EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Name of Candidate: Susan J. Simmons

Department: Mathematics and Statistics

Personnel Action applied for: Promotion to Full Professor

Teaching – Dr. Simmons has taught over 20 different courses, graduate and

undergraduate, for the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She has developed

new courses, such as Environmetrics and Applied Statistical Methods, and has taught

two directed independent study courses. Dr. Simmons is very involved in academic

advising and usually advises more than 10 undergraduate students each semester.

She encourages students to attend workshops at Statistics and Applied Mathematics

Sciences Institute (SAMSI) and apply for local internships. She has been on three

undergraduate honors theses committees within the department and eleven outside the

department. She is also very active in the graduate program and has directed nineteen

graduate theses/projects and been a member on seven theses committees within the

department and three theses committees outside the department. Nine of her graduate

students presented their research at professional conferences. Eight of these students

received travel grants from the graduate school at UNCW and the other student

received a travel grant from the Southern Regional Conference of Statistics (SRCoS).

Research/Scholarly Activities – Dr. Simmons has a very active research program in

bioinformatics and Environmetrics. She has published twenty-five peer-reviewed

manuscripts, of which six of them were done with students at UNCW. She has

published in journals such as Statistical Methodology, Journal of Applied Statistics,

Journal of the Indian Society of Agricultural Statistics, Environmetrics and

Bioinformation. She has made eighteen presentations at professional conferences and

has been invited to present her research at other universities and a government

agency. Dr. Simmons is an associate editor of Environmetrics and has been

responsible for ten submissions to the journal. She was approached this past year to

be an editor for a special edition in Environmetrics entitled Quantitative Risk

Assessment. Dr. Simmons, along with her co-editor Dr. Lelys Bravo completed the

edition which is now available online. Dr. Simmons has refereed numerous articles

for journals such as the Journal of American Statistical Association, Statistical

Science and Risk Analysis. Dr. Simmons was recruited to review a report for the

National Research Council of the National Academies. The 200-page report was

written by an ad-hoc committee to review the EPA’s report on Formaldehyde. The

paper-back report is included in the Volume II binder (Dr. Simmons name is

mentioned in the preface). Dr. Simmons is an elected member of the International

Statistics Institute (ISI).

Service – Dr. Simmons is very active in her service to the statistics profession and at

the university. Dr. Simmons served as the Program Chair for the Analysis of Risk

Section of the American Statistical Association for 2008 and as Chair for this section

in 2011. She is currently nominated to serve as the Council of Section represented for

this section in 2014 (elections will take place in spring 2013). She has served on the

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planning committee for the Eastern North America conference of the Biometrics

Society. In the department of mathematics and statistics, she is the undergraduate

coordinator and assistant chair. She is responsible for dealing with student issues, as

well as the departmental graduation ceremony and student awards. She advises all

transfer mathematics and statistics students coming to UNCW and is responsible for

the math placement testing. Dr. Simmons is very involved in committees both inside

and outside the department and has chaired a number of these committees. She is

also one of the faculty advisors for the math and stats club and has aided the club in

organizing panels and attending professional conferences.

External references:

Dr. Walter Piegorsch, University of Arizona

Dr. David Banks, Duke University

Dr. Shyamal Peddada, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

This document can be found at people.uncw.edu/simmonssj/Recommendation for

Promotion_2.pdf.

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Application for Promotion

Name of candidate: Susan J. Simmons

Department: Mathematics and Statistics

Personnel action applied for: Promotion to Professor

Effective Date: End of current academic year

I. Academic Status at UNCW

Present rank: Associate Professor

Effective date: August 2008

Previous rank(s) and date(s) at UNCW: Assistant Professor, 2002-2008

Current employment status: Tenured

Special agreement or conditions (if any) affecting the length of service expected

before a mandatory RTP decision is made: None

II. Education

Institution Concentration Date Degree

University of South Carolina Statistics 1997-2002 PhD

West Virginia University Statistics 1993-1995 MS

Clarion University Applied Mathematics 1990-1993 BS

Millersville University Mathematics 1989-1990 Transferred

III. Professional History (excluding UNCW)

Position/Rank Institution Dates

Teaching Assistant University of South Carolina 8/1997-5/2002

Market Research Analyst First Union National Bank 2/1996-7/1997

Teaching Assistant West Virginia University 8/1993-5/1995

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IV. Contribution to Teaching

A. Required Subcategories

1. Courses Taught

Course Title ___________________

MAT 111 College Algebra

MAT 591 DIS: Spatial Statistics

MAT 596 Research Project

MAT 599 Thesis

STT 215 Introduction to Statistics

STT 315 Probability and Statistics

STT 411/511 Design of Experiments and Analysis of Variance

STT 412/512 Applied Regression and Correlation

STT 425/525 Categorical Data Analysis

STT 466/566 Mathematical Statistics I

STT 467/567 Mathematical Statistics II

STT 491 DIS: Quantitative Genetics

STT 491 DIS: Bayesian Statistics

STT 475 Advanced Topics in Statistics

Support Vector Machines

Statistics for psychology

Environmtrics

STT 500 Research Consultation

STT 501 Applied Statistical Methods

STT 592 Advanced Topics in Statistics

General Linear Models

Environmentrics

2. Sample Course Materials

See included documents

3. Summary of Student Evaluations

SPOTS, as well as student comments are included

4. Summary of Peer Evaluations

Chair’s reports for peer evaluations since 2008 are included. For the

academic year 2008-2009, Dr. Simmons received above expectations

in teaching. The peer evaluations for Dr. Simmons’ teaching from

2009-2012 are excellent/outstanding.

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5. Academic Advising Within the Department

As the undergraduate coordinator, Dr. Simmons advises many

undergraduate students within the department each semester. Dr.

