Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Dr. Kimberly Sellers (Photo: Roland Dimaya)

What do you regard as your greatest academic success?
Completing my Ph.D. requirements and receiving my degree. It’s something I wanted since I was in 3rd grade.

What is your idea of happiness?
Spending time with family and friends, and doing what I enjoy for a living.

Who or what was the greatest influence in your life that led to your career?
My parents, and a statistics instructor that I had while in my master’s program. When I was young, both of my parents had master’s degrees, so my perception of the world was that a master's degree was standard. This notion convinced me to believe that, when I became an adult, the status quo with regard to education would be to attain a Ph.D. in my field of study. Meanwhile, mathematics was always my favorite subject, so I knew early on that I would focus on either mathematics or something math-related. My father, being an academic himself, educated me at a young age about the low numbers of minority Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences, so my goal was to be one of the few.

While working in my master’s program, I took a statistics course with from the late Prof. Piotr Mikulski, a wonderful professor at the University of Maryland College Park. While I’d had previous experience in a statistics class, Dr. Mikulski explained the material in a way that made it exciting and interesting to me. My experience with him in that course sparked my interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in Statistics.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I would’ve learned about Statistics as a field of study sooner, and all of the associated benefits.

What do you enjoy about teaching?
I’ve always loved teaching, mostly for the opportunity to witness that “light-bulb” moment when I can see ideas “click” in students’ heads. So often, students are math-phobic by the time they enter college, usually due to bad experiences in their earlier training. Particularly relating to statistics, students usually expect it to be such a convoluted set of mathematics, yet I feel that it is probably one of the most natural areas of understanding.

If you could change one thing at Georgetown, what would it be?
To increase the importance, significance, and appreciation of Statistics on the campus. Statistics is one of the most important and useful tools from which students can benefit in today’s society. In every field of study, there is the need to collect and analyze data in order to further research in that field. Students having experience with statistics and quantitative expertise are highly marketable when they graduate.

How do you have fun?
Like most people—spending time with friends and/or family, going to the movies, or doing something recreational to stay active.

What is the best piece of advice you could give to your students?
Don’t make math so hard! It’s easier and more straightforward than you think!

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Not to take unfortunate outcomes or life experiences too personally.

What is your motto?
“Keep your eyes on the prize.” It certainly got me through graduate school.

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