All Times EDT
Keywords: Data for Good, Statistics in the Community, Data Science Education, Statistical Consulting
Conceived in 2001 at Purdue University and chartered nationally in 2006 through an ASA Member Initiatives Grant, Statistics in the Community (STATCOM) is a volunteer program that offers free statistical consulting services to non-profit community and governmental organizations in the areas of data organization, analysis, and interpretation. As a founding chapter, STATCOM at the University of Michigan is a prime example of community engagement through data science education.
Since its charter, STATCOM at the University of Michigan has had eight student presidents, three faculty co-advisors, several faculty project advisors, and over 100 volunteers. Our volunteers are graduate students in the departments of Biostatistics, Statistics, Survey Methodology and others, who are passionate about serving the community. This talk will elaborate on how STATCOM’s model for university-community partnership benefits both our students and our partners.
Our clients benefit from assessing areas of unmet need, answering important operational questions, or conducting thorough program evaluations. Our students work with their data to communicate statistical concepts and key results to stakeholders. These skills supplement their coursework and carry forward into their careers. Most importantly, this hands-on experience positively impacts our local community and provides a service unique to the strengths of our student volunteers.