Simmons is responsible for all transfer advising during summer and

January orientation sessions. In addition, she advises students

considering either majoring or minoring in mathematics or statistics.

She handles questions or problems with students’ coursework and/or

credits and works closely with faculty, students and the registrar’s

office to ensure all issues are resolved appropriately and in a timely

manner. In addition to academic advising, Dr. Simmons provides

information to students about potential internships and opportunities.

Dr. Simmons served on 3 undergraduate honor’s theses committees

within the department (Christina Lee, Adrian Coles and Meredith

Amber Heaton), 7 graduate thesis committees (Jinsong Chen, Yuan

Liu, Richard Riter, Yusheng Zhai, Kathleen Karlon, Rachel Kramer

and Kara B. Roberson) and directed 19 graduate theses/projects since

coming to UNCW (Meng Wu, Haikun Bao, Emilea Norris, Yuan

Yuan, Caroline Pearson, Yi Chen, Alaina Houmard, Lifang Du,

Maggie Cohen, Qijun Fang, Fang Fang, Fernando Schieflebein,

Buddhika Makumburage, Shanshan Wang, Stacey Dunlap, Tim

Brown, Jason Smith, Emma Hollingsworth and Rachel Fruendt).

Dr. Simmons is currently advising one graduate student, Brad Moore,

and is on one undergraduate honor’s committee within the department,

Corey Rand.

B. Optional Subcategories

1. Courses Developed / Revised to the Individual or to the University.

STT 500 Research Consultation.

This course was developed to offer statistical consulting for graduate

students in majors outside the department that need advanced

statistical methods for their thesis research. The course is taught

similar to a directed independent study, in which each student has

his/her own section. Dr. Simmons has taught this course for six

graduate students (Katrina Roman, Russ Peterson, Lee Richbourg,

Danelle Lekan, Laura Truxal and Carletha Blanding). She is currently

offering this course for Caroline Buckner.

STT 501 Applied Statistical Methods.

With the inception of the masters degree in Environmental Studies, it

was discovered that a number of graduate students did not have the

statistical background for one of the core courses in this program. The

STT 501 course was initiated in fall 2009 for this purpose and Dr.

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Simmons was the assigned instructor. She combined the projects for

this course with the need for data analysis in an aquifer study on Bald

Head Island. The projects were collected into a final report given to

the researchers involved in the study.

STT 475/592 Environmetrics.

Dr. Simmons introduced the special topic of Environmetrics in spring

2008 (and was offered again in spring 2011). This course covered a

number of different modeling techniques that are useful for analyzing

environmental data. Topics that were covered in this course were

simple and multiple regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA),

analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), nonlinear models, growth curves

and meta-analysis.

2. Special Initiatives / Incentives in Teaching

MAT 495 Senior Seminar. Dr. Simmons served as an advisor to 6

undergraduate students in their senior project (Anna Hawkins,

Christopher Tice, Elizabeth Lawton, Brad Moore, Alex Davila and

Madison McLiverty). She is currently the advisor to Anson Killiany.

In all of her upper-level statistics courses, Dr. Simmons requires

students to complete a project that combines the statistical knowledge

developed that semester with real-world data sets. This project

compels the students to learn how to write a technical report and be

able to articulate the results obtained from their analyses.

Dr. Simmons ensures that students in all of her classes learn how to

use statistical software. She introduces them to JMP, SAS or R. Dr.

Simmons believes that is it important for the students to gain an

understanding of how to use statistical software, as well as the

methodology. She provides examples, worksheets and homework

problems that assist the students with both components (see handouts

and exams in the teaching material provided).

3. Efforts to Improve Teaching, Evidence of Self-Learning, and Evidence

of Commitment to Fostering the Intellectual Development of Students.

Dr. Simmons was recognized by several graduating seniors. A

sampling of comments from the graduating seniors include:

“You have gone out of your way to help me in my studies and have

pushed me to apply for graduate programs around the state and

country. It is because of you that I was able to complete the

program through guidance and aid.”

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“You have opened my eyes to new interests. You have also

improved many of my skills through outstanding teaching.”

“Thank you for your patience and ability to clarify any and all

questions I may have had on the material being covered.”

“Thanks for helping me every step of the way! I would have been

lost without you.”

“I would love to thank you for all your hard work in advising me

throughout the semesters about personal decisions and career

choices. Without you I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

“You not only helped me throughout my college career in your

position of advisor, but you were also there for me as a professor,

mentor, and friend. Without you, I never would have experienced

such a successful and eventful college career. You kept me

informed of upcoming courses for my major, courses in my

interests, scholarships, and events related to my department. You

always pointed me in the right direction and always made time in

your busy schedule to help me, and others. Thank you Dr.

Simmons!”

For additional comments, thank you letters, emails and cards, please

refer to the supporting documents.

Dr. Simmons led one of the small convocation groups in fall 2007,

2009, 2010 and 2012.

Dr. Simmons led the effort in obtaining a working constitution for the

math and stats club. The mathematics and computer science club

(MACS) dissipated several years ago, and students of mathematics and

statistics did not have any organization associated with their academic

interest. Dr. Simmons helped establish the mathematics and statistics

club as a recognized organization at UNCW. She has remained active

with the club ever since and helps the students actively pursue

conferences, workshops, and other academically inclined activities that

engage the students. She has taken members of the math and stats club

to four conferences and one tour of the Census Bureau.

Dr. Simmons assisted in the effort in developing the post-

baccalaureate applied statistics certificate. With Dr. Blum’s

assistance, Dr. Simmons created the proposal for the post-

baccalaureate certificate in applied statistics that was approved by the

Graduate Council.

