ewsletter June 2008 Number 123 N statistical society of australia incorporated Statistics at the 2020 Summit Why I attended the 2020 summit development as a country interacting in Dr Harch was nominated by CSIRO’s the global environment. Chief Executive Officer to attend the 2020 The process undertaken to garner summit. Her international reputation as an ideas—where we were able to build on and environmental statistician, skill in leading adapt people’s ideas—highlighted that a multidisciplinary multi-organisational constructive dialogue enabling people to put projects and her more recent experience with forward ideas and having people actively leading international collaborations with listening ensures ideas can be generated China and the USA were seen as relevant through to a level of consensus. for making a significant contribution to Disagreement on ideas is also useful. ideas generated at the Summit. It enables discussion to be focused on My experience at the summit understanding others points of views— enabling a common understanding of I was part of the topic area “Australia’s issues. future security and prosperity in a rapidly Dr Bronwyn Harch trained as an changing region and world”. environmental statistician and currently Value of the summit The majority of people who participated has the role of Research and Business Already the Initial 2020 Summit in the 2020 Summit attended as Leader for CSIRO’s Environmental report is being used by federal and state “Australians”, but there were a few lobbyists Monitoring and Modelling research theme. The group’s research is focused governments in their deliberations about who attended as well. I found the 2020 on the application of mathematical and government priorities. I believe in the Summit as quite an inspirational experience statistical sciences for planners and policy- because I interacted with people from all process used to develop the ideas at the makers to make sound environmental Summit; a participatory process enabling walks of Australian life. Discussion with management decisions. participants—whether leaders in Australian consensus and areas of disagreement to be society or contributors to the fabric of openly discussed. Australia—were fascinating. for discussion in larger groups. The main During one of the group sessions, focus of the second day was to crystallise There was a sense of camaraderie in the Bronwyn shared with Kevin Rudd about shared development of ideas and a real and prioritise the generated ideas. While the idea of Australia adopting a new spirit of rolling up our sleeves together there was some contention about the approach using “smart power” to address and getting on with the task at hand. relative priorities of the ideas presented food, water and energy security issues in There was agreement on the majority of in the Initial 2020 Summit Report, a full collaboration with our neighbours. In this key challenges to Australia’s future security account of the ideas discussed will be case “smart power” is about information and prosperity, but there were differences collated into a Final 2020 Summit Report and knowledge platforms that enable the of opinion in relation to the solutions to in the coming month. prediction of future security issues and these challenges. allow governments at all levels to consider The process used to garner ideas had What I took from/learnt from scenario planning around this definition of us start on the first day with individual the summit security—which needs to be much broader reflection, then gathering as a small group The energy and passion of delegates than “defence”. “Smart power” is in contrast to share these individual ideas and then made it obvious that many Australians to “hard power” (use of military force) and synthesis of commonalities and differences care very much about Australia’s “soft power” (use of diplomacy). In this issue… Editorial 2 Conferences/Workshops/Courses 8 President’s Corner 3 Workshop in Commemoration of Chris Heyde 10 Three Doors 4 In Memoriam 11 AGM Notice of SSAI and ASPAI 5 Branch Reports 15 2007 AusCan Scholar Report 6 Tea party held for t-test 20 Editorial This issue appears to have a travel the t distribution to the world. Many theme underlying the features in PO Box 5111, people contributed to the success of the particular. At a local level, members are “t party”, including the Dean of the Braddon ACT 2612 continuing to travel and come together Faculty of Information Sciences and Phone (02) 6249 8266 for Branch meetings, and most branches Engineering, who provided financial Fax (02) 6249 6558 have reports in this issue. Bronwyn Harch support; the Faculty administration team, Email: [email protected] reports on her travel to Canberra for who decorated the space; two local Irish Society Web Page the 2020 summit, and Melissa Dobbie pubs, who provided the Guinness-themed reports on her travel to Canada as the http://www.statsoc.org.au decorations (the party was held just after AusCan scholar. It’s great to see female statisticians taking on high-profile roles St Patrick’s day so leftover decorations were easy to come by!); over 30 academics Editors both within in the Society and in the broader community. from all Faculties of the University of Canberra, all of whom used t tests in Alice Richardson, Faculty of ISE, I can’t finish this editorial without University of Canberra ACT 2601 mentioning the “t party for the t test”, their research; and invited guests from the Australian National University. We held at the University of Canberra in Michael Adena, Covance Pty Ltd March. This very successful and very hope that the report inspires you to come PO Box 5125, Braddon ACT 2612 enjoyable event was organised to up with your own event to celebrate the celebrate 100 years since the publication anniversary of this mainstay of statistical Correspondence of Student’s 1908 paper that introduced theory and practice. Please direct all editorial correspondence to Alice Richardson. Email: [email protected] Disclaimer Member News The views of contributors to this Newsletter should not be attributed to Seventeen of Australia’s leading population dynamics of vertebrates; the Statistical Society of Australia, Inc. scientists were honoured on 19 March solvable lattice models; and mammalian by election to the Australian Academy of Subscriptions embryonic development. The new Science. 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For details of advertising rates, etc. contact the SSAI Executive Officer at [email protected] Printer National Capital Printing 22 Pirie Street, Fyshwick ACT 2609 DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 10 August 2008 2 SSAI Newsletter – June 2008 President’s Corner In this column I would like to reflect issues for Australian society. How would on the question: “Should the SSAI get we manage the reputational aspects of involved in commenting on significant these studies? The potential impact on societal questions where statistical our Society’s reputation is not to be analysis plays a substantial role?” underestimated—often the topics are This issue has been on the SSAI controversial and there may be widely agenda for some years without a lot differing views about them. How would so far being done to address it. The we finally agree that the conclusions SSAI Strategic Plan (currently being reached and the views expressed can be revised) lists as one of its strategies: put out under the SSAI banner? Any of “Convene specialist panels on significant our members who have given statistical community concerns that have a advice in courts of law will know that statistical aspect needing clarification quite often consensus on methods, and explanation.” I admit to having analysis and their interpretation is not given this issue low priority, partly reached by experts of equal standing. because I have not been able to work All of these questions, and others no out how the SSAI would implement this doubt, need to be addressed before the strategy. But, head in the sand or not, SSAI can put any strategy for this into as the professional society for statistical action. Right now we are hard pushed work in Australia we may need to give to get people to engage in running this attention. I have been asked to the SSAI on a voluntary basis I find it respond to two requests of this type over hard to imagine members engaging in Universities in Australia are offering a the past couple of months. The first was a disinterested way (rather than because 3-year sequence in Statistics. This issue for the SSAI to arrange an evaluation by they have a passion or view about highlights the need to lobby beyond Accredited Statisticians concerning the something) in these important issues Government and make sure the message conclusions drawn in a recent scientific without being renumerated in some way. is getting through at the University level paper that is claimed to have had a I would welcome member’s views on also.