September 2012 Edition

Statistical Outreach & News

Former Head of Argentina's INDEC Not Guilty

Graciela Bevacqua, the former director of Argentina's Prices National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC), was found not guilty of a criminal offense for developing and publishing independent price indices. Argentina's Commerce Department had filed a criminal complaint against Bevacqua and economist Nicholas Salvatore for developing an alternative index of inflation. Bevacqua and other INDEC officials were fired in 2007 for refusing the government's demands to understate the country's inflation rate. In a decision released Friday, an economic criminal judge said "the allegations could not be considered as constituting a crime and, as such, were insufficient to cause criminal intervention of the State." Bevacqua stated, "This was not a case for price speculation in the markets, but an attack on free speech." Read more here.

CONGRESS TO PASS SIX-MONTH CR; 8.2% BUDGET CUTS LOOMING FOR NIH, NSF, STATISTICAL AGENCIES

Congress is in session for two weeks this month, with one of its accomplishments being to put the federal government on a continuing resolution (CR) for the first six months of fiscal year 2013 (FY13). The CR, with few exceptions, continues the FY12 budget across the government into FY13. Congress put off any discussion about avoiding the sequestration cuts scheduled for January 2. A congressionally mandated White House report released September 14 outlines 8.2% sequestration cuts for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the federal statistical agencies for January 2 unless Congress acts. For more information, see this ASA Community blog entry.

ASA, AAPOR UNVEIL NEW JOURNAL

The ASA and American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) are launching an interdisciplinary journal—the Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology (JSSAM). The quarterly publication, which is to debut next July, will feature cutting-edge articles about statistical and methodological issues for surveys and censuses, empirical and theoretical papers, and applied and review papers. Read the press release. More information is available.

STAT CONTENT IN XKCD WEBCOMIC

The XKCD webcomic series is described as “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.” The subject matter varies, but includes statements on life and love and mathematical and scientific jokes. Some strips feature simple humor or pop culture references. New comics are added three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The comic is available here.

To receive updates about ASA Science Policy activities or news, follow us on Twitter: @ASA_SciPol. See recent Tweets.

Meetings, Education, & Events

CORRELATED COMPONENT REGRESSION: A NEW METHOD FOR ANALYZING BIG DATA OR SMALL DATA CONTAINING MANY CORRELATED PREDICTORS – WEBINAR – September 27

In this webinar, Jay Magidson of Statistical Innovations Inc. will introduce a new regression method called Correlated Component Regression (CCR), which provides reliable predictions of a dependent variable, even with collinear or near multicollinear data. Different variants of CCR are tailored to different types of regression (e.g., linear, logistic, Cox regression). CCR also includes a step-down variable selection algorithm for eliminating irrelevant predictors. Unlike PLS and penalized regression approaches, CCR has scale invariance, resulting in the same predictions whether based on unstandardized or standardized predictors (z-scores). For more information and to register, please visit the website.

2012 WORKSHOP ON ENVIRONMETRICS – Raleigh, NC – October 4–6

The 2012 ENVR workshop, “Spatial Modeling and Inference for Environmental Science,” will be held at North Carolina State University, Raleigh. There will be two half-day tutorials on October 4, followed by invited talks and a poster session on October 5 and 6. For more information and to register, please visit the workshop’s website.

BIOPHARMACEUTICAL SECTION WEBINAR: BAYESIAN EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS IN DRUG DEVELOPMENT - Octber 16

This webinar will cover topics such as network meta-analysis, the development of noninferiority margins, incorporation of historical information into the design and analysis of clinical trials, and subgroup analysis. Presenters will be David Ohlssen (Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) and Heinz Schmidli (Novartis Pharma AG).Register here.

 SPECIAL CAREER WEBINAR SPONSORED BY SECTION FOR STATISTICAL PROGRAMMERS AND ANALYSTS - October 17

In this webinar, John Hadley will walk you through the do's and don'ts of effective career search networking so you too can access that hidden job market. He will show you specific techniques and strategies that have helped his clients land great jobs. You will walk away equipped with skills and the confidence to dramatically improve your results. Visit the website for more information and to register.