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Dr. Simmons is an online reviewer for CAUSE (Consortium for the

Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education) organization.

CAUSE is a national organization whose mission is to support and

advance undergraduate statistics education, in four target areas:

resources, professional development, outreach, and research. Dr.

Simmons has reviewed four applets for online resources in teaching

introductory statistics.

Each semester, Dr. Simmons educates her students about SAMSI

(Statistics and Applied Mathematics Sciences Institute) and

encourages students to attend the outreach workshops (there is one in

October/November and one in February). A number of students from

UNCW have attended this NSF-funded workshop.

Dr. Simmons encourages her graduate students to present their

research at conferences. To date, nine of her graduate students have

presented their research findings at a professional conference.

Yi Chen presented “Decting QTLs by Bayesian Hiearchical

Regression Model” at ENAR in 2007

Caroline Pearson presented “Hierarchical Bayesian Model for

QTL Detection” at ENAR 2007

Alaina Houmard presented “Growth Rate Estimates Assuming

a Weibull Growth Curve” at ENAR 2008

Lifang Du presented “A Comparison Study of Global Models

and Confidence Intervals Under the Exponential Growth

Model” at ENAR 2008

Maggie Cohen presented “Estimating the Maximum Growth

Rate of Harmful Algal Blooms Using a Combined Model

Method” at ENAR 2009

Fernando Schiefelbein presented “Age Estimation Techniques

in Facial Recognition” at JSM 2009

Shanshan Wang presented her research findings at SRCoS

(Southern Regional Council of Statistics) Summer Conference

in 2010 (she received a travel grant from SRCoS to attend)

Stacey Dunlop presented “Bayesian Benchmark Dose

Estimator for the Logistic Extra Risk Function” at ENAR 2011

Brad Moore presented “Quantal Responses of the Weibull Risk

Function” at ENAR 2012

Dr. Simmons was a member on eleven undergraduate honor’s theses

committees outside the department (Lauren Emeigh, Jen Herrick,

Akshay Menon, Kristen Riddle, Kalindi LaTorre, David Morgan,

Ahmed Usama Ebra Metwally, Anthony Kaufman, Brian Hartigan,

Jordan Barlow and Daryn Blanc-Goldhammer) and 3 graduate theses

committees since coming to UNCW (Carletha Blanding, Danelle

Lekan and Mike Komosin). She is currently on one honor’s thesis

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committee outside the department this year (Alexandra Goldstein) and

one graduate thesis outside the department (Lindsey Deignan).

Dr. Simmons has assisted in judging the American Statistical

Association (ASA) statistics poster and project competition for 2011

and 2012. This is a national competition in which students in grades

K-12 submit either a poster or written statistics project, depending on

which competition the student wishes to enter. Dr. Simmons has

judged the 10th

grade written projects for both years.

4. Membership in Professional Societies Primarily Devoted to Teaching.

Dr. Simmons is a fellow of Project NExT-SE. Project NExT is a

program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences who

are interested in improving the teaching and learning of undergraduate

mathematical sciences. Project NExT-SE is sponsored by the

Southeastern section of the Mathematical Association of America

(MAA).

Dr Simmons is a member of the Statistics Education Section of the

American Statistical Association (ASA).

5. Completion of Continuing Education, Workshops, Symposia, or Other

Specialized Training Programs Primarily Devoted to Teaching.

Dr. Simmons attended the following UNCW workshops:

Effective Mentoring for Honors and DIS (September 2010)

EndNote (September 2005),

Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Panel Discussion

(January 2004)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Multimedia

Resources for Teaching and then Learning How to Do It,

*But*Were*Afraid*To*Ask (September 2002)

Dr. Simmons was also a presenter at the “Effective Mentoring

for Honors and DIS” workshop.

Dr. Simmons attended an Association of American Colleges and

University (AAC & U) conference devoted to undergraduate research

with Dr. Kate Bruce (2011).

Dr. Simmons was asked to give a special presentation at the North

Carolina Symposium of Women in Mathematics and Statistics held at

North Carolina State University (April 2011).

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V. Research, Scholarship, and Artistic Achievement

A. Required Subcategories

1. Refereed publications

a. Published – Refereed Publications

Sahinoglu, M., Simmons, S.J., Cahoon, L. and Morton, S. “Ecological

Risk-O-Meter: Risk Assessor and Manager Software Tool for Better

Decision Making in Ecosystems”, Environmetrics 23 (8), 729-737.

Sahinoglu, M., Simmons, S.J., and Matis, J.H. (2012) “Cost-Effective

Security Testing of Cybersystems Using Combined LGCP: Logistic-

Growth Compound-Poisson Probability Modeling”, International

Journal of Computers, Information Technology and Engineering, 6

(1), p 9-15.

Boone, E.L., Simmons, S.J., Ricanek, K. (2011) “A Bayesian method

for the detection of epistasis in quantitative trait loci using Markov

Chain Monte Carlo model composition with restricted model spaces”

Proceedings of the 3rd

International Conference on Agents and

Artificial Intelligence, p 71-78.

Simmons, S.J., Stapleton, A.E., Fang, F.*, Fang, Q.*, Ricanek, K.

(2010) “Bayesian hierarchical models to identify quantitative trait loci

using replicated lines” Journal of the Indian Society of Agricultural

Statistics 64 (1), p. 11-18.

Simmons, S.J., Fang, F.*, Fang, Q.*, Ricanek, K. (2010) “Markov

Chain Monte Carlo Model Composition Search Strategy for

Quantitative Trait Loci in a Bayesian Hierarchical Model”,

Proceedings of the World Academy of Science, Engineering and

Technology 63, p. 58-61.

