Alumni Notes

Hank Elgin

I am halfway through the first term here at the University of Essex in Colchester.  I am doing a taught MSc program in Statistics and Econometrics.  I did consider Sheffield as I think they have one of the better statistics programs in England.  However, if I remember correctly, it is a bit more theoretical and I was looking for an applied program.  I am sure things have changed a lot since this university was founded in about 1964.

This term I have an Experimental Designs and a Stochastic Processes lecture along with Econometric Methods and Economics of Financial Markets.  Next term I will have Linear Models, Time Series and Empirical Methods of Economics and Finance.  It s a 12 month program and I will take exams and write a dissertation with the remaining time.

Colchester is a 50-minute, direct train ride northeast of London so it is quite accessible.  I am also only within a couple of hours flight of the rest of Europe.  I hope to spend some time in Germany while I am here.  Studying there for two years as an undergraduate left a big impression on me and I really enjoyed myself there.  I have visited the UK the last two years and have seen different areas thus it has not be a completely new experience.  A good friend from California is living west of London at the moment.

Laine Thomas

I graduated last summer and have been at Duke for about a year now.  I love it.  There is great variety.  I do some teaching, research and consulting.  We still miss California and always think about moving back.  I’m pretty sure we’ll give it a good three years before deciding.  Duke is a great place to be and Steven has a job at RTI.  I hope we can visit you all at Cal Poly sometime in the future.  Best wishes!

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