Pfizer Colloquium Series

A Brief History of This Project

            In view of the historical importance of this project, this joint initiative has been continually supported by funding from Pfizer Global Research and Development-Groton, Connecticut, the Department of Statistics at the University of Connecticut-Storrs, and the American Statistical Association (ASA).

            After Professor Posten's death in March 2002 and Dr. Salsburg's retirement from Pfizer, Professor Nitis Mukhopadhyay of the University of Connecticut-Storrs and Dr. Naitee Ting (then with Pfizer) served as program leaders for the respective organizations. After  Dr. Ting moved to Boehringer-Ingelheim, Dr. William T. Duggan of Pfizer took over the role of Dr. Ting in August 2009.           

           There is a "National Committee" consisting of the following members:

• Jimmy Efird                                          Term Ends December 2014

• Charles Goldsmith                                Term Ends December 2014

• John Mckenzie                                     Term Ends December 2014

• Nitis Mukhopadhyay (Chair)                Term Ends December 2015

• Emanuel Parzen                                   Term Ends December 2013

• Mark Payton                                       Term Ends December 2013

• Dave Salsburg                                     Term Ends December 2013

• William B. Smith                                  Term Ends December 2009  

• Naitee Ting                                          Term Ends December 2014

            At the recommendation of this national committee, a local organizing committee consisting of Professors Zhiyi Chi, Ming-Hui Chen, Dipak K. Dey, and Nitis Mukhopadhyay (chair) invite the most distinguished statistical scientist to the campus of the University of Connecticut-Storrs.

          Along with this featured guest of honor, two other distinguished statisticians are also normally invited.

          The featured guest of honor delivers a special lecture under the auspices of "Pfizer Colloquia by Distinguished Statisticians in Honor of Dr. David S. Salsburg". Then, a "conversation" with the featured guest of honor and the other two distinguished statisticians is arranged under the auspices of "Conversations with Distinguished Statisticians in Memory of Professor Harry O. Posten".

          These are campus-wide live events, normally held on a Thursday evening, and they are open to all, free of any charge.

Films for the Archive of ASA         

        The same special lecture and the conversation segments are filmed in a studio, normally on the following Friday. This filming session is open only to the participants and the local committee members.

       Both films are eventually sent to the American Statistical Association for safe-keeping in its historical archive.

      One may purchase any of these Distinguished Statistician's Films directly from the ASA. If interested, you may get a quote of a price and other details from: