1.3 Introductions

1.3.1 Instructor Introductions

The instructors for the course come to the program, and to statistics from different backgrounds. Instructors hold PhDs in statistics, astrophysics, biology, political science, computer science, and information.

1.3.2 What does a statistician look like? You!

Identity shapes how people approach and understand their world.

We would like to acknowledge that we have limited diversity of identity among the instructors for this course. We each have been fortunate to be able to study, but we want to acknowledge that the education system in the US has systematically benefited the hegemonic groups and marginalized others voices.

Every one of the instructors shares a core identity as an empathetic educator that wants to understand your strengths, areas for growth, and unique point of view that is shaped by who you are. We want to see a field of data scientists who embrace each others voices, and respects people for the identies that they hold.

• It doesn’t matter if you’ve never taken a stats class before, or if you’re reviewing using this class. There will be challenges for everyone to overcome.
• It doesn’t matter how old or young you are. We will all be learning frequentist statistics which is timeless.
• The color of your skin doesn’t matter; nor does whether you identify as a woman or a man or trans or non-binary; neither does your sexual orientation. There are legacies of exclusion and discrimination against people due to these identities. We will not continue to propagate those legacies and instead will work to controvert those discriminations to build a diverse community of learning in line with the University’s Principles of Community.