Numerical information bombards today's world, challenging us to separate fact from fiction so that we can make informed decisions, and statisticians enjoy this challenge. They work in business, industry, government, and research, helping frame questions and determine what information is needed to answer them. They design experiments or surveys that generate relevant data, and then they analyze the data and communicate the results.
Statisticians have been instrumental in countless advances. For example, statisticians designed and analyzed the field trials that demonstrated the effectiveness of the polio vaccine; they used historical data to demonstrate racial bias in the use of the death penalty; and they designed and carried out clinical trials that showed drug treatment in HIV-positive pregnant women reduced the rate of infection in their babies.