THE CARL MORRIS HONORARY SYMPOSIUM ON LARGE-SCALE DATA INFERENCE – SILVER SPRING, MD – OCTOBER 18

This full-day symposium and poster session sponsored by Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. will provide a forum for discussing the role of statistics in data visualization with professionals from academia and industry on the forefront of statistics. Speakers and panel members include James O. Berger, Eleanor Feingold, Vicki Ann Lancaster, Martin McIntosh, and Naji Younes. Registration is open.

2012 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON METHODS FOR SURVEYING AND ENUMERATING HARD-TO-REACH POPULATIONS – New Orleans, LA – October 31–November 3

This conference will bring together survey methodologists, sociologists, statisticians, demographers, ethnographers, policy analysts, and other professionals from around the world to present new and innovative concepts and techniques for surveying hard-to-reach populations. The conference will address both the statistical and survey design aspects of including hard-to-reach groups and serve as a venue to network and share research and experiments designed to advance our understanding of the topic. Register.

 2013 ASA CONFERENCE ON STATISTICAL PRACTICE - New Orleans, LA - February 21-23

The 2nd annual ASA Conference on Statistical Practice aims to bring together hundreds of statistical practitioners—including data analysts, researchers, and scientists—who engage in the application of statistics to solve real-world problems on a daily basis. The conference will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest statistical methodologies and best practices in statistical design, analysis, programming, and consulting. View the tentative program. Early registration will open October 1.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Statistical events are happening around the country and the globe. View our Upcoming Events Calendar.

Off the Press

AMSTAT NEWS

PUTTING THE ‘WORK’ IN NETWORKING

In this month’s special career edition of Amstat News, Bill Williams, an organizational learning consultant, details the benefits of networking and how to use the skill effectively. Bill addresses the basics of how to seek and establish useful connections with others and prepare to represent your capabilities, or those of the group in which you work, effectively. Read more here, and be sure to check out this month’s career issue and share with those who may find it useful.

SIGNIFICANCE MAGAZINE ONLINE WEB EXCLUSIVES

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE (AND A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE): MARRIAGE SINCE 1900

This article analyzes the marriage trend between the 1900s and today. Richard Cracknell takes a look at the average age that couples decide to take the big step, which has gone from 23 years to, on average, 31 years today. Cracknell attributes this to a few factors, including living arrangements and family life. Read more here.

Read more web exclusives from Significance. 

CHANCE SPECIAL ISSUE FEATURES ARTICLES ABOUT STATISTICS AND MEDICINE

A special issue of CHANCE magazine is now online and features articles about the culture of statistics and medicine. Guest edited by Jo Hardin, highlights include “The Problem of Reproducibility“ by Darrel Ince; “Assessing Statistics and Research Methodology in the MCAT Exam“ by Xiaohui Zhao, Keith Dowd, and Cynthia Searcy; and “Medicine, Statistics, and Education: The Inextricable Link“ by Katharine Brieger and Johanna Hardin.

ASA FEATURED ARTICLES ARE BACK!

After taking some time off to recover from a high click-rate, the ASA journals’ featured articles are back. ASA editors pick articles from each issue and make those freely available for a limited time. Pass these on to friends and colleagues!

JASA

Applications and Case Studies

“Nonparametric Bayesian Multiple Imputation for Missing Data Due to Mid-Study Switching of Measurement Methods” by Lane F. Burgette and Jerome P. Reiter

“Evaluating the Effect of Training on Wages in the Presence of Noncompliance, Nonemployment, and Missing Outcome Data” by Paolo Frumento, Fabrizia Mealli, Barbara Pacini, and Donald B. Rubin

Theory and Methods

“Vast Portfolio Selection with Gross-Exposure Constraints” by Jianqing Fan, Jingjin Zhang, and Ke Yu

