AMSTATNEWS the Membership Magazine of the American Statistical Association •

January 2021 • Issue #523 AMSTATNEWS The Membership Magazine of the American Statistical Association • http://magazine.amstat.org

Reaching for High-Impact Opportunities Pushes Profession Forward

ALSO: My ASA Story: Sastry Pantula Meet Spiro Stefanou, Head of the Economic Research Service NOVEMBER.indd 2 10/21/20 4:08 PM AMSTATNEWS JANUARY 2021 • ISSUE #523 Executive Director Ron Wasserstein: [email protected]

Associate Executive Director and Director of Operations Stephen Porzio: [email protected] features Senior Advisor for Statistics Communication and Media Innovation 3 2021: A Year of Hope and Helping Regina Nuzzo: [email protected] 5 Entries Invited for Statistical Significance Competition Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson: [email protected] 5 JSR to Publish Special Issue in Celebration of 50 Years Director of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach 6 Highlights of the November 18–20, 2020, ASA Board of Donna LaLonde: [email protected] Directors Meeting Director of Education Rebecca Nichols: [email protected] 8 Donor Spotlight: Mohamed Al Lawati

Managing Editor 10 Meet Spiro Stefanou, Head of the Economic Research Service Megan Murphy: [email protected] 12 My ASA Story: Sastry Pantula, Dean Editor and Content Strategist Val Nirala: [email protected] 14 Reaching for High-Impact Opportunities Pushes Profession Forward Production Coordinators/Graphic Designers Olivia Brown: [email protected] 17 Nominate a Colleague for ASA Leadership Position Megan Ruyle: [email protected] 17 Webinar: Privacy Risk and Preservation Contributing Staff Members Rebecca Nichols • Amanda Malloy • Kim Gilliam

Amstat News welcomes news items and letters from readers on matters of interest to the association and the profession. Address correspondence to Managing Editor, Amstat News, American Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA, or email amstat@ columns amstat.org. Items must be received by the first day of the preceding month to ensure appearance in the next issue (for example, June 1 for the July issue). Material can be sent as a Microsoft Word document, PDF, or within an email. Articles will be edited for space. Accompanying artwork will be accepted in graphics file formats only (.jpg, etc.), minimum 300 dpi. No material in 18 STATtr@k WordPerfect will be accepted. Jeremy Gu: Data Science from the Tech Industry to Amstat News (ISSN 0163-9617) is published monthly by the American Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314- the World of Fashion 1943 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Amstat News, 732 STATtr@k is a column in Amstat News and a website geared toward people North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA. Send Canadian who are in a statistics program, recently graduated from a statistics pro- address changes to APC, PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, ON L4B 4R6. Annual subscriptions are $50 per year for nonmembers. Amstat gram, or recently entered the job world. To read more articles like this News is the member publication of the ASA. For annual membership rates, one, visit the website at http://stattrak.amstat.org. If you have suggestions see www.amstat.org/join or contact ASA Member Services at (888) 231-3473. for future articles, or would like to submit an article, please email Megan American Statistical Association Murphy, Amstat News managing editor, at [email protected]. 732 North Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314–1943 USA (703) 684–1221 ASA GENERAL: [email protected] 20 STATS4GOOD ADDRESS CHANGES: [email protected] Data for Good: The Year in Review AMSTAT EDITORIAL: [email protected] ADVERTISING: [email protected] This column is written for those interested in learning about the WEBSITE: http://magazine.amstat.org world of Data for Good, where statistical analysis is dedicated to good Printed in USA © 2021 causes that benefit our lives, our communities, and our world. If you American Statistical Association would like to know more or have ideas for articles, contact David Corliss at [email protected].

22 MASTER’S NOTEBOOK ® To Get a PhD or Not to Get a PhD? Part 4 The American Statistical Association is the world’s largest community of statisticians. The ASA supports excellence in This column is written for statisticians with master’s degrees and highlights the development, application, and dissemination of statistical areas of employment that will benefit statisticians at the master’s level. science through meetings, publications, membership services, Comments and suggestions should be sent to Megan Murphy, Amstat News education, accreditation, and advocacy. Our members serve in managing editor, at [email protected]. industry, government, and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. DCAS PO T

departments PRACTICAL SIIFICACE 24 education USCOTS 2021: Teaching Conference Taking Proposals Pssst! GAISE II Now Available; Download for Free Coming Soon: ASA Podcast

A dynamic duo will host the ASA’s new podcast, “Practical Significance”: the ASA’s director of strategic initiatives, Donna Lalonde, and executive director, Ron Wasserstein. See next month’s issue for details.