Kurti, P.B., Simmons, S.J., Blum, J.E., Ballaré, C.L. and Stapleton,

A.E. (2010) "Maize Leaf Epiphytic Bacteria Diversity Patterns Are

Genetically Correlated with Resistance to Fungal Pathogen Infection",

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, p. 473-484.

Mariana Conte, Silvia de Simone, Susan J Simmons, Carlos L Ballare

and Ann E Stapleton, (2010) “Chromosomal Loci Important for

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Cotyledon Opening Under UV-B in Arabidopsis thaliana”, BMC Plant

Biology.

Whipple, K., Caldwell, R., Dowd, R., Simmons, S.J. (2010).

“Assessing Support for Campus Tobacco Policy in Tobacco Country”,

The Health Educator 42, 3-11.

Morrison, K.M., Simmons, S.J., Stapleton, A. (2010) "Loci controlling

nitrate reductase activity in maize: ultraviolet-B signaling in aerial

tissues increases nitrate reductase activity in leaf and root when

responsive alleles are present", Physiologia Plantarum 140, 334–341.

Wang, Y., Chen, C., Ricanek, K., and Simmons, S.J. (2009)

“Generalized Multi-Ethnic Face Age-Estimation”, Proceedings of

IEEE Third International Conference on Biometrics: Theory,

Applications and Systems, 978-983.

Morgan, L.W., Jakush, J.L.*, Simpson, A., Norman, M.M., Pabst,

D.A., Simmons, S. (2009) “Evaluation of Hematologic and

biochemical values for convalescing seals from the coast of Maine”,

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 40(3), 421–429.

Lin, X., Simmons, S.J., Beecher, C., Truong, Y., Young, S.S.(2009)

“Statistical Learning on a Complex Metabolomic Data Set”, Frontiers

of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, University of Science and

Technology of China.

Whipple, K., Caldwell, R., Simmons, S and Dowd, D.(2008)

“Increasing Community Readiness for Campus Tobacco Policy”,

American Journal of Health Studies 21(2), 89-96.

Simmons, S.J., Unay, D., Ricanek, K., and Gosselin, B.(2008)

“Random Forests Versus Support Vector Machines: Stem and Calyx

Classification for Jonagold Apples”, Proceedings of the Eighth

IASTED International Conference Visualization, Imaging, and Image

Processing (VIIP), 202-207.

Boone, E.L., Simmons, S.J., Bao, H.*, Stapleton, A.E. (2008)

“Bayesian Hierarchical Regression Models for detecting QTLs in plant

experiments”, Journal of Applied Statistics 37, 799-808.

Blanding, C.L.*, Simmons, S.J. , Casati, P., Walbot V., Stapleton, A.E.

(2007) “Coordinate regulation of maize genes during increasing

exposure to ultraviolet radiation: identification of UV-responsive

genes, pathways, and associated potential promoter motifs”, Plant

Biotechnology 5, 677-695.

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Pearson, C.*, Simmons, S.J., Ricanek, K., Boone, E.L. (2007)

“Comparative Analysis of a Hierarchical Bayesian Method for

Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis for the Arabidopsis Thaliana”,

Pattern Recognition in Bioinformatics 2007 Proceedings, 60-70.

Boone, E.L., Ricanek, K., Simmons, S.J. (2007) “Quantitative Trait

Loci Analysis Using a Bayesian Framework”, International Joint

Conference on Neural Networks 2007 Proceedings, 1216-1220.

Simmons, S. and Peddada, S. (2007) “Order-restricted inference for

ordered gene expression (ORIOGEN) data under heteroscedastic

variances”, Bioinformation 1 (10), 414-419.

Simmons, S.J. and Stapleton, A. E. (2006) “Bayesian Hierarchical

Models to Detect Quantitative Trait Loci”, Chance 19, 11-14.

Boone,E.L., Simmons,S.J., Ye, K., Stapleton, A.E. (2006) “Analyzing

Quantitative Trait Loci for the Arabidopsis thaliana using Markov

Chain Monte Carlo Model Composition with restricted and

unrestricted model spaces”, Statistical Methodology 3, 69-78.

Stapleton, A. E. and Simmons, S.J. (2005) “Plant Control of

Phyllosphere Diversity: Genotype Interactions with Ultraviolet-B

Radiation” Chapter 16 in Phyllosphere 2005, APS Press.

Piegorsch, W.W., Simmons, S.J., and Zeiger, E. (2004) “Data mining

potency estimators from toxicological databases”, Bulletin of

Informatics and Cybernetics 36, 51-62.

Simmons, S., Lin, X., Beecher, C., Truong, Y., and Young, S. (2004),

"Active and Passive Learning to Explore a Complex Metabolomic

Data Set", Classification, Clustering, and Data Mining Applications,

eds. D. Banks, L. House, F. R. McMorris, P. Arabie, W. Gaul.

Springer-Verlag: Berlin, pp. 447-456.

Simmons, S.J., Piegorsch, W.W., Nitcheva, D., Zeiger, E. (2003)

“Combining environmental information via hierarchical modeling: an

example using mutagenic potencies”, Environmetrics, 14 159-168.

Piegorsch, W. W., Simmons, S. J., Margolin, B. H., Zeiger, E., Gidrol,

X. M., Gee, P. (2000), “Statistical modeling and analyses of a base-

specific Salmonella mutagenicity assay”, Mutation Research 467, 11-

19.

* indicates students at UNCW

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b. Accepted for Publication

c. Under Consideration

Catherine B. Kandianis, Abigail M. Michenfelder, Susan J. Simmons,

Michael A. Grusak and Ann E. Stapleton. “Abiotic stress growth

conditions induce different 1 responses in kernel iron concentration across

genotypically-distinct maize inbred varieties”. BMC Plant Biology

(submitted).

