Mack Shelley retired in May 2026 after 47 years at Iowa State University. He held concurrent appointments in the Department of Statistics and the Department of Political Science.
“Straddling two departments worked quite well,” Shelley reflected, noting that collaboration with colleagues and encouragement from department leaders helped him navigate the unique challenges of joint appointments.
Teaching remained at the heart of his work. From freshman-level courses to doctoral seminars, and across fields including statistics, political science, education, and gerontology, he embraced opportunities to engage with students from a wide range of academic backgrounds.
“Teaching has been a joy,” he said. “Working with students across disciplines helped keep me connected to a broader understanding of intellectual pursuits.”
His research career was equally distinguished, characterized by collaborative projects that applied statistical methods to public policy issues.
In addition to his scholarly contributions, he played a significant role in mentoring graduate students. Over the course of his career, he served as a major or co-major professor for 22 doctoral students and 167 master’s students, while also contributing as a committee member on more than 900 additional graduate committees. In total, his involvement spans an extraordinary 1,157 graduate student committees across multiple departments.
Shelley's contributions have been recognized with numerous awards for teaching, research, and service, reflecting the breadth and depth of his impact on the university community.