Charging Up the Hill with Bayes: Bringing Bayesian Concepts to Policymakers

• Activity Number: 558
• Type: Roundtables
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 7, 2013 : 12:30 PM to 1:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Bayesian Statistical Science
• Author(s): Laura Hatfield*+
• Companies: Harvard Medical School
• Keywords: Bayesian methods ; public policy ; statistical education

Abstract

The ASA's new "Stats for Staffers" initiative aims to bring quantitative and statistical education to Capitol Hill through short courses for congressional staffers. Topics in the series have included data quality, statistical interpretation, regression, causality, and polls and surveys. What do you think should be included in a Bayes-focused course? What would you like your representatives' and senators' staffers to know about how Bayes can help them do their jobs? At this roundtable, we will discuss policy-relevant Bayesian messages, as well as strategies for packaging these for a Capitol Hill audience that is quite different from the usual suspects (e.g., fellow statisticians, clinicians, students). Bring your favorite examples of statistics use (and misuse) in the public sphere, clever illustrations of Bayesian concepts, and key quantitative methods that are relevant to policymakers.