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A Year of Hope and Helping

ere’s wishing you a happy, healthy, and Now, more than ever, we as statisticians and productive new year, fellow statisticians. human beings need to support each other. I encour- I don’t know about you, but I have never age you to join me in devoting the year 2021 to Hbeen more eager for a year to end than I was in building community. The ongoing COVID era— 2020. Each succeeding month I would think where essentially all communications are virtual— things could not possibly get weirder, crazier, or provides an opportunity for both expanding your more challenging. Yet, somehow, events continued network and strengthening existing ties. If you are to unfold to dash my hopes for any sense of sanity engaged in your career as a statistician, think about or stability. So much for 2020. reconnecting with your undergraduate and graduate Rob Santos By the time you read this, we will be living in classmates; reconnect with former job colleagues. the year 2021 and the pall of 2020 will be behind Stay in touch with your mentees and mentor(s); ask us. The pandemic caused enormous suffering in our them how they are doing, share your tips for cop- society, including reductions in housing stability for ing with the times, and see if they have any tips for millions of families and the economic downturn you. If you are a student, stay in touch with your and associated losses of jobs, businesses, and wealth. classmates and professors. Share your experiences Hunger among our nation’s families has soared. and coping strategies. Twenty-three percent report food insecurity. Racial Let’s strengthen our ASA community. Say hi injustices and health disparities continued their rise to fellow members of your ASA sections or chap- last year, and political divisiveness deepened. Finally, ters and participate in their activities. Speak out well more than 300,000 of our fellow US residents and contribute to our ASA Community by offer- succumbed to COVID. ing your perspective on an issue or helping a fellow I hope neither you nor your loved ones were sick statistician who has a technical question. Virtually from COVID or contract it in the future. Although introduce yourself to statisticians you have been the distribution of vaccine promises a slow end to wanting to meet. Bolster your social media presence our sequestered lives, we very much continue to be by posting and following others. The ASA member embedded in the throes of the pandemic; times will directory or even LinkedIn can be a great resource remain difficult and uncertain for the foreseeable for connecting. Ultimately, we will endure the pan- future. Yet here we are in a new year. There is rea- demic and its effects on society, but the journey son for optimism and hope despite the challenges can be more readily navigated if we do it together, we face. supporting each other as statisticians, colleagues, friends, and fellow human beings.

january 2021 amstat news 3 Let’s also support our local communities. The include assessing and improving JEDI efforts, devel- first part of 2021 will be critical in helping the pub- oping resources for individuals and organizations in lic understand the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. our professional community, enabling growth and We need a high proportion of the residents in each appreciation for cultural humility, and communi- of our communities to be inoculated. Having a vac- cating the group’s efforts and solutions that have cine is necessary but not sufficient. We can com- been implemented. There is also self-reflection and municate with friends, family, neighbors, and the research you can do on unconscious bias. Becoming public and deliver a message of trust based on our more aware of and sensitive to the effect of one’s understanding and review of the statistical results of communications and actions on others different clinical trials. than you (be it race-ethnicity, gender, religion, tech- Many of us have already done this, but much nical expertise, language, etc.) will make you both a more is needed. All communications can help, be better statistician and a better human being. they conversations, social media postings, media Finally, the ASA has launched its Anti-Racism Task interviews, op-eds, whatever. Let us do our part to Force to review the association’s infrastructure and spread the word that vaccines can be trusted, pro- policies; assess association communications, services, vided, of course, you believe that. And if you do and benefits; and inform the public of the respon- not, let’s have open, respectful discussions about sible use of statistics and data science in systems that your concerns. Our communities will benefit from unintentionally contribute to racial and ethnic bias. hearing our voices. The task force will prepare a roadmap for the ASA Be aware of and sensitive to the suffering occur- to follow in advancing its JEDI objectives and real- ring in your local community. Families are hungry izing its commitments. Inequities, racial injustice, and and stressed out, cannot pay bills, and are deal- noninclusiveness are not going away any time soon, ing with difficult health events and family issues. and we as statisticians can do our part to address these Many of us are blessed to be able to work at home issues and help create a better society for all. Please while continuing to earn a paycheck and advance feel free to reach out to the task force (ww2.amstat.org/ our careers. But so many people and families have committees/commdetails.cfm?txtComm=ABTBOD16) if not been so fortunate. You can help by donating to you are available to help. There may be activities that your local food bank or a nonprofit that helps your could use a helping hand. community. You can offer support and comfort to You can probably tell I have a passion for service friends and family. We are all in this together. to community. We exist, survive, and thrive in mul- The pandemic also brought into stark view some tiple “communities,” including our beloved ASA of the blemishes of society, one which is of special community; our neighborhood, city, or town; our importance to me: exacerbated racial-ethnic dis- global professional network of colleagues; our fami- parities in health, justice, and virtually all aspects lies and friends; our church (if you are religious); of society. Our ASA commitment to inclusion and and our social media pals. All deserve nurturing equity will continue through the pandemic and during these challenging times. Let us do our part to beyond. The ASA is early into the long journey of help society get through the pandemic and address understanding and addressing issues of justice, equi- societal imperfections, and let’s do that with our sta- ty, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI, bit.ly/3qXNMcW) tistical acumen and our hearts. in statistics and data science. Please think about how you can help. As an association member, consider joining the ASA JEDI Outreach Group. The JEDI group is committed to identifying and overcoming systemic racism and hindering biases; their activities

