Statistical Education Project
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Contact
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Jim
Filliben
Statistical Engineering
Division
Information Technology
Laboratory
301-975-2846
james.filliben@nist.gov
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Impetus/How Project Began
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Since the inception of the Statistical Engineering Division
by Churchill Eisenhart in 1947, education and training of the
NIST staff has been a core component to the division's service,
consulting, communication, and research mission. The benefits
of such education are 5-fold:
- Understanding of relevant probabilistic, data analytic, and
experiment design methodology by the NIST technical staff,
with subsequent improved (= greater efficiency, cost-saving,
and insight) SRM certification, calibration, interlab
studies, engineering experiments, and scientific
investigations.
- An appreciation and understanding by SED (Statistical
Engineering Division) staff of the types of
scientific/engineering problems being dealt with by NIST
staff. This keeps SED staff "grounded" and avoids laboring
on elegant solutions to problems of no relevance to the
NIST scientists/engineers. Jack Youden was a superb example
of such a "solving real problems" focus.
- A synergistic augmentation of SED's consulting function:
many staff students subsequently become SED consulting
clients, bringing both short-term and long-term projects
to the focus of SED staff.
- A further synergy occurs when SED teaching staff and NIST
staff students subsequently develop a collaborative
relationship to work on and publish (statistical
and engineering) methodological improvements which occur
as a natural culmination of the 3-node
teaching-consulting-collaboration cycle.
- SED teachers frequently go on to publish their statistical
methodologies in papers, monographs, and books. Youden's
Monograph Series for the American Chemical Association,
Natrella's Experimental Statstics book, and the
web-based
SEMATECH/NIST Engineering Statistics Handbook
are examples of products which have resulted from the
teaching experiences of the SED authors.
The tradition of excellence in the SED education program started
in the 1950's with the superb teaching talents of the
division's Jack Youden and Mary Natrella, both of whom are
honored annually via awards and/or sessions at the national
statistical professional society meetings. The epitome of
NIST-relevant teaching was captured by SED's Mary Natrella's
subsequent book "Experimental Statistics" (1978) which
is #2 on the all-time NIST best-selling books (400,000+)
(after AMS55: Handbook of Mathematical Functions").
In the 1970's and 1980's, training remained an important
function for SED-NIST communication, with an aggressive and
ongoing series of talks and specialized courses.
In the 1990's, SED teaching became more diversified, via
several different formats:
- Short courses (on-site and off-site) on specific topics
(e.g., experiment design, uncertainty analysis).
- Series of short courses on a variety of topics (e.g., the
Statistics for Scientists series).
- Web-based training via e-books (e.g., The NIST/SEMATECH
Engineering Statistics Handbook).
We highlight statistical education with 4 examples:
- NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook (e-book).
- Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers Short Course.
- Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
- Professional Society Short Courses.
Example 1:
NIST/SEMATECH
Engineering Statistics Handbook (e-book).
Inspired by the style and content of Mary Natrella's
"Experiment Statistics" book (1978), SEMATECH approached NIST
in 1995 regarding the possibility of writing a modernized update
of Mary's book (in both content and form--e-book). A CRADA was
subsequently formed involving a working team of 8 staff members
(4 from SEMATECH/AMD and 4 from NIST). Work on this extensive
(2000 web-page) e-book is near completion. It is anticipated
that it will serve as an invaluable resource for industry and
university training alike. It comes with a "course builder"
feature that automates the topic selection process for easy
tailoring to a classroom environment.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
With the advent of improved data analysis techniques, the major
impediment in scientific/engineering investigations shifted from
the ability to analyze data to the ability to generate meaningful
data. This week-long course on experiment design--techniques
and tools to construct meaningful and bias-free experimental
plans--was initially presented in 1990. It has subsequently
been presented on an annual basis to NIST staff and on a less
frequent basis to audiences from industry/government/academia.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
The variety of problems encountered by the NIST scientist/engineer
is broad and diverse--as is the variety of statistical solutions
needed to solve these problems. In this context, a unified
effort was initiated in 1995 to present an integrated,
comprehensive and ongoing series of short courses on
topics of specific import and relevance to NIST. Topics include
exploratory data analysis, intervals and uncertainty
analysis, regression, ANOVA, time series analysis, and more.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
The NIST scientists/engineers which SED staff consult with
belong to a variety of discipline-specific professional societies.
