nugent
Email: ciara.nugent@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign
BS in Mathematics, English, Duke University
Evan Ott
Email: evan.ott@utexas.edu
BS in Physics, The University of Texas at Austin
BS in Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin
Giorgio Paulon
Email: giorgio.paulon@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS in Mathematical Engineering, École Centrale Paris, France
BS in Mathematical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Research Interests: Bayesian nonparametrics, statistical learning
Frank Rotiroti
Email: rotiroti@utexas.edu
MA in Mathematics, West Chester University
Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics, Penn State University
BA in Philosophy, Penn State University
Research Interests: high-dimensional statistics, stochastic optimization, time-series analysis and forecasting
Rimli Sengupta
Email: rsengupta@utexas.edu
MS in Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Korawat Tanwisuth
Email: korawat.tanwisuth@utexas.edu
MS in Business Analytics, The University of Texas at Austin
BS in Supply Chain Management, The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Research Interests: statistical machine learning, optimization
Angela Ting
Email: angelating@utexas.edu
BS in Mathematics, Statistics, Penn State University
Matteo Vestrucci
Email: matteo.vestrucci@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
BS in Statistics, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Mengjie Wang
Email: wangmj2013@utexas.edu
MS in Statistics, The University of Texas at Austin
BS in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Sichuan University, China
Shuying Wang
Email: shuying.wang@utexas.edu
BA in Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
Zhendong Wang
Email: zhendong.wang@utexas.edu
BS in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, China
Yuguang Yue
Email: yuguang@utexas.edu
MS in Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles
BS in Applied Mathematics, Fudan University, China
Research Interests: machine learning, optimization, Bayesian non-parametric methods
Steve Zhang
Email: szhang19@utexas.edu
BA in Statistics and Financial Economics, University of Rochester
Research Interests: deep learning and relevant areas
Huangjie Zheng
Email: huangjie.zheng@utexas.edu
MS in Electronic & Communication Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
BS in Information Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Diplôme d’ingénieur, École nationale supérieure des télécommunications (Télécom ParisTech), France
Research Interests: statistical machine learning, Bayesian inference, Bayesian deep learning and relevant areas like computer vision using probabilistic modeling
MS Students
The Master of Science in Statistics program at The University of Texas at Austin is administered through the Deparment of Statistics and Data Sciences, but has its own graduate advisor and graduate studies committee. The Graduate Studies Committee for this degree consists of faculty members from a variety of departments across campus. The focus of the program is a mix of theory and application.
Jamie Beech Byers
Email: j.beech.byers@utexas.edu
PhD student in Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
MS Civil Engineering, The University of California - Berkeley
BS Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: transportation infrastructure, prediction models, survival analysis, pavement information systems, transportation safety
Sercan Gul
Email: sercangul@utexas.edu
PhD student in Petroleum Engineering Department, The University of Texas at Austin
BS & MS: Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Turkey
Research Interests: automation, sensor development
Kiyeon Jeon
Email: kiyeonj@utexas.edu
PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
BS Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, South Korea
Research Interests: machine learning
Piaoping Jiang
Email: ippjune@utexas.edu
MA in Advertising, The University of Texas at Austin
BA in Journalism and Communication, Fudan University, China
Research Interests: statistical natural language processing and data mining
Yun Liu
Email: yunliu@utexas.edu
PhD student in Petroleum Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
BS (BA) Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China
Research Interests: numerical simulation of tubular buckling in a confined environment
Ziqi Liu
Email: zqliu212132@utexas.edu
PhD student in Community and Regional Planning, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: transportation economic impact, spatial inequality, megaregional policies
Alfonso J. Rojas-Alvarez
Email: arojasa@utexas.edu
PhD candidate at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin
Master in Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley
BS in Political Science, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Research Interests: urban and housing policy, machine learning, public health, Latin America
Mengjia Tang
Email: m.tang@utexas.edu
PhD Student in Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
MS in Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
BS in Environmental Engineering, Nanjing University, China
Research Interests: data analysis regarding building design and operation, occupant health
Wei Xie
Email: wei.xie@utexas.edu
PhD student in Geophysics, The University of Texas at Austin
BS (BA): Geophysics, University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
Research Interests: uncertainty analysis, machine learning
Lu Xing
Email: xinglu@utexas.edu
PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
BS (BA) in Ocean Engineering, Tianjin University, China
Research Interests: intelligent water distribution systems
