Applications for Natrella Scholarship Being Accepted

The Quality and Productivity Section announces the 2013 Mary G. and Joseph Natrella Scholarship, which supports student participation in the Quality and Productivity Research Conference (QPRC). Winners will receive a $3,500 grant, $500 stipend toward travel and housing expenses, and complimentary registration for the conference and pre-conference tutorial. In addition, winners will give a presentation on their research at the QPRC, which will be held in Niskayuna, New York, from June 5–7.

Eligibility

Application is open to students who are pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree full-time in an accredited college or university. Students must have a demonstrated interest in quality applications as evidenced by course work, research topic, prior work experience, etc. Applicants should be prepared to make a presentation of their research at the 2013 Quality and Productivity Research Conference. Applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, military status, race, or sexual orientation.

Important Dates

The application deadline is March 1. Scholarship recipients will be selected by March 22, and scholarships will be awarded at the QPRC banquet on June 5.

Application materials consist of an application and reference form.

If you have questions, please contact a member of the scholarship committee at natrella.scholarship.committee@gmail.com.

Scholarship Background

The scholarship, funded by the Mary G. and Joseph Natrella Scholarship Fund and the Quality and Productivity Research Conference, was initiated by a contribution to the ASA Quality and Productivity Section by Joseph Natrella at the time of Mary Natrella’s death to honor her many contributions to the advancement of statistical methodology and sound statistical practice in engineering and the physical sciences. The Natrellas always maintained a strong mutual interest in quality applications of statistics.

Mary was a staff member of the Statistical Engineering Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Joe’s career was primarily with the Department of Defense and NASA as a mathematician in charge of data processing and computations. Mary’s most important publication, NBS Handbook 91: Experimental Statistics, is one of NIST’s best-selling publications.