statistics is the mathematical science of data and consists of statistical principles and methods for collecting data, organizing data and analyzing data to make statistical decisions in practical situations involving uncertainty. statistics is an effective way to understand real-world problems and so being a statistician is exciting and rewarding. as a statistician, students cannot only develop statistical theory and methods in their own front yard, but also play in everyone’s backyard by working with researchers in many disciplines on important problems in the natural, physical, medical and social sciences.