ASA Member News Archive
ASA Member News June 2013
June 2013 Edition
Statistical Outreach & News
ASA MEMBER WINS PRESTIGIOUS SHAW PRIZE
David L. Donoho, ASA member and Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of the Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, was named the recipient of the 2013 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences. Donoho was recognized for his profound contributions to modern mathematical statistics, in particular the development of optimal algorithms for statistical estimation in the presence of noise and of efficient techniques for sparse representation and recovery in large data sets. Visit the foundation’s website to learn more about the Shaw Prize.
SEN. HAGAN INTRODUCES STATISTICS2013 RESOLUTION
The American Statistical Association (ASA) is praising Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) for the introduction of a resolution designating this year as the International Year of Statistics. Hagan introduced the resolution in the Senate May 21. The measure was referred to the chamber’s judiciary committee for further consideration. “ASA and its more than 18,000 members are extremely grateful to Sen. Hagan for introducing this special Senate resolution,” said ASA President Marie Davidian. Read the ASA press release.
CONGRESS STARTS WORK ON BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014
House Appropriations subcommittees have begun work on their FY14 appropriations bills. Among the first four bills released, the FY14 Agriculture Appropriations bill is the only one to include any of the 13 principal federal statistical agencies. It funds the National Agricultural Statistical Service at $155 million, $5 million below the FY14 request. It funds the Economic Research Service at $75 million, $4 million above the FY13 level but $4 million below the request. One can follow all the FY14 statistical agency budget developments at this ASA Community blog entry . (A blog entry for the FY14 NIH and NSF budget developments when Congress releases those bills.)
ASA FELLOW JOHN THOMPSON NOMINATED TO HEAD U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
President Barack Obama in May nominated ASA Fellow John H. Thompson, president and CEO of the National Opinion Research Center, to be the next director of the U.S. Census Bureau. ASA President Marie Davidian sent a letter to Senators on May 30 strongly supporting Thompson's nomination and urging quick nomination. Thompson held several senior management positions at the Census, including associate director for the 2000 Census and chief of the decennial management division. Read a Washington Post article on Thompson's nomination here.
NEW ASA COMMUNITY ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The ASA Committee on Funded Research has created a new ASA Community with the goal of distributing relevant information about funding opportunities to ASA members. It currently includes a section with discussion postings about recent funding opportunities; a page with recent articles in Amstat News about and related to funding opportunities; and a static page with funding opportunities from federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies. Log in to ASA Communities and search for Funding Opportunities to view and/or join. Or go directly to the Funding Opportunities community page. Also feel free to post other funding opportunities on this web site.
ASA ANNOUNCES NEW JOURNAL EDITORS
The American Statistical Association (ASA) has announced the appointment of two new editors and two new co-editors for three of its professional journals: the Journal of the American Statistical Association Theory and Methods section; the Journal of the American Statistical Association and The American Statistician Reviews sections; and Statistics in Biopharmaceutical Research. Read the ASA press release.
To receive updates about ASA science policy activities or news, follow us on Twitter: @ASA_SciPol. See recent Tweets at http://www.amstat.org/policy/.
Meetings, Education, & Events
JSM 2013 – Montréal, Québec, Canada – August 3–8
Join the largest international gathering of statisticians in the world. Regular registration and housing will close on July 1. Celebrated statistician Nate Silver, founder of the award-winning FiveThirtyEight.com political website, will be the President’s Invited Address speaker on August 5. Be sure to stop by the Invited Poster Sessions during the opening mixer on Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m. The posters will cover an array of topics and will be displayed electronically! Visit the JSM online program for more information and check the website for general conference updates.
ASA’s CAREER SUCCESS FACTORS COURSE – Effective Presentations for Statisticians – Montréal, Québec – August 4, 1–5 p.m.
Would like to polish your presentation skills and better influence your company’s decisionmakers or your clients? Attend the half-day course Effective Presentations for Statisticians in conjunction with JSM 2013 in Montréal. This well-received course, taught at previous ASA meetings by Jennifer Van Mullekom and Bob Starbuck, will cover topics such as slide preparation, crafting your argument, proofreading, and timing. Attendees will review examples of effective and ineffective presentation techniques, learn how to make effective presentations to different audience types using various platforms, and improve their communication skills to both statisticians and nonstatisticians. Get more information and register.
JSM JUNIOR RESEARCHERS’ WORKSHOP – Montréal, Québec, Canada – August 4
Are you a new researcher attending JSM in Montréal? If so, you might be interested in joining this special event. It is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from leaders in the field about what is important at the beginning of a research career, to ask questions, and to socialize. Refreshments will be served. Everybody is welcome, and there is no charge. Register here.