4 amstat news january 2021 Entries Invited for Statistical Significance Competition STATISTICS POWERS COMPETITIVENESS STATISTICALSIGNIFICANCE he Scientific and Public the following day. The winner will Efficiency, Efficiency, Efficiency: Statisticians have developed powerful analytical tools that allow one to extract robust conclusions from data samples. As a result, industry, agriculture, and pharmaceutical companies have improved their productivity and competitiveness immensely. Affairs Advisory be notified immediately thereafter. STATISTICAL SCIENCE IMPROVING AGRICULTURE Economic Productivity STATISTICAL Committee (SPAAC) Participation in this competi- SEARCH ENGINE SIGNIFICANCEADVERTISEMENT PRICING: Auction theory is used to help Agriculture is central to our economy, our health, our environment, and our security. monetizeFarmers, producers,search-based and advertis distributers- are under invitesT all JSM 2021 poster con- tion is only available to contrib- constant pressure to improve yield, provide safe food, ensure nutrition, contain costs, etc.ing. Statistical Ads are orderedscience and according statisticians to are vital to addressing each of these challenges. their expected revenue to the search engine and, if an ad is clicked, that advertiser pays the bid of the adver- tributors to compete for a policy uted poster authors who submit Agriculture and Food tiser whose ad is immediately below. MONITORING OUR ANIMAL AND PLANT BREEDING ECONOMIC HEALTH: Govern- Quality Assurance in Manufacturing AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND STATISTICS INTERTWINED applications prize in its 12th their poster abstract by the JSM As the world’s population has increased ment agencies use statistical methods W. E. Deming pioneered statistical methods to help manufacturers evalu- dramatically in recent times and continues OVER LAST CENTURY extensively to determine the myriad ate the overall quality of their products by sampling only some of the to rise, a corresponding increase in the food Fundamentalmeasures to improving of our crop economy, yield is thefrom necessity to units. An important component of Total Quality Management, statisti- supply is needed. Plant and animal breed- quantify effectsthe trade of such deficit factors and as grosscrop varieties,national nutrients, cal process control prescribes the monitoring of the specifications of Statistical Significance competi- ers have worked closely with statisticians on and fertilizersproduct on crop to theyields. consumer Statisticians price have index been inte- the product throughout the process to maintain and improve its quality. deadline of April 14. To enter, gral to this effort for a century. Ronald Fisher, one of statis- breeding programs that have produced huge and unemployment rate. The im- Companies that followed Deming’s advice and the work of his counterparts increases in crop yields and meat and dairy tics’ most partialimportant construction historical figures, of economic developed his prin- thrived in an increasingly globally competitive market. The modern busi- ciples of experimental design in the context of agricultural products. For example, average corn yields indicators is critical for policymak- ness tool known as Six Sigma is a direct descendant of Deming’s work. in the United States have increased over the field trialsers in assessingthe 1910s andour 20s.nation’s Fisher economy. invented statistical tion. A prize of $300 will be email your intention to com- past century from 25 bushels per acre to more models to account for confounding factors affecting crop yields such as soil type or weather. than 150. The analysis of data from breeding These principles, along with new statisticalIMPROVING methods, continue EFFICIENCY: to have an important role programs has motivated the development in agricultural research. For example, developments in spatial statistical models have SOFTWARE/ INVENTORY CONTROL of key statistical methods and comput- contributed to precision agriculture, a farmGuinness management Brewing strategy that uses global positionWEB- DEVELOPMENT: Microsoft AND STAFFING: Companies ing strategies, and, along with the recent ing systems to target interventions to the needsCompany of a crop hired at a Williamspecific location in a field. has developed sophisticated software use sophisticated methods devel- awarded to the presenter with the pete and your abstract number explosion of genetic information, will help Gossett in 1899 for to run controlled ‘live’ experiments to oped by statisticians to manage their drive further increases in sustainable food his chemistry train- objectively evaluate software fea- inventories, thereby ensuring prod- F AP production, even as environments change. O PR L O ing, but Gossett A E V S A tures. Users are randomly assigned ucts and supplies are always on hand