To assist in the transfer of methodology to external
professionals who rely on NIST services and expertise, SED
staff and NIST clients have collaborated in presenting a
variety of discipline-specific short courses at (or in
conjunction with) various professional societies. These
short-courses (e.g., Uncertainty Analysis Techniques,
Data Mining, etc.) have been particularly well received
and have served to reach out to the broader scientific community.
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Objective(s)
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The NIST laboratory has over 1300 scientists and engineers
formulating investigations, planning experiments, collecting
data, analyzing data, and deriving scientific/ engineering
conclusions. All of these scientific-method components may
benefit from both the general and NIST-specific statistical
principles and techniques developed over the years in conjuction
with SED staff expertise/experience. The ultimate
objective in statistical training is to assure valid,
supportable, repeatable scientific/engineering conclusions
while maximizing insight and minimizing experimentalist
time/cost. It is the aim of SED training to mazimize the
leverage of the limited-size SED by putting the best statistical
tools in the hands of the NIST scientist/engineer.
Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
- Audience : Semiconductor industry engineers,
NIST scientists/engineers, general scientific/engineering/
industrial community.
- Objective: To provide a comprehensive and complete
internet-accessible on-line handbook of statistical
methods (including experiment design) for
(nominally) the semiconductor engineer but
(in fact) for the broader science/engineering community.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
- Audience: NIST/industrial scientists and engineers.
- Objective: To provide state-of-the-art techniques for the
construction and analysis of designed experiments in
scientific/engineering applications.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
- Audience: NIST scientists/enineers.
- Objective: To provide in-depth information on statistical
methodology appropriate for NIST programs in SRM,
calibration, science, and engineering.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
- Audience: Industrial and academic scientists and engineers.
- Objective: To provide detailed instruction on the latest
statistical strategies/methods relevant to a specific
scientific/engineering area.
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FTE
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
- FTE (1998): 2.0
- FTE (1999): 2.0
- FTE (2000): 2.0
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
- Last taught: December 1997
- 2 SED staff members; now 1.
- FTE (1998): 0.1
- FTE (1999): 0.0
- FTE (2000): 0.0
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
- 8 SED staff members; now 5.
- Number of short courses taught this year: 0.
- Last short course taught : December 1999
- FTE (1998): 0.5
- FTE (1999): 0.2
- FTE (2000): 0.0
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
- 3 SED staff members; now 1.
- FTE (1998): 0.2
- FTE (1999): 0.1
- FTE (2000): 0.1
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Timeline/
Milestones
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
Completion date is end of calendar year 2000.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
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NIST Involvement
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
- Carroll Croarkin
- Will Guthrie
- Alan Heckert
- Jim Filliben
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
- Will Guthrie
- Jim Filliben
- Stefan Leigh
- Mark Vangel
- Nien-Fan Zhang
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
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What Work Has ITL Done
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
- Carroll Croarkin: wrote Measurement Process Characterization
chapter, edited Exploratory Data Analysis and
Product Comparisons chapter, project management, web design.
- Jim Filliben: co-wrote Exploratory Data Analysis chapter,
edited Production Process Characterization and Process
Improvement chapters, software development, web design.
- Will Guthrie: wrote Process Modeling chapter, web design.
- Alan Heckert: co-wrote Exploratory Data Analysis chapter,
added case studies in several other chapters, software
development, web design.
- Nien Fan Zhang: edited Process Monitoring and Control
chapter.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
- Jim Filliben: present part of 5-day course.
- Eric Lagergren: present part of 5-day course.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
- Jim Filliben: present Exploratory Data Analysis.
- Will Guthrie: present Regression Models.
