Dr. Nicole Lazar

Professor

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Biography

Nicole Lazar is a Professor and Department Head of Statistics at Penn State University. She received her Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Chicago in 1996 and holds an M.S. in Statistics from Stanford University (1993) and a B.A. in Psychology and Statistics from Tel Aviv University (1988). Her research interests focus on the foundations of statistical inference, particularly in functional neuroimaging data, including model selection and multiple testing problems in the context of modern large-scale data analysis. Lazar's pioneering work involves the statistical analysis of cognitive neuroscience data, especially using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Her expertise also extends to topological data analysis methods applied to scientific questions in psychology and climatology, evidencing a cross-disciplinary approach that integrates statistics, mathematics, and computer science. She is an author of the book "Statistical Analysis of Functional MRI Data" published by Springer, and her work has been featured in leading statistics and neuroscience journals. Lazar has served as an editor for various statistics journals and was the President of the Caucus for Women in Statistics in 2019. She previously held positions at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Georgia before joining Penn State in 2020.

Research Interests

Experience

Department Head

2020-01-01 — Present

Penn State University • University Park, PA

Oversees the Department of Statistics, driving academic and research initiatives.

Professor

2020-01-01 — Present

Penn State University • University Park, PA

Engaged in teaching and research in the field of statistics.

Faculty, Interim Department Head

2014-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Carnegie Mellon University •

Led the department in administrative and academic functions.

Faculty

2010-01-01 — 2014-01-01

University of Georgia •

Contributed to teaching and research activities in statistics.

Awards

#

Fellow

2021-01-01
#

Fellow

2014-01-01
#

Elected Member

2006-01-01

Courses

STAT 470W STAT 512 STAT 580 STAT 581

Requirements for Pennsylvania State University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:23
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7
GRE General
Prerequisites
Master's degree in related field for PhD Baccalaureate degree from accredited institution
Application Checklist
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Writing Sample
  • Official Transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE scores are highly recommended but not strictly required for Applied Linguistics.