2026 Douglas C. Montgomery Distinguished Lecture
Martha M. Gardner, executive chief consulting engineer for quality and industrial engineering at GE Aerospace, will present the 2026 Douglas C. Montgomery Distinguished Lecture at Virginia Tech on March 17, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. in the Holtzman Alumni Center Auditorium.
Gardner’s lecture, “Statistical Engineering in the Wild: Choose Your Own Adventure,” will examine statistics as a way of thinking rather than a collection of formulas. Drawing on her professional experience, she will highlight real-world engineering applications, discuss the importance of problem-solving and collaboration in industrial statistics, and explore how uncertainty is managed and communicated in practice. She will also address how artificial intelligence is expanding the role and impact of statistical engineering.
Gardner is a technology executive focused on quality, data science, and applied statistics at GE Aerospace. She began her career in the Applied Statistics Laboratory at GE Research, where she spent 20 years applying statistical and quality methods to product development and manufacturing improvement. She later held leadership roles at GE Aerospace, including serving as a quality leader and leading the Edison Engineering Development Program. Gardner is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and the recipient of the 2020 Gerald J. Hahn Quality and Productivity Achievement Award.
A student poster session and reception will follow the lecture from 5 - 6 p.m. in the Tillar Grand Hall located in the Holtzman Alumni Center.
The Douglas C. Montgomery Distinguished Lecture Series serves as a forum for the exchange of current topics in industrial statistics and statistical engineering. Generously supported by Douglas C. Montgomery, the annual lecture is a collaborative effort between the Department of Statistics and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, reflecting Virginia Tech’s commitment to interdisciplinary research, innovation, and real-world impact.
The event is free and open to the public. Attendees may register to attend in person or virtually.