2. Nonrefereed Publications

a. Published – Nonrefereed Publications

Cueva-Parra, L., Sahinoglu, M., and Simmons, S.J. (2012) “Reliability

Testing before Releasing CLOUD using a Sequential Stopping Rule

with Logistic-Growth Compound-Poisson Modeling”, Proceedings of

Society for Design and Process Science.

Simmons, S.J., Sahinoglu, M., Matis, J. (2011) “Stopping Rules in

Security Testing Using a Combined Logistic-MESAT (Compound

Poisson) Approach”, Proceedings of the 58th World Statistics

Congress.

3. Research Grants or Research Fellowships

a. Awarded

Co-investigator on DENR grant: Development of a Methodology to

Quantify Annual Visitation on North Carolina Coastal Reserve Sites

(2012, $1500)

Senior Researcher on USDA grant #509270: Genetic Architecture of

Combined Drought and Stress (Summer stipends in 2011 and 2012)

Senior Associate, NRI Plant Biology B: Environmental Stress Program

(Summer 2009)

Senior Associate, USDA CSREES NRI, “Gene expression on QTL

analysis of UV stress in corn” (Summer 2006, $2900)

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Senior Associate, USDA NRI 2003 #33510013785 (Summer 2004,

$5000)

b. Applied For

Co-PI on BioMaSS – Biology and Mathematics Synergistic Science-

submitted to NSF, February 2010

4. Grants or Research Fellowships for Off-Campus Study or Professional

Development

a. Awarded

Travel Grant through UNCW Office of International Programs for

August trip to International Statistics Institute conference (ISI) in

Ireland (August 2011, $1,000).

Travel Grant through UNCW Office of International Programs for

March trip to World Academy of Science, Engineering and

Technology conference (WASET) in Rio de Janeiro (March 2010,

$1,000).

Travel Grant through UNCW Office of International Programs for

December trip to Bioinformatics workshop in Hyderabad, India (2007,

$1,000).

Travel Award from Carnegie Mellon University, Bayesian Workshop

at Carnegie Mellon University (September 2005, $500).

Summer Research Initiative, UNCW (Summer 2003, $3000).

Travel Award from Statistics and Mathematics Sciences Institute for

the Bioinformatics workshop (September 2003, $500).

b. Applied For

Applied for a Summer Research Fellow through the Council for

Undergraduate Research (Summer 2003)

5. Presentations by Dr. Simmons at Professional Meetings

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“Stopping Rules in Security Testing Using a Combined Logistic-MESAT

(Compound Poisson) Approach”, invited presentation, ISI, Dublin,

Ireland, August 2011

“A Bayesian method for the detection of epistasis in quantitative trait loci

using Markov Chain Monte Carlo model composition with restricted

model spaces”, ICAART, Rome, Italy 2011

“MCMC Model Composition Strategy in a Hierarchical Setting”, JSM

2010

“Markov Chain Monte Carlo Model Composition Search Strategy for

Quantitative Trait Loci in a Bayesian Hierarchical Model”, WASET, Rio

de Janeiro, Brazil, March 2010

“Some stopping rules in security testing”, invited presentation, JSM,

Washington D.C., August 2009

“A hybrid approach for growth Estimates of Red Tide Algae”, JSM,

August 2008

“Random Forests versus Support Vector Machines: Stem and Calyx

Classification for Jonagold Apples”, VIIP, Mallorca, Spain, September

2008

“Analyzing Metabomics Data Sets”, invited presentation at the

Bioinformatics Workshop, Hyderabad, India, December 2007

“Comparative Analysis of a Hierarchical Bayesian Method for

Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis for the Arabidopsis Thaliana”, Singapore,

September 2007

“Analyzing a Complex Metabolomic Data Set”, invited presentation,

ENAR, March 2007

“Hierarchical Bayes Model to detect QTLs”, ENAR, March 2006

“Analyzing a Complex Metabolomics Data Set”, invited presentation,

JSM, August 2006

“Hierarchical Bayes Model to detect QTLs”, Bayesian Workshop,

Carnegie Mellon University, September 2005

“Hierarchical Bayes Model to detect QTLs”, JSM, August 2005

16

“Recursive partitioning to analyze metabolomic data sets”, Metabolomics

workshop, July 2005

“A Generalized Estimating Equations approach to model a cDNA

microarray experiment”, JSM, August 2004

“Recursive Partitioning to explore a complex metabolomics data set”,

invited presentation, Quality and Productivity Research Conference, May

2004

“Data mining potency estimation in the Ames/Salmonella assay”, ENAR,

March 2003

6. On-going research projects, program and goals

Dr. Simmons has an active research program in the area of bioinformatics

and environmetrics. Dr. Simmons’ initial research in bioinformatics

began with analyzing microarrays, which are chips that contain a

collection of microscopic DNA spots. She directed a graduate student,

Mr. Meng Wu, in the analysis of a microarray experiment conducted by

Dr. Ann Stapleton at UNCW by fitting a Generalized Estimating Equation

(GEE) to the data. The model proposed by Mr. Wu allowed the

correlation structure inherent in the experimental data to be incorporated

into the analysis. In addition, Dr. Simmons worked with Dr. Stapleton and

one of her graduate students to model a time-course microarray data set.

This work led to a manuscript with Dr. Stapleton and her graduate biology

student, Carletha Blanding. The analysis for the time-course microarray

data used the software ORIOGEN developed by Dr. Shyamal Peddada at

the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). From

this work, another collaboration was initiated between Dr. Peddada and

Dr. Simmons that involved extending the ORIOGEN software to include

heteroscedastic variances.

This research progressed into identifying locations on a genome

responsible for a quantitative trait (referred to as QTL). Her research

mainly concentrates in plant QTL experiments, since there is additional

complexity due to the correlation among plants within the same line. Dr.