made his greatest to control and treatment groups, while minimizing storage costs and EFFICIENT AND FAIR (ERS) monitors the extent and severity of safety. For example, statisticiansUARANTEE have helped spierson@ contribution by G D and then their behavior is analyzed over-purchasing. Similarly, transfer JSM poster that includes a to Steve Pierson at food insecurity in America through an an- packing houses find ways to economically COMMODITY MARKETS developing a statisti- nual, nationally representative survey of reduce the number of bacteria in and aroundusing various statistical methods. functions and advanced statistical Statistical survey data on acreage and crop cal technique to better households to derive the consequences of packing houses. Protecting ready-to-eat The results are quickly applied to software are used to estimate staffing production provided by the National estimate the amount of yeast in a food assistance programs and guide federal products such as lunch meats and hot dogsintegrate or discard the feature, for call centers to minimize wait-time Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are solution based on a small sample. Statistical Significance piece the amstat.org essential to the workings of the agricultural programs like the Supplemental Nutrition from contamination by E. coli, salmonella,thereby accelerating and improving and dead-weight (staff idle time) cost. by midnight April 30. With the new information, Guinness free market. Farmers use the data, along with Assistance Program (formerly known as food or other pathogens while minimizing the softwareuse and web development. was able produce its now-famous commodity prices, to make business deci- stamps). ERS also draws on comprehensive of chemicals is another persistent challenge. sions such as which crops to plant, how many farm-level data to detail changes in farm sizeproducts Here, morestatisticians efficiently. have worked Gossett’s with food“Statistics Powers Competitiveness” is part of Statistical Significance, a series from the American Statistical cattle to raise, and when to harvest and sell and other attributes of farm structure; iden-methodscientists remains on the one use of of the naturally most occurringAssociation documenting the contributions of statistics to our country and society. For more in this series, visit www.amstat.org/outreach/statsig.cfm. The American Statistical Association is the foremost professional judges deem describes the best Feel free to contact Pierson with products. The data, updated throughout the tify key driving forces behind consolidation widelyantimicrobials used results to in reduce statistics dependence. on their and concentration in the agricultural sector; commonly used chemical counterparts. society of statisticians, representing 19,000 scientists in industry, government, and academia: www.amstat.org. This growing season, help to determine commod- Statistical Significance was produced under the supervision of the ASA Section on Business and Economic Statistics. ity prices. Companies involved in transporta- and evaluate implications for farmers, natural tion, storage, and farm supplies use the data resource use, agri-business, and consumers. “Statistical Science Improving Agriculture” is part of Statistical to develop business plans. The key to an Reference: Salsburg, David; The Lady Tasting Tea, Freeman, New York, 2001. contribution of statistics to society. any questions. ENSURING FOOD Significance, a series from the American Statistical Association 2017 efficient commodity market is high-quality documenting the contributions of statistics to our country and ® information on supply and demand, available SECURITY AND SAFETY society. For more in this series, visit www.amstat.org/outreach/ to all players, throughout the production cycle. Protecting local and global food supplies is statsig.cfm. The American Statistical Association is the foremost professional society of statisticians, representing 19,000 scientists made challenging by many factors, includ- in industry, government, and academia: www.amstat.org. This Statistical Significance is a For more information about INFORMING FARM AND ing the diversity of food sources/produc- Statistical Significance was produced under the supervision of FOOD POLICY ers, a complex production and distribution the ASA Scientific and Public Affairs Advisory Committee. Statistical data and analyses inform decisions network, and the large volumes/quantities about farm, food, rural development, and of food. Sophisticated statistical sampling natural conservation policies. For example, techniques and quality control methods are https:// at the heart of monitoring and ensuring food short, one-page illustration of the competition, visit the USDA’s Economic Research Service 2017 ® the value of statistics to society community.amstat.org/spaac/awards/ within the context of the research poster-award. ■ problem dealt with in the poster submitted for JSM presentation (see bit.ly/2xtiwIT). The objective is to illustrate to a lay person how the statistical solution to the prob- JSR to Publish Special Issue in lem presented in the poster would help form decisions that improve Celebration of 50 Years society in specific areas such as health, agriculture, economy, edu- The Journal of Statistical Research (JSR) invites manuscripts for a special cation, manufacturing, and medi- issue on the occasion of its 50th year of publication and the 100-year cine. The piece should be clearly anniversary of the University of Dhaka. The theme of the issue is Statistics: written to convey the beneficial Opportunities and New Challenges and it will be edited by M. Ataharul Islam role of statistics in a concise and unambiguous manner. The most of the University of Dhaka, Sanjoy K. Sinha of Carleton University, and effective Statistical Significance Abdus S. Wahed of the University of Pittsburgh. pieces are easy to develop, simple The special issue will be dedicated to original research articles in both in exposition, enlightening, and theoretical and applied statistics. The anticipated publication date for this fun to read. issue is June 2021, and the issue will be published in Volume 55 (Number 1). Contest participants must include a one-page Statistical The deadline for manuscript submission is March 1. Authors interested in Significance piece with their contributing to the special issue should prepare manuscripts following the poster presentation at JSM. Both JSR submission guidelines at http://jsr.isrt.ac.bd/submit-articles. Two copies the scientific merit of the poster of the manuscript, one with the author information and the other without, and the Statistical Significance should be sent in PDF format to [email protected]. A LaTeX source file piece will be judged. of the accepted manuscript should be provided, as well. Upon manuscript A panel of judges appointed by submission, indicate your manuscript is intended for the special issue. the SPAAC will visit the posters during a topic-contributed session All communication about the manuscript submission and review will at JSM and determine a winner be managed within the JSR editorial policy. For further information, visit http://jsr.isrt.ac.bd or contact any of the editors.