STATISTICS WORKSHOP FOR MIDDLE- AND HIGH-SCHOOL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS – ASA Office, Alexandria, Virginia – August 15–16, 2013
MWM will take place in the DC metro area this summer, outside the Joint Statistical Meetings. The workshop is meant to strengthen K–12 mathematics and science teachers’ understanding of statistics and provide them with hands-on activities aligned with the Common Core State Standards they can use in their own classrooms. The cost of the workshop is $50. The Washington Statistical Society has generously offered to reimburse the registration fee for the first 40 teachers from the DC Metro Area who register and attend the workshop. For more information and online registration, visit the website.
RSS 2013 ANNUAL CONFERENCE – Newcastle, UK – September 2–5
Registration is now open for the Royal Statistical Society’s annual conference this September. The conference will include the usual mix of keynote speakers, invited sessions, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities, as well as the society’s annual awards ceremony. The draft program is available.
ASA BIOPHARMACEUTICAL SECTION FDA-INDUSTRY STATISTICS WORKSHOP – Washington, DC – September 16–18
The ASA Biopharmaceutical Section FDA-Industry Statistics Workshop is sponsored by the ASA Biopharmaceutical Section in cooperation with the FDA Statistical Association. Each year, the conference offers two days of invited sessions co-chaired by statisticians from industry, academia, and the FDA. In addition, short courses on related topics are offered the day prior to the workshop. Conference attendance is limited to 800 participants. Housing is still available, and registration is now open.
10TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HEALTH POLICY STATISTICS – Chicago, IL – October 9–11
Registration for ICHPS is now open! Join us in Chicago for a conference that provides a unique forum for discussing research needs and solutions to the methodological challenges in the design of studies and analysis of data for health policy research. Be sure to register and book your hotel today!
THE BIENNIAL NONCLINICAL BIOSTATISTICS CONFERENCE – Villanova, Pennsylvania – October 15–17
This conference is jointly organized by statisticians from the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and FDA, in collaboration with the department of mathematics and statistics at Villanova University. The conference provides a venue for the presentation and discussion of scientific and statistical issues in the nonclinical areas of biomarkers/discovery, preclinical safety/toxicology and chemistry, manufacturing, and controls. Two short courses about technical topics also are offered and included with registration. Details, key dates, registration, and abstract submission materials are posted on the conference website. Questions, suggestions, and comments may be directed to info@ncb2013.org.
2013 FCSM RESEARCH CONFERENCE – Washington, DC – November 4–6
The 2013 Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Research Conference will provide a forum for experts from around the world to discuss and exchange current research and methodological topics relevant to statistical programs.
2014 ASA CONFERENCE ON STATISTICAL PRACTICE – Tampa, FL – February 20–22, 2014
Statistical Practice 2014 will 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. A limited number of presentation abstracts will be accepted. If you would like to submit an abstract for consideration, please do so through the conference website until June 25. The Practical Computing Expo proposals will be accepted beginning June 26.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Statistical events are happening around the country and the globe. View our Upcoming Events Calendar.
Off the Press
AMSTAT NEWS
A STATISTICIAN IN THE NFL
Statisticians in the National Football League (NFL) are old news, you say. You’re right, but a statistician in the NFL is new news! Confused? Read more here.
SIGNIFICANCE MAGAZINE ONLINE WEB EXCLUSIVES
DISTRIBUTION OF BADNESS
Inspired by the Bulwer-Lytton fiction contest, the aim of which is to compose an opening to the worst novel ever written, Mikhail Simkin organized an annual painting competition to produce the worst picture ever painted. Read more to find out what painting won the title.
Read more web exclusives from Significance.
GET FREE ACCESS TO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND DATA MINING JOURNAL
An official journal of the American Statistical Association, Statistical Analysis and Data Mining addresses the broad area of data analysis, including data-mining algorithms, statistical approaches, and practical applications. See the FREE online sample issue on astrostatistics and the current special issue.
Want more? In celebration of the International Year of Statistics, Wiley is offering a three-month FREE trial to all its statistics journals, including Statistical Analysis and Data Mining. You can take advantage of this free trial here.
Like what you see? As an ASA member, you can subscribe for $25 a year! Subscribe here.
Save on Wiley Books!
Also, ASA members are entitled to 25% off most Wiley books at www.wiley.com. To save, enter membership code SD160 in the promotion code field in the Wiley shopping cart and click the “Apply Discount” button. Check out the ASA books page.
Member Opportunities
BIOPHARMECEUTICAL SECTION SHORT COURSES
This year, the ASA’s Biopharmaceutical Section will celebrate the International Year of Statistics at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Montréal. The section will sponsor two short courses, five invited sessions, 27 topic-contributed sessions and contributed sessions, and eight roundtable discussions. Visit the online section article for the updated listings.
ICSA AWARD HONORING BOSTON BOMBING VICTIM
The ASA and International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA) have established an award in the memory of Lingzi Lu, the second-year Boston University master's degree statistics student killed in the Boston Marathon bombing. The Lingzi Lu Memorial Award will honor the life and accomplishments of Lingzi, an ambitious, talented, and vibrant student with tremendous potential. It will be presented to an individual in a master's program in statistics or who has recently completed his or her degree. The award will support the recipient's studies and provide support for travel to the ASA's annual Conference on Statistical Practice. Learn more about this award or make a contribution.