Simmons, along with six of her graduate students, developed a

hierarchical (or multilevel) Bayesian model that identifies QTL. The six

graduate students involved in this research were Mr. Haikun Bao, Ms.

Caroline Pearson, Mr. Yi Chen, Mr. Qijun Fang, Ms. Fang Fang and Mr.

Tim Brown. Other collaborators in this research were Dr. Ann Stapleton

(biology, UNCW), Dr. Karl Ricanek (computer science, UNCW), and Dr.

Edward Boone (statistics, Virginia Commonwealth University).

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Dr. Simmons has recently returned to her original research from her

dissertation, which involves environmetrics. She is currently looking into

developing a methodology that utilizes Bayesian model averaging to

estimate the benchmark dose (referred to as BMD). The benchmark dose

methodology is used by the Environmental Protection Agency to identify

hazardous agents and the dose level of these agents associated with an

increased risk in developing detrimental outcomes (for example, cancer).

Dr. Simmons had four students who did their thesis work in this area: Ms.

Shanshan Wang, Mr. Buddhika Makumburage, Ms. Stacey Dunlap and

Mr. Brad Moore (Mr. Moore is still completing his thesis work in this

area). Other collaborators in this research are Dr. Cuixian Chen, Dr. Yishi

Wang, Dr. Xiaosong Li, Dr. Walter Piegorsch and Mr. Qijun Fang.

In addition to her research program, Dr. Simmons is very active in

collaborating with researchers in other fields. Dr. Simmons has done a

significant amount of work with Dr. Ann Stapleton and Dr. Karl Ricanek.

Her work with Dr. Karl Ricanek involved one of her graduate students,

Fernando Schieflebein, and they created a hierarchical model involving

support vector regression and random forests to predict age from a digital

image. Dr. Simmons has done an extensive amount of collaboration with

Dr. Stapleton in a number of different areas, such as mixed models and

global models.

B. Optional Subcategories

1. Membership in Professional Societies

Elected member of the International Statistics Institute (ISI)₤

American Statistical Association

North Carolina Chapter of American Statistical Association

Section on Risk Analysis of American Statistical Association‡

Project NExT-SE

Mu Sigma Rho (honors society for statistics)

‡ Dr. Simmons held elected officer positions within this society

₤ Dr. Simmons is an elected member of ISI.

“Elected members are elected by virtue of their contributions to:

the development or application of statistical methods, or

the administration of statistical services, or

the development and improvement of statistical education.

The ISI is unmatched in its global reach among statisticians and those interested in

the field of statistics. We are also an association that links national statistical

societies, with special focus on the societies in developing regions of the world. A

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majority of the world's central bureaus of statistics are represented within the ISI

network. Our influence within the international statistical community is supported by

the seven ISI Associations, each of them specialize in a particular area of statistics,

and the committees, which are active interest groups.

The ISI is a non-profit, non-governmental organizations and has consultative status

by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1949. Officially, the

ISI was established in 1885, though the initial international gatherings of statisticians

started earlier - back in 1853. Therefore, we are one of the oldest scientific

associations still active throughout the world today.”

2. Attendance at Professional Meetings

JSM, San Diego 2012

ISI, Dublin, Ireland 2011

ICAART, Rome, Italy 2011

JSM, Miami Beach 2011

JSM, Vancouver, Canada 2010

WASAT, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2010

Metabolomics workshop, Raleigh, NC 2010

JSM, Washington DC 2009

JSM, Denver, Colorado 2008

VIIP, Valencia, Spain 2008

Bioinformatics Workshop, Hyderabad, India 2007

Pattern Recognition in Bioinformatics (PRIB), Singapore 2007

JSM 2007

ENAR 2007

JSM 2006

ENAR 2006

NC Chapter meeting of the ASA 2006

Bayesian Workshop 2005

ASA Joint Statistical Meeting 2005

Metabolomics Workshop, 2005

MAA Southeast Region 2005

JSM 2004

Genomics Conference 2004

Quality and Productivity Research Conference 2004

Project NExT-SE 2004

SAMSI workshop 2003

ENAR 2003

3. Supervision of Graduate or Undergraduate Theses or Extensive Projects

that Involve Research or Artistic Efforts.

The following theses directed by Dr. Simmons involved research or

artistic efforts:

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Meng Wu, thesis title “Data Mining cDNA microarray

experiment with GEE approach”. Meng Wu graduated from

UNCW in 2004 and continued on to get his PhD in statistics at

the University of South Carolina. He is currently working as a

statistician at ETS Corporate Headquarters in Princeton, NJ.

Haikun Bao, thesis title “Bayesian Hierarchical Regression

Model to Detect Quantitative Trait Loci”. Haikun Bao

graduated from UNCW in 2006 and continued on to get his

doctrine in biostatistics at the University of South Carolina. He

is currently working as a Senior Statistician at the Center for

Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) at Yale

University.

Emilea Norris, thesis title “Metabolomics”. Emilea Norris

graduated from UNCW in 2006 and is currently working as a

biostatistician for PPD in Wilmington, NC.

Caroline Pearson, thesis title “Analysis of a Hierarchical

Bayesian Method for Quantitative Trait Loci”. Caroline

Pearson graduated from UNCW in 2007 and is currently

working as a biostatistician for Chiltern in Wilmington, NC.

Yi Chen, thesis title “QTL Detection from Stochastic Process

by Bayesian Hierarchical Regression Model. Yi Chen

graduated from UNCW in 2007 and is currently working as an

actuary in Texas.

Lifang Du, thesis title “The comparison between global model

and separate models”. Lifang graduated from UNCW in 2009.

