The World Is Calling; Should We Answer?

• Activity Number: 430
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 : 4:00 PM to 5:50 PM
• Sponsor: Deming Lectureship Committee
• Author(s): Roger Hoerl*+
• Companies: GE Global Research

Abstract

A frequently overlooked aspect of Ed Deming's career was that he focused it not on statistical methods per se, but rather on how he could best contribute to society. He didn't let the fact that he was a statistician - a top notch statistician in fact - limit his ability to make a profound impact on the world. In the spirit of Deming, it is obvious that the world is facing some unique challenges today, which at first glance appear to be insurmountable problems. Wars and arms proliferation, rampant corruption, extreme poverty, communicable disease, and malnutrition come immediately to mind. Providing broader access to healthcare and education, while reducing their overall costs, as well as job creation, are also of keen interest globally. No sector of society appears to be providing sufficient leadership to address such issues. The world is calling for help, but no one seems to be answering. Could statisticians answer the call? Do we have the ability to address not only narrow technical questions, but also the big, complex challenges of the 21st century? I believe we do, but not by focusing on perfecting individual tools. We could contribute to society in a much more significant way by thinking bigger, and creatively integrating statistical and non-statistical tools to develop innovative approaches to attack the large, complex, unstructured problems the world is facing. Ron Snee and I refer to such integration of multiple statistical methods into overall strategies to attack complex, unstructured problems as statistical engineering. As one example of how we can utilize our unique skills and training to help address society's greatest needs, I will share some of my own experiences in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.