National Institute of Statistical Sciences
19 T. W. Alexander Drive
P.O. Box 14006
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-4006
Tel: 919.685.9300
FAX: 919.685.9310
admin@niss.org

An Introduction to NISS

What Is NISS? NISS is an independent research institute, established in 1991 by the national statistics societies and the Research Triangle universities, and charged to

• Perform and stimulate cross-disciplinary research involving statistics;
• Confront complex, relevant data-driven scientific problems of national importance;
• Provide career development opportunities for statisticians and scientists, especially those in the formative stages of their careers.

The parent organizations of NISS include the American Statistical Association, the International Biometric Society, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Institute is governed by a Board of Trustees (currently chaired by John C. Bailar, III, of the University of Chicago) representing the parent organizations and the statistical and scientific communities. Scientific leadership is vested in Jerome Sacks, Director (also, Professor, Statistics and Decision Sciences, Duke University), and Alan F. Karr, Associate Director (also, Professor, Statistics and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

Located in Research Triangle Park, NC, as the result of a national competition, NISS will occupies its own building, at 19 Alexander Drive.

What Kind of Research Does NISS Do? Research as NISS is project-oriented and directed at solution of difficult scientific problems, with strong feedback to statistical methodology and theory. Support comes from government agencies, industrial partners and the Research Triangle universities. Cross-cutting themes of NISS research are design of data collection, large data sets, complexity, heterogeneity, data integration, data quality and evaluation. Current large projects include:

Environment: Health effects of airborne particulates; quality of drinking water

Large Data Sets: Drug discovery (in partnership with Glaxo Wellcome); computer intrusion (partnered by AT&T)

Software Engineering: Code decay in legacy systems (in partnership with Lucent Technologies)

Transportation: Travel demand forecasting; synthesis of travel behavior, intelligent transportation systems; deterioration of concrete

Smaller efforts address educational evaluation (in conjunction with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics), insurance (partnered by British Petroleum) and materials science.

An Institute-wide postdoctoral program facilitates strong participation of junior personnel, who have played decisive roles in the research.

Work on these projects occurs at NISS headquarters, the Research Triangle universities and a number of satellite sites, including the University of California Berkeley, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Missouri, Northwestern University, AT&T Laboratories and Bell Laboratories.

Products of the research include books, journal articles, technical reports and software.

What is the Scale of NISS? Currently, research expenditures at NISS are $2.5 million annually, which supports the involvement of more than forty senior statisticians and scientists (drawn from universities, industry and government laboratories across the U.S.), eleven postdoctoral fellows and ten graduate students. Corporate partners include AT&T, British Petroleum, Glaxo Wellcome and Lucent Technologies. The new 16,000 square foot NISS building will provide space for forty resident researchers, together with classrooms, computing facilities and conference rooms.

How Can One Become Involved with NISS? With the completion of the NISS building, opportunities for engagement in NISS research will increase dramatically. Senior statisticians and scientists can participate in development of a proposed project, or may join a project already in progress. Visits to NISS, often joint with a visit to a Triangle university, lead to involvement in the research not only during but also after the visit. Recent Ph.D. recipients can become postdoctoral fellows at NISS, with appointments of 2-3 years' duration. Graduate students participate under the guidance of senior project personnel (often, their advisors).

Is Additional Information Available? Yes! Please consult the following sources:

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