“The Variance Profile” by Alessandra Luati, Tommaso Proietti, and Marco Reale

ASA-SIAM

The electronic materials accompanying Mathematica Laboratories for Mathematical Statistics: Emphasizing Simulation and Computer Intensive Methods, by Jenny A. Baglivo, have been updated for use with current versions of Mathematica and are now available online. Potential users interested in requesting an examination or desk copy, or current users who wish to obtain access to the updated online materials, should visit the site.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS AND TEACHING STATISTICS

Now available in the ASA Marketplace, Bridging the Gap offers 20 data analysis and probability investigations written as guides for teachers to implement straightforwardly in their K–8 classrooms. Each investigation is based on the four-step statistical process as defined by the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE).

JSM 2012 PROCEEDINGS: SUBMIT YOUR JSM PAPER

If you orally presented a paper or poster at JSM 2012, you’re eligible to publish it in the 2012 JSM Proceedings. The submission site will close at 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 28. Visit the proceedings page for submission details and formatting guidelines. Email Valerie Nirala at val@amstat.org with any questions.

Member Opportunities

ASA ANNOUNCES 2012 MEMBERSHIP RATES

The ASA Board of Directors approved membership rates for 2013 during the August board meeting. View the membership rates.

2013 SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW PROGRAM

The ASA, in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) under a grant from the National Science Foundation, is pleased to announce a senior research fellow program for 2013. Fellows will conduct research in residence at BLS in Washington, DC, use BLS data and facilities, and interact with BLS staff. There is more information available on the BLS website or in our brochure.

2013 STUDENT INTERNSHIP LISTINGS DEADLINE: October 20, 2012

Would your organization like to list an internship opportunity in the December 2012 issue of Amstat News and on the ASA website? Return the completed form to educinfo@amstat.org by October 20, 2012. Any 2012 internship listings received after October 20 will be posted on the ASA website only. We offer this complimentary service for organizations that offer statistics-related internships for students and to assist statistics students in finding internship opportunities.

DEMING LECTURER AWARD

Nominations are being accepted for the 2013 Deming Lecturer Award. The awardee will give the Deming Lecture (an invited paper) at the Joint Statistical Meetings and receive a $1,000 honorarium, award plaque, and paid travel expenses. To be considered for the award, an individual must have made significant contributions in fields related to those in which Deming devoted his career, such as survey sampling, statistics in the transportation industry, quality management, and quality improvement, or more broadly, have made significant contributions through effective promotion of statistics and statistical thinking in business or industry. Visit the website for more information.

NOETHER SENIOR AND YOUNG SCHOLAR AWARD

Nominations are now open for the Noether Senior and Young Scholar awards. The Noether Award Committee selects the Noether Senior Scholar based on outstanding contributions to the theory, methodology, and/or novel applications to nonparametric statistics, interpreted broadly, that has had substantial, sustained impact on the subject, its practical applications, and its pedagogy. The Noether Young Scholar Award is presented to a researcher who has earned a PhD or equivalent degree within the past six years (from the nomination deadline) and has significant accomplishment in nonparametric statistics, interpreted broadly to include theory, methodology, and outstanding applications. For more information, visit the website.

CALLING FOR RETIRED STATISTICIANS FOR HELP TO IMPROVE BIOSTATISTICAL REVIEW IN CLINICAL AND LABORATORY JOURNALS

Madhu Mazumdar, professor of biostatistics at Weill Cornell Medical College, has contracts from a few publishers for paid review. If you are interested in review work, please email her with Subject: Journal Review and include details of your fields of experience (specific disease system and particular statistical methodology).

L. ADRIENNE CUPPLES AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE IN BIOSTATISTICS

This annual award recognizes a biostatistician whose academic achievements reflect contributions to teaching, research, and service exemplified by professor L. Adrienne Cupples. To be eligible, the nominee must be an internationally recognized statistician/biostatistician who has made significant contributions to the statistical sciences through teaching, research, and service and who is willing to deliver a lecture at the award ceremony held in the department of biostatistics at Boston University on April 4, 2013. Winners of the award will receive a $1,000 honorarium and all expenses paid to attend and present at the Boston University Department of Biostatistics at an annual award day, generally held on the first Thursday in April. More information is available.

