Dr. Dean De Cock is an Associate Professor of Statistics at Truman State University who has had a varied career path involving both industry experience and higher education. He began with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University and worked as a project engineer for ALCOA, then obtained a Master's degree in Quality Management from the University of Iowa. He worked as a quality engineer for Maytag, during which time he received on-the-job statistical training. He then earned a PhD in Statistics and Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University, completing internships at various companies. He now teaches introductory statistics courses at Truman State University and encourages students to gain industry experience through internships.

1. Dr. Dean De Cock
Associate Professor Statistics
Truman State University
Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science

2. Outline
Background about me
 Where I’m at now (TSU)
 Where I’ve worked
 Where I’ve gone to school
 How statistics was involved
 Please ask questions!
Statistics in Industry
Employment
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3. Where is Truman?
Kirksville, MO
Pop. 17,000
3 hours from
everywhere….
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4. Truman State University
Public Liberal Arts Institution
 N=6000
 Primarily undergraduate
 Highly Selective (Average ACT=27)
 No engineering program (2/3 & 3/2)
 No statistic major
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5. Truman State University
STAT190 – Introductory Statistics
 Required for everyone
Statistics Minor (Theoretical)
Statistical Methods Minor (Applied)
Regression, Design of Experiments,
Quality Control, and Non-parametrics
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6. Why should you be interested?
Where I’m at now
 Truman State might not be that relevant
But how I got there
 Not your typical statistician…..
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7. Iowa State University
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
 Unusual that I am NOT a math major
 “Real” Engineer
 Thermo, Heat/Mass, Statistics/Dynamics, etc.
 Machine Design and HVAC
 Worked with fluidized bed combustors
 Almost no statistics!!!
 Internship at ALCOA after my 4th year
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8. ALCOA
Aluminum Company of America
 They make metal – sheet, plate, shapes
Project Engineer (2 years)
 Rarely used my degree
 Managed $$, manpower
 Furnace Gaging (R&R)
 Took my first Statistical Quality Class
 Ingot Saw (pre, post, purchase)
Economic Downturn($ back to school $)
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9. University of Iowa
MS in Quality Management and
Productivity (Stats, IE, & MBA)
Coursework
 Probability & Statistics, Regression, DOE,
Time Series, Multivariate Data Analysis,
Quality Control, Reliability, Administration,
Linear programming, Quality Engineering,
Interned at Maytag
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10. Maytag
Quality Engineer for Washing Machines
 Used my training in Engineering & Stats
 Day-to-Day Trouble shooting (JAT)
 Process improvement
 Teams, Teams, & more Teams
 Statistics
 Control charts
 Gage R&R’s (Repeatability & Reproducibility)
 Incoming Inspection/Dimensional Tolerancing
 Supplier Audits
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11. Maytag
Statistical training
 Control charting, DOE, Big Red X
I’m the statistical expert??!!
 Consultant
 Charting Multi-spindle machines
 R&D dryer design (DOE)
 Team Evaluation (Time Series)
 Recall issues
Back to school
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12. Iowa State University
Co-major Ph.D in Statistics and
Industrial Engineering (5.5 years)
 Coursework
 Probability & Statistics, Statistical Methods,
Design of Experiments I & II, Linear Models,
Categorical Data, Quality Control, Reliability,
Queuing Theory, Game Theory, Simulations,
Linear programming, Scheduling
 Consultant to the engineering college
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13. Internships (during Ph.D.)
Lennox – Quality Department
 Furnaces
 No Sweat Statistics
3M – Optical system (2 summers)
 Computer Glare Screens
 Statistics everywhere!!
Corning – Ceramics (NY)
 Catalytic Converter components
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14. Statistics in Industry
John Deere
 http://www.deere.com/en_US/careers/your_career/quality_eng.html
Boeing
 http://www.boeingsuppliers.com/supplier/d1-9000-1.pdf
ASQ
 Numerous companies in Midwest
Monster
 Six Sigma (black belt), Quality Engineer,
Design of Experiments, SPC, ASQ Cert.
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15. Internships – Get one!
Hardees-Ames Lab-Terracon Consult.
ALCOA (4th year) – Full time offer
Maytag (M.S.) – Full time offer
Lennox (Ph.D) – Quit graduate school?
3M (Ph.D.) – Full Time offer
Corning (Ph.D.)– Full Time offer
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16. Its not about the job!
It’s not about the work you do
 You will not accomplish anything useful in
a summer
But rather the type of worker you are
 Are you dependable? Are you self
motivated? Do you get things done?
Think of it as a 3 month job interview
 http://www.deere.com/en_US/careers/college/engineering_intern.html
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17. Conclusions
Almost every manufacturer collects data
Statistics is a tool for understanding
data
Take what you can here at the U of I
 Midwest Research Institute (MRI)
 Self taught
 Design of Experiments, Quality Control,
Quality Management
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18. Questions?
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