About

Established in 1989, the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability (PSTAT) is a diverse community engaged in education and research. Our faculty members are actively involved in interdisciplinary research spanning Financial Mathematics, Data Science, Actuarial Science, Theoretical Statistics, Applied Probability, Applied Statistics, and Biostatistics. We actively recruit the highest-quality faculty and graduate students. 

In the past decade the Department has undergone a major transformation towards new data-driven initiatives, and plays a major role in the UCSB data science initiative. In response to a surging student interest in computational methods and data analytics we are developing a range of new courses and programs. The Department also hosts the Center for Financial Mathematics and Actuarial Research (CFMAR) which plays an international leadership role in quantitative finance, actuarial predictive analytics and stochastic modeling. We also provide consulting services through the DataLab.

The Department offers Bachelor's programs in Statistical Science, Actuarial Science, and Financial Mathematics and Statistics and counts more than 1300 undergraduate Majors. We are also home to more than 80 graduate students in programs including BS/MS in Actuarial Science, MA in Applied Statistics and PhD in Statistics and Applied Probability, including emphases in Financial Mathematics & Statistics, and Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences.

Located on the California coast 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, UCSB is a campus of the premier University of California system. Currently ranked #7 Public University in the nation (2022 Top public schools, US News and World Report), UCSB is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and comprehensive liberal arts learning experience.  UC Santa Barbara is one of only 62 research-intensive institutions in the U.S. and Canada elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities, cementing its status as a higher-education leader. UCSB is a minority serving institution, designated both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), by the US Department of Education, reflecting our undergraduate enrollment of Latinx/Chicanx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students. 

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At its core, our department views diversity and inclusion as critical within our mission to educate and prepare the future workforce of data scientists and quantitative thinkers. Increasing diversity across our field is essential in creating more productive, representative, and enriching outcomes as well as innovative solutions to critical problems. We recognize that historically, the job markets and academic communities in statistical theory and methods, financial mathematics, and actuarial science have been weighted toward racial, gender, and socioeconomically privileged communities. We are dedicated to correcting this imbalance in our own community.

 

Finding Us

The Statistics and Applied Probability Department is located on the 5th floor of South Hall. The Administrative offices are located in 5607. Graduate Student cubicles are located on the 5th floor of the Grad Tower at the southern end of South Hall. You can locate South Hall with the map below. Driving Directions: UCSB is located 9 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara and is accessed via State Highway 217 from US Highway 101 when heading northbound and via the Los Carneros exit from US Highway 101 when heading southbound. Information regarding parking and permits can be found at the Transportation and Parking Services Website.

 

Interactive Map of UCSB Campus noting the location of South Hall