RAO PRIZE AWARD

The C. R. and Bhargavi Rao Prize was established to honor and recognize outstanding and influential innovations in the theory and practice of mathematical statistics, international leadership in directing statistical research, and pioneering contributions by a recognized leader in the field of statistics. The Rao Prize is awarded by the department of statistics at Penn State University to a nominee selected by the members of the Rao Prize Committee. Nominations for the 2013 Rao Prize should be submitted by December 3. Visit the website for more information.

AAAS STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION AT 2013 ANNUAL MEETING

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) invites students to present their work in poster sessions at its annual meeting in Boston, February 14–18, 2013. Full-time undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. If selected to present a poster, students will be eligible to apply for travel funding and have the meeting registration fee waived by serving as AAAS meeting session aides. The deadline for submission of poster abstracts is October 24. Details about how to apply are available. Students and their advisers are urged to take advantage of this unique opportunity to highlight statistical research and its role in interdisciplinary science at the annual meeting of the world’s largest general scientific society. AAAS publishes the highly respected journal Science and is organized into 24 sections representing all areas of science, including Section U (Statistics), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

 CELEBRATE THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF STATISTICS: VIDEO CONTEST

Help us launch a worldwide celebration of the positive impact of statistical science! We invite videos of four or fewer minutes that illustrate how statistics affects individual lives, improves society, or generally makes the world a better place and how statistical thinking can be brought to bear on important issues of our day.Cash prizes of $250–$1,000 will be offered for the best videos, with special prizes for the best videos by a person or persons 18 years of age or less and the best non-English language videos.Entries will be judged on their statistical content and entertainment value. Learn more here.

INFORM NEW ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT K–16 MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS EDUCATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF), in cooperation with the U.S Department of Education, is interested in input that can inform new activities and programs to support and improve K–16 mathematics education.The working group is viewing mathematics to broadly include pure and applied math, statistics, and the computational sciences. For more information and to provide input regarding K–16 mathematics and statistics education, see the NSF Dear Colleague letter and survey.

PROJECT-SET

Project-SET is a new National Science Foundation–funded project to develop curricular materials that enhance the ability of high-school teachers to foster students’ statistical learning regarding sampling variability and regression. All materials will be geared toward helping high-school teachers implement the Common Core State Standards for statistics and are closely aligned with the learning goals outlined in Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) Report: A Pre-K–12 Curriculum Framework. Materials will be available in January of 2013.

LESSON PLANS AVAILABLE/WANTED ON STATISTICS EDUCATION WEB FOR K–12 TEACHERS

STatistics Education Web (STEW) is an online resource for peer-reviewed lesson plans for K–12 teachers. The lesson plans identify both the statistical concepts being developed and the age range appropriate for its use. Lesson plans will showcase the use of statistical methods and ideas in science and mathematics based on the framework and levels in the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE). The editor of STEW, Mary Richardson of Grand Valley State University, is accepting submissions of lesson plans for an online bank of peer-reviewed lessons for K–12 teachers of mathematics and science. Consider submitting several of your favorite lesson plans according to the STEW template to steweditor@amstat.org.

ASA ACCREDITATION PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW

The ASA’s accreditation program recently expanded the benefits of becoming an Accredited Professional Statistician. ASA accreditation is a portfolio-based credential available to only ASA members. It is completely voluntary and intended for those who think such a credential would be meaningful in their professional lives. New benefits include free LearnStat on Demand access, a 20% discount on regular Continuing Education courses, and special recognition. The ASA would like to congratulate the following people who became accredited members during the month of August: Jose Caraballo of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Thomas McCoy of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Robert Riffenburgh of the Naval Medical Center, and Clint Stevenson of Edison Research. A full list of accredited members is also available. To find out how to start enjoying extra benefits today, visit the accreditation website and review the guidelines to be sure of your eligibility.