Maggie Cohen, thesis title “Estimating the Maximum Growth

Rate of Harmful Algal Blooms using a Model Averaged

Method”. Maggie Cohen graduated from UNCW in 2009.

Qijun Fang, thesis title “Model Search Strategy when P>>N in

Bayesian Hierarchical Setting”. Qijun Fang graduated from

UNCW in 2009 and is currently getting a PhD at the University

of Arizona.

Fang Fang, thesis title “A Simulation study for Bayesian

Hierarchical Model Selection Methods”. Fang Fang graduated

from UNCW in 2009 and is currently getting a PhD at the

University of Arizona. Fernando Schieflebein, thesis title “A Statistical Analysis of

Techniques in Digital Face Age Estimation”. Fernando

Schieflebein graduated from UNCW in 2009 and is currently

teaching at Coastal Carolina Community College.

Buddhika Makumburage, thesis title “Posterior distribution of

the benchmark dose estimator with k=1 multistage extra risk

function”. Buddhika Makumburage graduated from UNCW in

2010 and is currently working as a biostatistician for PPD in

Wilmington, NC.

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Shanshan Wang, thesis title “Posterior Distribution of

Benchmark Dose Estimator under the Logistic Extra Risk

Function”. Shanshan graduated from UNCW in 2010 and is

currently getting a PhD at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Stacey Dunlap, thesis title “Posterior Distribution of

Benchmark Dose Estimator under the Logistic Extra Risk

Function”. Stacey Dunlap graduated in 2011 and is currently

working in the operations research department at CarMax in

Raleigh, NC.

Tim Brown, thesis title “Applying Markov Chain Monte Carlo

Model Composition to a Restricted Model Space”. Tim Brown

graduated from UNCW in 2011 is currently working as an

actuary.

Brad Moore is currently working on his thesis at UNCW. He

is also employed by Chiltern as a biostatistician.

Dr. Simmons is an Associate Editor for Environmetrics (since 2009),

which is a journal published through John Wiley & Sons and is the

official journal of The International Environmetrics Society (TIES),

(an association of the International Statistical Institute). The impact

factor of this journal is 1.06; it is 33/94 in the Mathematics

Interdisciplinary Applications Citation Index and 11/37 in the

Statistics & Probability Citation Index. Since she became an associate

editor, she has been responsible for 10 submissions to this journal.

Dr. Simmons, along with Dr. Lelys Bravo, was asked to be editor of a

special edition of Environmetrics on Quantitative Risk Analysis. Dr.

Simmons, along with Dr. Bravo, recruited 9 experts in the field to

submit articles for this special edition. After all the manuscripts were

submitted, Drs. Simmons and Bravo assigned reviewers and fulfilled

the task of associate editor and editor for all submissions. This issue

was the last issue of Environmetrics for the year 2012 and appeared

online in December 2012. The editorial that Drs. Simmons and Bravo

wrote for the special edition is included with the rest of her documents.

4. Special Initiatives in On-Campus Scholarly or Professional Development

Dr. Simmons consulted with many faculty and students from other

departments regarding statistical analyses for their research.

Dr. Simmons was invited to present her research to Dr. Devon Simmonds

class in November 2012 and at the Department of Mathematics and

Statistics seminar in January 2007. She was invited to present a “Review

of Random Forest” to the Biometrics group at UNCW in 2008.

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Dr. Simmons was on the subcommittee of CSURF that developed

Scholar’s café in 2012.

Dr. Simmons brought Dr. David Banks from Duke University to present

Network Modeling as a cultural activity at UNCW and Dr. Shyamal

Peddada (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) and Dr.

Michael Lavine (Duke University and now at University of Massachusetts,

Amherst) to UNCW to give seminars to the Department of Mathematics

and Statistics.

Dr. Simmons assisted the Math and Stats club at UNCW to put together a

panel of experts to discuss employment opportunities in the area of

mathematics and statistics in 2012. She also brought Mr. Thomas Egan,

an actuary, to UNCW to discuss what it means to be an actuary

Dr. Simmons brought Dr. Don Edwards, Dr. Pam Arroway and Dr. Bob

Taylor to UNCW to give a colloquium and discuss the graduate programs

at the University of South Carolina, NC State and Clemson, respectively.

Dr. Simmons assisted in the AP statistics review that UNCW held for

surrounding high school students in 2008 and 2010.

Dr. Simmons was on the committee that assisted Dr. Herman in

organizing the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) diner held at

UNCW in November 2008.

Dr. Simmons assisted in proctoring the high school math contest held at

UNCW in 2008.

Dr. Simmons was a member of the ISIS - Institute for Interdisciplinary

Studies in Identity Sciences.

5. Other Scholarly or Professional Efforts.

Dr. Simmons reviewed a book for Wiley entitle “Quantitative Risk

Assessment and Cost Effective Management: Data Analytical Approach”.

Dr. Simmons was invited to present “Facial Recognition in Biometrics” at

the National Institute of Environmental Health (NIEHS) in Durham, NC in

2008.

She was invited to present her research involving a hierarchical Bayes

model for detection of QTL at a biostatistics seminar at the University of

South Carolina in April of 2006.

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She was invited to present her work in Metabolomics at a seminar at Duke

University in October 2004.

She also presented “Navigating a Job Search: A Panel for Graduate

Students” at MAA Southeast Regional, March 2005.

She presented “Sampling distribution example” for Project NExT-SE at

the MAA Southeast Regional in March 2005.

Dr. Simmons reviewed the report put together by an ad-hoc committee for

the EPA regarding the carcinogenic effect of inhaled formaldehyde. The

report Dr. Simmons reviewed was published by the National Research

Council of the National Academies (the report she reviewed is included in

the supporting documents; Dr. Simmons is mentioned in the Preface).

