Name: Candace Berrett
BYU employee since: August 2010
My job at BYU is… associate professor in the Department of Statistics. I build models using data to better understand and make decisions about our world. I teach students tools and skills they need to do the same.
Currently I’m working on… modeling temperature changes across Utah and coronavirus spread in a university community; looking closely at some statistical models called restricted spatial regression and multi-category spatial regression.
I’m currently reading… "I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness" by Austin Channing Brown, "The Moment of Lift" by Melinda Gates, "The Baby Sitters Club Graphix" novels by Raina Telgemeier, Gale Galligan, and Ann M. Martin (my daughter's current favorites), and "Mighty Machines: Trains" (my son's current favorite).
I get most excited about my work when… I solve a challenging problem, whether it's simply finding a bug in my code, making a readable and pretty plot from complex data or analyses, developing difficult models, or helping a student understand a concept they've been struggling with.
Students don’t think I notice… that they want to learn and succeed, even when it's hard or they don't see a direct link to their future work (yet).
My favorite lecture to teach is… one that involves food or clever uses of mathematics.
My most cherished memories at BYU are... with people. From my many mentors to valued friendships to lessons from students.
On Saturday mornings you’ll find me… running, grocery shopping and doing laundry (woohoo!).
Three things that are always found in my refrigerator are… milk, cheese and yogurt. (Plus ice cream in my freezer to round out the apparent dairy theme here.)
One item on my bucket list is… to write a book.
My favorite joke is… "Why are dragons big, green, and scaly? Because if they were small, white, and smooth they'd be a tic tac." Thanks to a friend from junior high for that one; I've been laughing at it ever since (much to my teenage sons' chagrin).