january 2021 amstat news 5 Highlights of the November 18–20, 2020, ASA Board of Directors Meeting Ron Wasserstein, ASA Executive Director

SA President Wendy Martinez called to received from other companies and will be order the final regular meeting of the ASA reviewed by the Investments Committee. Board on November 18. The board met via • The board broke into small groups to pon- videoconferenceA over a three-day period. The high- der, over a two-day period, the future of ASA lights of the board meeting follow. meetings during and after the pandemic. They raised questions and made many suggestions Action Items that the staff will consider as meetings are The board approved the following: planned for 2021 and beyond. • Revisions to the charges of the Committee on • As it does annually, the board discussed the Funded Research and Committee on Statistics status of committees in the Professional and Disability Issues and Visibility Council and Education • Funding to convert to new platforms for Council. The committee councils serve as the membership and content management connection between their committees and the board. The board expressed gratitude for the • Proposed changes to the constitution and great work these committees do on behalf of bylaws, not including the changes to the the profession and association. first paragraph of Article III, Section 2 of the bylaws. That paragraph proposed a change • The board heard updates and reports from to the voting method used in ASA elections, several organizations with which we have and the board decided, based on member collaborations or are developing collabora- responses, to leave that section as is. That is, tive efforts, including (in the order the board we will continue to use approval voting as our heard the reports): voting method. • Academic Data Science Alliance • Entering into a partnership with ACM and • Institute for Mathematical and Statistical IEEE-CS to accredit undergraduate data Innovation science programs under the ABET accreditation aegis • Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute • A policy for naming ASA awards and scholarships • National Institute of Statistical Sciences • Adding FENStatS as an accreditation partner • Sports Analytics Club Program Report and Discussion Items • Royal Statistical Society • Associate Executive Director and Director of • Adrian Coles and David Marker, co-chairs of Operations Steve Porzio updated the board the ASA’s Antiracism Task Force, informed the on 2020 financials as of the end of the third board about the launch of this task force. They quarter. He noted that the ASA will operate at reviewed the charge and vision of the task a loss in 2020. Porzio said we can manage this force, including their working definition of deficit because our balance sheet is healthy. antiracism. They outlined the areas of impact they would like to see the committee strive for, • ASA Treasurer Ruixiao Lu reported on the their timetable for achieving this impact, and ASA’s investments. She described the diversity their plan for reporting to the board. of the investment portfolio. Lu noted it is time to review our contract with our invest- • Martinez, President-elect Rob Santos, and ment adviser and to consider whether to con- incoming President-elect Kathy Ensor updated tinue with the same adviser. Bids have been the board on the strategic initiatives they are

