Department of Statistics

Department of Statistics
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

1940s

1940 Department of Experimental Statistics established
11/1940 First woman hired as full professor and department head

Gertrude Cox was hired as professor of statistics and head of the Department of Experimental Statistics. She was the first woman at State College hired as full professor and department head at the same time.

Professor Gertrude M. Cox portraitProfessor Gertrude M. Cox portrait
1946 First MS in experimental statistics conferred

Jeanne Freeman became the first woman and the first person to earn a MS degree in experimental statistics.

1949 Women faculty increased

Twenty-two women were listed on the faculty, most at the instructor or laboratory technician level. Departments with more than one woman employee included English (six), statistics (three), textiles (three), and modern languages (two). Women were also on the faculty in architecture, agricultural economics, mathematics, physics, social studies, chemistry, engineering, research, and agronomy.

1960s

1964 General Labs Building built

The General Labs Building originally housed the administrative offices for the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, as well as the Departments of Physics and Statistics. In 1970, it was renamed Cox Hall in honor of Gertrude Mary Cox, professor emeritus of experimental statistics.

Cox HallCox Hall

1970s

1970 Goodnight joined Department of Statistics

James H. Goodnight received an appointment as an assistant statistician in the new Department of Statistics. Over the next several years, Goodnight, a statistics student named John Sall, and others would lay the groundwork for SAS. SAS became one of the largest software providers in the world.

1970 Department of Experimental Statistics renamed

The Department of Experimental Statistics was renamed the Department of Statistics.

10/19/1970 Cox Hall dedicated

Formerly the General Labs Building, Cox Hall was dedicated in honor of Gertrude Mary Cox, professor emeritus of experimental statistics and the first woman named full professor at NC State. Cox Hall housed the physics and statistics departments.

Gertrude Cox standing in front of Cox HallGertrude Cox standing in front of Cox Hall
1975 Gertrude Cox elected to NAS

Statistics professor Gertrude Cox was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Gertrude Cox at deskGertrude Cox at desk

2000s

2000 Daniel L. Solomon named fourth dean of PAMS

Statistics professor Daniel L. Solomon was named the fourth dean of the college.

2009 SAS Hall dedicated

SAS Hall was dedicated as the new home of the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics. The 119,000 square-foot building housed state-of-the-art classrooms, computer labs, tutorial centers and meeting and study space for students and faculty.

SAS HallSAS Hall