Dr. Simmons represented UNCW at the Southern Regional Conference of

Statistics Business Meeting (SRCoS) in 2008 and encouraged UNCW to

become a SRCoS member. SRCoS is an organization that involves

Southern higher institutions that have a statistics program. For example,

UNCG, Florida State, NC State, VCU are just a few examples of other

members of this organization. She also represented UNCW at the UNC

SAS Symposium in Cary, NC, July 2004. Dr. Simmons represented

UNCW at a “Race to the Top” workshop for university administrators in

August 2012.

VI. Service

A. Required Subcategories

1. University Committee Memberships, Leadership Positions or

Administrative Duties

Dr. Simmons has served on the following university committees:

A/V Media Services Committee (2007-2008)

Women’s Studies and Resource Advisory Board (2007-2009)

Center for the Support of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship

(CSURF) board (2010-present)

Hearings Panel (2011-2012, she served on a panel during spring

2012)

Student Organization Committee (2008-2012). Dr. Simmons was

the chair of the Student Organization Committee (SOC) during the

2011-2012 academic year. The SOC is a standing advisory

committee of the chancellor.

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2. College or School Committee Memberships, Leadership Position or

Administrative Duties

None

3. Department Committee Memberships, Leadership Positions or

Administrative Duties

Dr. Simmons became the Assistant Chair and Undergraduate Coordinator

for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in February 2009. She is

responsible for the departmental graduation ceremony (both fall and

spring semesters) and the students’ award ceremony in April. She is

responsible for resolving student issues and assigning academic advisors

to our mathematics and statistics students. She is also responsible for

math placement testing for incoming freshmen and transfer students (as

well as students at UNCW that may need it). Dr. Simmons is responsible

for representing the department at SeaHawk Saturday and Soaring to

Greatness in the fall and spring semesters.

Dr. Simmons has served on the following departmental committees during

her time at UNCW:

Students Committee,

Graduate Advisors Committee

Curriculum Committee

Library Committee

Personnel Committee

Statistics Interest Group*

Faculty Committee*

Executive Committee

Departmental RPT Committee

Personnel Committee

Graduate Interest Group

Outreach Committee

Post Tenure Review Committee

Hiring Committee

Peer Observation Committee

Search Committee*

Math Placement Committee*

Dr. Simmons was asked to write part IV of the graduate report that went to

the reviewers of our graduate program in 2008.

*indicates that Dr. Simmons was the chair of this committee during one of her terms

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B. Optional Subcategories

1. Service to the University

a. Student Counseling; Student Advising Other than Routine Work with

Department Advisees (as in the Center for Academic Advising, Clubs,

Campus Groups, etc.)

Dr. Simmons serves as one of the faculty advisors to the math and stats

club.

2. Service to Professional or Scholarly Organizations

a. Leadership in professional or learned societies

Dr. Simmons was nominated to run for Program-Chair of the Analysis of

Risk Section of the ASA. Dr. Simmons won this election and became the

program-chair elect of the RISK section of ASA in 2007. She was

responsible for organizing a coffee roundtable and a luncheon roundtable

for the joint statistics meeting (JSM) in Salt Lake City, UT in 2007. She

became Program Chair of the RISK section in 2008 and her duties

included organizing the entire analysis of risk section program at the joint

statistics meeting. In February, 2008, the American Statistical Association

(ASA) flew Dr. Simmons to the ASA headquarters to assist in putting

together the joint program (JSM). Dr. Simmons, along with the rest of the

Program Chairs, put together the entire Joint Statistics Meeting to take

place in Denver, CO in August 2008. During Dr. Simmons time on the

executive board of the analysis of risk section, she was asked to be on the

nominating committee that identifies potential candidates for the officer

positions.

Dr. Simmons was nominated to run for Chair of the Analysis of Risk

Section of the ASA in 2009. She won this election and became Chair-elect

of this section in 2010. She was chair of this section from January 1,

2011-December 31, 2011. As chair of this section, she was responsible

for the business of this section. She established monthly conference calls

between all other risk officers to discuss section business. She organized a

joint mixer with the Section on National Security and Defense at JSM

2011.

Dr. Simmons is currently running for the Council of Sections

representative for the Analysis of Risk Section of the ASA. The election

will take place in spring 2013.

Dr. Simmons was requested to assist the planning committee for the

Eastern North Atlantic Region of the Biometrics Society (ENAR) for

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2008. She was responsible for reviewing the 68 proposals for invited

session for the conference and offer her input as to if the session should

run as an invited session.

b. Professionally related activities (all are pro bono)

Dr. Simmons has been a reviewer for Statistical Science,

Environmetrics, Journal of the American Statistical Association,

Bioinformatics, Chance, Journal of the Indian Society for Agricultural

Statistics and Risk Analysis.

Dr. Simmons reviewed a manuscript by Dr. John Bailer and Mr.

Matthew Wheeler to be submitted to the National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Dr. Simmons assisted Dr. Terry with the T3 (Teachers Teaching with

Technology) workshop held at UNCW in March 2005. Dr. Boone and

Dr. Simmons taught a session in using technology to teach statistics

and probability.

Dr. Simmons has chair several sessions at the Joint Statistics Meetings

(JSM).

Dr. Simmons has been nominated to serve on an ad-hoc committee to

review reports created by the EPA. She has already successfully

completed training required for this committee.

3. Community Service (all are pro bono)

Dr. Simmons assists the Cape Fear Museum with Pi Day.

Dr. Simmons is a member of the Gifted Advisory Council for New

Hanover County. This council is a parent committee that is advisory

to the Education Board regarding gifted education. Dr. Simmons was

the chair of this council during the 2011-2012 academic year.