6 amstat news january 2021 2020 Board of Directors

Wendy Martinez, President planning or that are in progress. Information Rob Santos, President-Elect about them will appear in Amstat News. Karen Kafadar, Past President • The board reviewed the report of the ASA’s Katherine Monti, Third-Year Vice President Strategic Plan Review Committee, which consists Richard De Veaux, Second-Year Vice President of the third-year board members, publications Dionne Price, First-Year Vice President representative, treasurer, and executive director. The committee made recommendations to Don Jang, Third-Year Council of Chapters Representative improve evaluation of ASA initiatives. Anamaria Kazanis, Second-Year Council of Chapters Representative • Council of Chapters Representative Ji-Hyun Ji-Hyun Lee, First-Year Council of Chapters Representative Lee reviewed the JSM-related activities of the council, the activities of the Chapter Status Katherine Halvorsen, Third-Year Council of Sections Committee, plans for virtual attendance Representative options at future COC business meetings, Mark Glickman, Second-Year Council of Sections and a plan to hold winter meetings of the Representative COCGB in connection with the Conference Rebecca Hubbard, First-Year Council of Sections Representative on Statistical Practice once that becomes fea- Alexandra Schmidt, International Representative sible (i.e., post-pandemic). She also discussed feedback from Council of Chapters members Scott Evans, Publications Representative regarding the holding of its meetings virtually Ruixiao Lu, Treasurer at JSM. Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director and Board Secretary • Council of Sections Representative Katherine Halvorsen reviewed the leadership workshop for council chairs held in late September, the video created to help section treasurers do their jobs, and the completion of a report on factors 2021 Board of Directors affecting section membership. She also noted that three sections have updated their charters. Rob Santos, President Kathy Ensor, President-Elect • ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson introduced our new science policy fellow, Wendy Martinez, Past President Jonathan Auerbach. Pierson reported on Richard De Veaux, Third-Year Vice President advocacy efforts of the association, focusing Dionne Price, Second-Year Vice President on issues surrounding the 2020 census, the transition to a new administration, technical Matilde Sanchez-Kam, First-Year Vice President papers developed by staff, and statistical issues Anamaria Kazanis, Third-Year Council of Chapters in Supreme Court cases. Representative • Amanda Malloy, ASA director of develop- Ji-Hyun Lee, Second-Year Council of Chapters Representative ment, reviewed the major fundraising chal- Alexandra Hanlon, First-Year Council of Chapters Representative lenges we experienced this year. She noted Mark Glickman, Third-Year Council of Sections Representative that, nonetheless, people are continuing to Rebecca Hubbard, Second-Year Council of Sections donate and we continue to add new donors. Representative Giving Day was again successful, Malloy said, generating many gifts and involving new Kate Calder, First-Year Council of Sections Representative donors. She asked the board to assist with Alexandra Schmidt, International Representative thank-you notes to be sent to all donors who Bin Nan, Publications Representative contributed at least $200 in 2020. Ruixiao Lu, Treasurer The next regular meeting of the board will be Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director and Board Secretary April 14–16, 2021, via videoconference. ■

january 2021 amstat news 7 STATS FROM THE ROAD Donor Spotlight: Mohamed Al Lawati Amanda Malloy, ASA Director of Development

t isn’t often I get to visit with International Institute and, in someone on the other side of 2019, received a fellowship in the world, but thanks to business administration from the ZoomI and the good fortune of British Institute of Economics our schedules aligning, I had the and Political Science. He is opportunity to visit with and get currently serving as the deputy to know Mohamed Al Lawati. chairman of the Omani Society Amanda Malloy Al Lawati has been an ASA of Certified Public Accountants. member and donor for several At this point in his life, Al years. He was a principal sponsor Lawati says it is important for of the Conference on Statistical him to be philanthropic. He has Practice in 2019 and 2020, is a a strong desire to give back and Helen Walker Society member help the next generation. (the ASA’s donor club for those “My charitable activities and who give $1,000 or more annu- my social responsibility have not ally), and recently committed to been limited to the Sultanate of help fund programs that focus on Mohamed Al Lawati Oman, but rather to neighbor- cultivating future leaders in sta- on the digital economy and that ing countries, including African tistics and data science. statistics has a distinctive role in countries. My interest in the After earning his high- this field,” Al Lawati told me. “I American Statistical Association school diploma in Kuwait, Al was also eager to study statistics started when I began my master’s Lawati received a scholarship and applied statistics, so I wanted degree in statistics and has con- to study accounting in the Arab to specialize in this field.” tinued since then and especially Republic of Egypt. Following This allowed him to advance since we are now working under graduation, he secured his professionally and go on to hold the digital economy system,” first job as an employee in the several more leadership positions Al Lawati said. “In addition to Ministry of Finance in the at the Ministry of Finance, such my master’s degree in statistics Sultanate of Oman. as the director of planning and at the University of Georgia and In 1990, Al Lawati was sent financial studies and the director my relationships with the univer- to the United States, where he of finance. Following his service sity administration there, I have studied at the University of in the Ministry of Finance, he a strong motivation to strengthen Georgia and earned a master’s opened a successful real-estate my relationship with ASA.” degree in statistics. business in Oman, which is part Al Lawati was particularly “I received a scholarship from of the main business sector there. inspired by the leadership chal- my country, the Sultanate of In 2018, Al Lawati earned lenge created as part of former Oman, to study a master’s degree a PhD in small- and medium- ASA president Lisa LaVange’s in statistics because of the focus sized enterprises from the British leadership initiative and has

