BS Mathematics 2008
Brian Burdi, BS Mathematics 2008, is a statistical analyst in the pharmaceutical industry who lives in Shepherdstown, WV with his fiancée and Bruce the dog.
In his own words:
I transferred to Monmouth after my freshman year with the desire to be closer to home, and I decided that Monmouth University was the place for me. My love for math started
in high school because each problem I faced was like a puzzle that had to be solved. Also, I was never a fan of memorization. During my first year at Monmouth, I got a job at the math tutoring center under Judy Toubin and got to work with extremely smart people from whom I learned so much. The class work was challenging and proved to be invaluable for my future in the world of mathematics and statistics. Monmouth was the perfect place for me because every professor always had time for their students and worked with them to ensure that they truly understood the challenging material. During my tenure there, my classmate Jared and I were able to take a class working on a statistical consulting project under Dr. Bastian that sparked a desire to continue my studies in statistics.
After graduating from Monmouth, I applied to graduate school to study statistics. It was a scary step in my life but one that I’m happy that I took. After being accepted to West Virginia University’s
Department of Statistics, my journey continued. During this time I served as a graduate teaching assistant and was given the opportunity to teach four lectures of over one hundred students each. Needless to say, I got over my fear of public speaking rather quickly. The coursework was rigorous with a nice balance between applied and theoretical statistics. At times it was very challenging, but everything I
learned at MU provided me with the tools I needed to succeed in my studies. At WVU I learned even more about how statistics could be applied to the world around us, from estimating the
number of pulsars in the universe to application in agricultural production. Knowing the possibilities for what I could do in my future was very exciting, but overwhelming.
After I graduated, I took a job as a business intelligence consultant. My responsibilities included building reports and dashboards for many different organizations and companies. After some time in this field, I transitioned to the world of biostatistics, where I now work as a statistical analyst. Working on pharmaceuticals that have the potential to make people’s lives significantly better is very
rewarding and satisfying. On a daily basis, I use techniques that I learned in linear algebra to make my code efficient.
My education at Monmouth provided me with the skills and knowledge necessary to embark on a career in statistics that is just now beginning to blossom. Because of Monmouth University, I know I can rely on my education to move me forward towards my professional goals. I will always be grateful to the Mathematics Department for their contributions to my education in mathematics and statistics and for inspiring my passion for those fields.