CAS LAUNCHES PILOT PARTNERSHIP ASA MENTORING PROGRAM
Sponsored with seed money from a 2013 ASA Member Initiative grant, the ASA Committee on Applied Statisticians (CAS) is launching a pilot partnership ASA mentorship program for applied statisticians. Mentorship initiatives targeted toward practicing statisticians have been made in a variety of ASA units, including some sections, chapters, and committees. Also, a past ASA president wrote two Amstat News columns on mentoring. Yet, many have come to CAS asking if such a program exists. Learn more or help with this pilot program.
NEW SBSS WEBINAR
“Bayesian Methods for Genomic-Based Studies of Disease” will be presented by Christina Kendziorski on Wednesday, June 26. In this webinar, you will review Bayesian methods that have been developed toward this end. The webinar will begin with a review of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, with a focus on NGS of mRNA, so-called RNA-seq experiments. The course is designed primarily for PhD students and postdocs in the statistical sciences who are interested in Bayesian applications to high-throughput genomic studies. For more information and to register, visit the website.
FREE LESSON PLANS AVAILABLE 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 their use. The website resource is organized around the four elements in the GAISE framework: formulate a statistical question, design and implement a plan to collect data, analyze the data by measures and graphs, and interpret the data in the context of the original question. Teachers can navigate the site by grade level and statistical topic. In addition to using the free lessons, please also consider submitting several of your favorite lesson plans according to the STEW template to steweditor@amstat.org.
FREE STATISTICS EDUCATION WEBINARS
The American Statistical Association offers free webinars on K–12 statistics education topics at www.amstat.org/education/webinars. This series was developed as part of the follow-up activities for the Meeting Within a Meeting (MWM) Statistics Workshop. A new webinar on Census at School was posted recently. The Consortium for the Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education also offers free webinars on undergraduate statistics education topics at www.causeweb.org.
STATISTICS TEACHER NETWORK (STN) ISSUE 81 NOW ONLINE!
The Statistics Teacher Network (STN) is a free newsletter published by the ASA/NCTM Joint Committee on Curriculum in Statistics and Probability for Grades K–12. Issue 81 of STN is now online.
COMPETITIONS FOR BEST STATISTICS EDUCATION WEB (STEW)/CENSUS AT SCHOOL LESSON
There are cash prizes available for the best new STEW lessons using U.S. Census at School. Lesson plan entries are due July 15. For more information about the competition, visit the website.
JSM PROCEEDINGS
JSM Proceedings from 2008 onward will be available to members through the Members Only section starting July 1. Past JSM proceedings on CD are available through the Marketplace at a discounted rate of $40 for members.
EDITOR SOUGHT FOR CHANCE MAGAZINE
Nominations and applications are being sought for the next editor of CHANCE magazine. Working with the editorial board and the ASA’s magazine staff, the editor will provide direction and vision for the magazine, which has been published by the ASA for more than 20 years. The editor’s term will be from 2014 to 2016. Along with a curriculum vitae and the names of two references, the applicants should provide a statement of vision for CHANCE. Nominations and applications should be submitted by June 24 to Megan Murphy, ASA communications manager, at megan@amstat.org.
NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR WILLIAM G. HUNTER AWARD
The ASQ Statistics Division established the William G. Hunter Award in 1987 to encourage and promote outstanding accomplishments during a career in the broad field of applied statistics and recognize someone who achieves results. Any outstanding leader in the field of applied statistics, regardless of ASQ Statistics Division membership status, is qualified. Candidates must have demonstrated a high level of professionalism, significant contributions to the field, and a history of inspirational leadership and application. A person may be nominated many times, but may win the award only once. The award criteria and nomination form can be downloaded from the awards page of the ASQ Statistics Division website or obtained by contacting William A. Brenneman. The deadline for submissions is June 30.
GIVE THE GIFT OF SIGNIFICANCE TO YOUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL
Help your local high school introduce the power of statistics to our children through a tax-deductible gift subscription to Significance magazine. Significance articles are nontechnical, appealing to everyone interested in statistics and the analysis and interpretation of data. The magazine communicates and demonstrates, in an entertaining and thought-provoking way, the practical use of statistics in all walks of life and shows how statistics benefit society. Provide your local high school with a subscription today.
ASA ACCREDITATION PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW
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. Benefits include free LearnStat on Demand access, a 20% discount on regular Continuing Education courses, and special recognition. Byron Gajewski of the University of Kansas Medical Center became an accredited member during the month of May. View the full list of accredited members.
AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, & CONTESTS
JANET L. NORWOOD AWARD – Deadline: June 28
Feedback, comments, or suggestions are welcome please email asamail@amstat.org with your ideas.