- Stefan Leigh: present ANOVA.
- Mark Vangel: present Statistical Concepts.
- Nien Fan Zhang: present Time Series Analysis.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
- Carroll Croarkin: present mass measurement course.
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What Work Has Been Done By Collaborators
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
- Barry Hembree: wrote Production Process Characterization
chapter, web design.
- Jack Prins: wrote Process Monitoring and Control
chapter, co-wrote Product and Process Comparison chapter,
web design, software development.
- Paul Tobias: wrote Assessing Product Reliability chapter,
co-wrote Product and Process Comparison chapter,
co-wrote Process Improvement chapter, web design.
- Ledi Trutna : co-wrote Process Improvement chapter.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Does not apply since there are no collaborators.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Does not apply since there are no collaborators.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
Non-SED NIST collaborators typically taught
half of each course.
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What Developments Have Occurred and How Has the Project Changed
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
After the first year of collaboration, the focus shifted
totally from the possibility of a paper book to
exclusively an e-book.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Due to the staff shortage and the corresponding displaced
workload, this course was not given this year.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Specific topics vary each year and available SED staff. Due
to such staff shortages, this has been a reduced year.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
Due to staff shortages, this has been a reduced year.
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Publications or Artifacts
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
The 2000-page handbook is currently undergoing a WERB
review.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Course notes are provided, but there is no formal publication.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Course notes are provided, but there is no formal publication.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
Course notes are provided, but there is no formal publication.
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What Industries Have Benefited From NIST's Work and How
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
The SEMATECH semiconductor consortium companies have access
to the Handbook from the SEMATECH web page (and will be able
to mirror the SEMATECH site to their own local web pages).
The Handbook is available to NIST scientists and engineers.
The Handbook is available to any industry/company with
web-access.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
This course has been taught to many NIST scientists and
engineers. In addition, numerous manufacturing companies
have sent their engineers and scientists to this course.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
These courses are provided to NIST scientists and engineers.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
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Acknowledgements of the ITL's Effort
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The tradition of excellence in the SED education program started
in the 1950's with the superb teaching talents of the
division's Jack Youden and Mary Natrella, both of whom are
annually honored via awards and/or sessions at the national
statistical professional society meetings. The epitome of
NIST-relevant teaching was captured by SED's Mary Natrella's
subsequent book "Experimental Statistics" (1978) which is number 2
on the all-time NIST best selling books (400,000+) (after
AMS55: Handbook of Mathematical Functions).
SED instructors routinely solicit feedback from participants; for
example,
"Course has been invaluable! I'm no expert now, but am aware
of what to look for, know what references can help, and know
where in NIST I can get help." (January 1999)
"These short courses are excellent for general knowledge as
well as guidance on problems. All scientists and (sic)
should be encouraged to participate. They also be used as
a model for courses given by other labs". (December 1997)
Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
We have a feedback button on our web page and have already
recieved numerous questions, comments, and corrections from
many users of the Handbook. Some of these users are
solicited users (i.e., the SEMATECH consortium companies),
but many are from companies with whom we have had no previous
contacts.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
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Future Related Activities
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
This e-book will wind up at the end of the
calendar year. Updates and augmentations
will continue beyond on an as-needed basis.
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
On hold due to displaced workload from reduced SED staff.
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
On hold due to displaced workload from reduced SED staff.
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
A course is planned for the American Chemical Society.
Otherwise, reduced effort due to departure of staff.
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Additional Information
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Example 1: NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook
(e-book)
Additional web pages related to the Handbook are:
Example 2: Experiment Design for Scientists and Engineers
Short Course.
Additional web pages related to the Dex Workshop:
Example 3: Statistics for Scientists Short Course Series.
Additional web pages related to the Statistics for Scientists
COurses:
Example 4: Professional Society Short Courses.
Additional web pages related to professional society short
courses:
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Date created: 6/5/2001
Last updated: 6/19/2001
Please email comments on this WWW page to
sedwww@nist.gov.
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