8 amstat news january 2021 partnered with the ASA to fund this program and ones like it My interest in the American Statistical that help cultivate the next generation of leaders in statistics Association started when I began my master’s and data science. “I am inspired by ways of degree in statistics and has continued since leadership in practicing my own work. For this reason, I have a strong desire to contribute to then and especially since we are now working financing and sponsoring programs like the leadership chal- under the digital economy system. lenge in 2021,” Al Lawati said.

enter the workforce without hav- Team members participate in ing gained valuable 21st-century a leadership challenge orientation skills that are key to their success session and three virtual leadership and critical to the advancement development workshops designed of their work. These include pre- to help them hone their presenta- sentation and communication tion, leadership, and communi- skills, working effectively in a cation skills. The teams are then team, and leadership skills. given the opportunity to present The ASA–Dr. Mohamed Al their plans to the ASA Board of LEADERSHIP Lawati Leadership Challenge Directors, giving the team mem- is one example of the kind of bers the chance to meet and net- CHALLENGE innovative programs created to work with some of the leaders in About the ASA–Dr. achieve these goals. the profession and witness how Mohamed Al Lawati Teams with three to five mem- a board meeting is conducted. bers take on a leadership prob- Participants receive a scholar- Leadership Challenge lem presented by the ASA such ship to attend an ASA meeting The need for statisticians and as building a plan to grow and (in person or virtual) and com- data scientists to enter the work- sustain the ASA’s membership. plimentary ASA membership for force has never been greater. At least two team members must three years. ■ Likewise, the need for these pro- be students during the challenge fessionals to present and commu- period. The remaining members nicate their work to colleagues of the team must have graduated is critical. Many times, students within the last two years.

january 2021 amstat news 9 MEET SPIRO STEFANOU, Head of the Economic Research Service

piro Stefanou has been the administrator of the Economic Research Service (ERS) at the US Department of Agriculture since August 2020.S He provides leadership and guidance for the agency research, analytical, and technical operations. Prior to his arrival at ERS, he was professor and former chair in the food and resource economics department at the University of Florida and professor of agricultural economics at Penn State University. He is a fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association and held visiting positions at universities in Greece, The Netherlands, Italy, and Austria. Stefanou is past editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy and has served on the editorial boards of six national and international journals. What about this position appealed to you? The Economic Research Service is a world leader in conducting objective, policy-informing research Spiro Stefanou addressing the current trends and emerging issues impacting agriculture, the food system, the environ- What do you see as your biggest ment, and rural America. In addition, ERS is one of challenge(s) for ERS? the 13 federal statistical agencies, and we are a data- driven operation. We produce data products, use data I would like to identify two important, serious products generated by other federal statistical agencies, challenges. The first is a challenge most enterprises and acquire proprietary data products. Leveraging encounter that revolves around operating in the these data assets with our human capital exper- short run while planning for the long run. I always tise offers tremendous potential to have an impact. see these challenges in the context of a sports anal- Given this potential, ERS has a unique opportunity ogy. This is a team effort; everyone needs to keep to re-envision how we conduct business and craft the their head up and take care of business. At the same research and outreach agenda leveraging new staff time, we need to move without the ball to be in ideas and a new location in America’s heartland. a position to make the play. Bringing this back to ERS, we need to balance the demands for timely, Describe the top 2–3 priorities you have rapid analysis of emerging issues and, at the same for the Economic Research Service. time, craft and invest in research and outlook programs that anticipate future needs to continue pro- My priorities revolve around our goals to undertake ducing timely and relevant research and data. relevant, timely, and objective economic research to The second significant challenge is the respon- promote the growth of US agriculture and rural areas sibility of being a federal statistical agency, which as we are mindful of our environmental impact. Part entails a high bar to clear that centers on trust. The of being relevant is being ready to address the chal- role of trust is a burden we proudly bear, and hon- lenges on the horizon. These horizons will demand esty and judgement are the foundations of trust. We that we operate at the nexus of agriculture/food, count on data providers to trust that information the environment, and health. This prism of systems collected for statistical purposes will be protected demands connecting with new partners across dis- and that these data will be used for the purposes the ciplines and across the public-private divide. We are agency described. Having no way to independently revisiting the range of branded ERS outreach prod- verify the completeness and accuracy of statistical ucts beyond our current portfolio to more rapidly information, data users must trust the credibility of address these timely and emerging needs. the information and products we provide.

