Statistics Without Borders: Providing Pro Bono Statistical Consulting Globally

• Activity Number: 483
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Committee on ASA Archives and Historical Materials
• Author(s): Nilupa S. Gunaratna*+ and Gary Shapiro
• Companies: Harvard School of Public Health and Statistics Without Borders
• Keywords: consulting ; capacity building ; pro bono ; volunteer ; history ; developing countries

Abstract

Statistics Without Borders (SWB) is an Outreach Group within the American Statistical Association (ASA) that provides pro bono statistical consulting to non-profit organizations and governmental agencies, particularly from developing countries, that do not have the resources for statistical services. In 2008, during a time of growing interest in pro bono statistics and statistical consulting, SWB began as an effort within ASA's Special Interest Group (SIG) on Volunteerism. Now as an active and independent group within ASA, it has grown rapidly to include approximately 1300 volunteer members. In its short history, SWB has been addressing key issues for a pro bono statistical consulting organization including choice of appropriate clients and the role of capacity building in its activities. Its evolving organizational structure aims at finding and accommodating an increasing number of projects, providing consistency and quality control for its services, engaging a growing membership that is diverse in skills, background, and geographic location, and ultimately sustaining and ensuring SWB's continuity.