This year’s Symposium in Mathematics and Statistics at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) was held on March 20. It continued a long-standing tradition of creating a welcoming, intellectually vibrant space where students, faculty, and visiting scholars come together to share ideas, celebrate scholarship, and deepen their appreciation for the mathematical sciences.
Dr. Lisa Kay, Foundation Professor of Statistics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, reflected on the event and the department’s ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful academic engagement noting that the symposium has always been designed with students at its center. “Historically, one of the main purposes of the symposium is to give students an opportunity to speak,” she explained. “Sometimes their talks are expository, but sometimes they are presenting research such as honors or master’s theses.
Undergraduate MaHalie Hamilton said, “Participating in the symposium was a great opportunity to present my research in a formal setting. It provided a supportive and intellectually engaging environment where I could share ideas with fellow peers and faculty.” In addition to student presentations, the symposium often features plenary talks by faculty from other institutions or notable alumni, as well as short presentations by EKU faculty.
This year’s symposium it delivered strong intellectual impact through its keynote presentation by Dr. Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director of the American Statistics Association (ASA). “Dr. Wasserstein is a highly respected professional in the field of statistics,” Dr. Kay shared. “His message about challenging traditional ideas regarding p-values is important for faculty and students in our department and across campus.”
The department chose Dr. Wasserstein because his work addresses a topic at the forefront of statistical thinking and research practice. His keynote offered attendees a clear understanding of how to more accurately interpret statistical results, a skill that is essential not only for its application in advanced statistical research, but also across many academic and professional fields. Dr. Kay and her colleagues are confident the talk helped participants more confidently navigate complex statistical concepts, especially those widely used but often misunderstood.
The keynote drew the largest audience of the day, attracting EKU students and faculty from multiple departments and campus community members. The event also featured a game room that included a variety of pies in honor of Pi Day (3/14). Feedback about the symposium has been overwhelmingly positive. The event’s energy, engaged audience, and robust participation reaffirmed the value of hosting cross-disciplinary conversations around mathematical and statistical reasoning. Graduate student Bryan McDaniel reflected on the day: “Ron Wasserstein made it clear that data analysis is not about chasing a magic number. It’s about understanding uncertainty and making careful, informed judgments. Games, activities, and pie were top-notch.”
Dr. Kay emphasized that the symposium’s impact extends beyond the keynote. Student presenters gained valuable experience speaking in academic settings, while attendees benefited from exposure to a wide range of mathematical and statistical ideas. “Bringing in outside experts exposes our faculty and students to new ideas and may encourage collaboration,” she said.
Looking ahead, the department hopes this year’s event will inspire broader campus conversations about mathematical and statistical thinking. When asked about the next symposium, Dr. Kay anticipated a continued variety in the topics presented. “We would expect topics in future symposia to continue to be quite varied, as they have been in past years,” she noted. Since this year’s plenary talk highlighted the field of statistics, the department plans to invite at least one plenary speaker in mathematics for next year’s program to balance disciplines and ensure robust intellectual representation.
With its student-centered focus, expert perspectives, and strong engagement from across campus, the Symposium in Mathematics and Statistics remains a cornerstone annual event in the College of STEM, one that continues to strengthen the scholarly community and support the next generation of thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators. The department would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the symposium a success. Special thanks to Dr. Joshua Qualls for chairing the symposium committee and to Kristin Whaley for organizing the Pi Day festivities.