The American Statistical Association has announced that Baylor University has received its 2012 Statistical Partnerships among Academe, Industry and Government (SPAIG) Award. The award recognizes outstanding partnerships established between academic institutions and business, industry and government organizations, and is designed to promote new partnerships.

In its nomination materials, the ASA points up the benefits of the type of interaction between universities, businesses and governmental organizations that the award recognizes. “Many such partnerships begin with one statistician within each organization sharing ideas,” the ASA materials note. “This may lead to exchange visits, support for graduate students, consulting jobs, grant support for faculty and continuing education opportunities for statisticians outside of academe. Through these activities statistical problems from outside academe become classroom examples and dissertation topics.”

The ASA is recognizing Baylor for “the strong and enduring relationship between Baylor University and Eli Lilly which has brought methodological enhancements to both clinical and non-clinical pharmaceutical applications.”

The letter to Baylor announcing the award goes on to say, “We also noted that this successful collaboration has paved the way for partnerships between Eli Lilly and three other universities. It is clear that this partnership has been beneficial to both parties. The impressive number of graduate students and faculty supported by Eli Lilly as well as the hiring of Baylor graduate students indicates that the partnership is highly valued by both entities.”

Past winners of the SPAIG Award include Harvard, Rutgers, Iowa State, Temple and North Carolina State universities as well as the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania.

The SPAIG Award will be formally presented to Baylor at an ASA meeting in San Diego July 31.