UMN Statistics Alumna Lindsey Dietz Recognized as 40 Under 40 Honoree

UMN Statistics alumna Lindsey Dietz has been recognized as an honoree in this year’s Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards. The Journal features Dietz and her fellow award winners as high-achieving young business leaders, notable for their professional accomplishments and community involvement. “They are passionate about their work and communities, and our state is better for their contributions,” says the Journal. 
 
Indeed, Dietz’s list of accomplishments is significant, and quickly growing. In the five years she has spent working at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Dietz has received four promotions, ascending from the ranks of Quantitative Validation Analyst to her current position as Financial Economist, Manager in Supervision, Regulation, and Credit. There, she has been recognized for her outstanding contributions leading large bank stress testing to assess the financial stability of the industry, an endeavor which was especially impactful in light of an unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition of her work in his area, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors named her as a 2020 recipient of the William Taylor Award, which is the Federal Reserve System’s highest and most prestigious honor for excellence in bank supervision.
 
Outside of the office, Dietz advocates for women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), holding several leadership positions in the R community—a group defined by its use of the statistical tool known as R. Dietz co-leads the Twin Cities chapter of the R Ladies meetup group, organizing social events and learning opportunities that promote its gender diversity. She also works closely with the Institute for Research in Statistics and its Applications (IRSA), as the Founder and Planning Committee Chair for its annual noRth Conference, a professional development and networking event.

Above, Dietz (bottom right) is pictured alongside the speakers for noRth 2019, a conference she planned with the Institute for Research in Statistics and its Applications. 
 
Nationally, Dietz is recognized as an innovator and STEM role model for young girls and women. In 2019, she was selected from a competitive application pool as one of 120 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and IF/THEN ambassadors. Her 3D printed statue was recently included as part of a Women’s Futures exhibit at the Smithsonian. That statue is on display at the National Air and Space Museum through March 27th.

Dietz is quick to acknowledge how her own role models have helped make these things possible. “Receiving an award like this is a testament to the outstanding support team I have behind me in every aspect of life - family, friends, colleagues, and mentors,” she says. “It can be easy to feel alone in academic pursuits,” she acknowledges, recognizing the challenges of building expertise and establishing networks when students are just starting out. For this, she offers encouragement. “Take advantage of the unique opportunities you might have to form a team in your personal and professional lives. Be a consultant, attend a conference, or just ask someone to coffee. You might end up recruiting a new team member!”