The Rick White Award was established in 2017 to recognize students who demonstrate excellence in statistical science through collaboration with investigators in another discipline on a substantial application. The award honours the memory of Rick White who served the Department and the University with his gifts in applied statistics.
Rick was a UBC alumnus, receiving his BSc in Mathematics in 1990 and his MSc in Statistics in 1992. Upon graduation, Rick began his career with the Statistics Department's Statistical Consulting and Research Laboratory (currently called the Applied Statistics and Data Science Group—ASDa) as a consultant, moving up to the position of Managing Director. Through his leadership, Rick brought to ASDa a legacy of collaborative research and high level consulting contributions. Rick was a “data scientist” long before that phrase came into common use, providing statistical support and training to many, furthering the goals of researchers and administrators within the Statistics Department and elsewhere at UBC, as well as off-campus.
The award is given annually to an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a Statistics program. The award is supported by the Statistics Department and by those who contribute to the Rick White Memorial Fund.