Michael Baron, Ph.D.

When I can relate material to the students’ majors and their future careers, line up a collection of interesting stimulating examples, and motivate my students to think analytically, critically, and logically, to ask intelligent questions, to explore topics, to see big pictures, to argue for the best methods, and to understand not only my accent but also my jokes, I think the class is useful. When the students realize what it means to make well-founded decisions under uncertainty, interpret data, know strengths and limitations of statistical methods and what to do when key assumptions fail to be satisfied, and when they can use these skills in practical situations, I think the mission is completed.