10 amstat news january 2021 How can the statistical community Tell us more about your research and help you? how it overlaps with the work of ERS. The statistical community can assist us with the My research activities address themes of competi- methodological and computational challenges of tiveness and growth and related policy implications. communicating our data products. We, as data- This research revolves around how firms make deci- driven economists, are at our best when we can sions when current decisions impact future produc- communicate insights into how policies impact tion possibilities. How firms choose to adopt effec- stakeholders’ decisions. As we combine data with tive technologies and their capabilities to extract the more detail over individuals, households, time, maximum potential from these technologies is a key and space, there is an evolving need to find effec- feature of these frameworks. Investment and inno- tive and impactful mechanisms to translate the data vation patterns, firm learning, and capacity utiliza- into insights. Our ‘customers’ face narrowing band- tion are key features of these investigations. width and have a need for creative translation of With agriculture being a natural resource–based new trends and their impacts. activity, productivity gains are going to come from innovation. My long-standing work in productivity and economic performance are topics of relevance to USDA’s goal to promote growth in agriculture. My priorities revolve Along with several colleagues, we’ve developed the theoretical foundations for addressing efficiency and around our goals to productivity in a dynamic production environment and generated many studies and considerable discussion in economic policy circles across nations. undertake relevant, A core mission of ERS is to undertake objective economic research on trends and emerging issues timely, and objective that impact agriculture, the environment, food, and rural America. Assessing opportunities and impact economic research to of policies that can promote growth and well-being in this part of our economy is a key part of this mission. The policy stories associated with the dynamic promote the growth of US capabilities and productivity have wide interest, since growth can come from firms wasting fewer agriculture and rural areas resources or adapting their size to extract the full potential of technologies in place and/or firms look- as we are mindful of our ing to push the technological envelope. How does your research inform how environmental impact. you lead ERS? I have always been drawn to the short-run, long-run Part of being relevant is story of economics. We are always operating in the short run. Rutherford Aris has a great statement in being ready to address the his book Discrete Dynamic Programming that left an indelible impression on me:

challenges on the horizon. “… If you don’t do the best you can with what you happen to have got, you’ll never do the best you might have done with what you should Prior to your tenure, what do you see as have had …” the biggest recent accomplishment of Optimal decisions are linked forward “… to the the agency? best we might have done …” and backward “…with The decision to undertake significant investment what you should have had. …” This is a statement in data products from proprietary sources and to about realizing our potential! Planning is essential creatively merge them into federal data products. to realizing our potential. The plans can provide a These combined data products create more fuel for guidepost, but plans can be revised. ■ our research activities and stimulate new directions for our research programs.

january 2021 amstat news 11 MY ASA STORY Sastry G. Pantula, Dean College of Natural Sciences at California State University, San Bernardino

photo courtesy of CSUSB photographer, Corrine McCurdy This is a new series featuring ASA members who share their ASA stories. Our mission is to collect authentic and meaningful accounts of member experiences. If you have a story you would like to share, email the ASA’s marketing and communications coordinator, Kim Gilliam, at [email protected].

JSM talk in Toronto. It is not the nervousness of My advice to young statisticians is to giving a talk I remember, but rather the Opening Mixer. I stood next to Wayne, who is a magnet and engage with the ASA early and often. center of attraction. I recall him introducing me to so many famous statisticians in one single evening. I think I have attended every single JSM since then, and I always make sure I stay with Wayne at the “Engage to Excel” is the title of a PCAST report mixer—it is a networking Mecca! I also make sure I in 2012 I distinctly remember while I was at the attend the Diversity Mentoring Program to connect National Science Foundation. It is also the mantra I with future graduate students, future faculty, future am using now with our students at California State allies, and future leaders. University, San Bernardino. It is very important for As a young faculty member at North Carolina our students to engage with the university, especially State University (NCSU) in 1982, the local ASA during this pandemic while we are virtual. And my chapter provided me a welcoming place to network advice to young statisticians is to engage with the with statisticians in the Research Triangle area, ASA early and often. In the process, we all excel! My which had a large density of statisticians. Chapter engagement with the ASA has helped me in many meetings and seminars used to be in Building C ways in my career, and I hope I can be of help to (There were only three buildings then!) on SAS others as they move up their ladder. campus and at the Research Triangle Institute. It all started with a simple nudge from my major Young faculty had an opportunity to serve on ASA professor, Wayne Fuller, at Iowa State to join the chapters, which I enjoyed very much. Professional ASA as a student in 1980. In 1983, I gave my first service is valued at NCSU.

12 amstat news january 2021 I was also active in the Business and Economic on and pursue career choices that allow me to help Statistics Section and was elected to be the pro- others reach their full potential. It is the number gram chair for JSM 2000. My service to this sec- of allies in the ASA who helped me get to where I tion led me to be an associate editor for the Journal am and help me continue to grow.The more you of Business & Economic Statistics. It has given me a serve, the more you thrive; the more you give, the broader view of the excellent research in my areas more you get; and the more you engage, the more of interest. You learn more when you teach, and you expand your horizons when you review other people’s work.

One of the best calls I ever received was when I was nominated to be the ASA president.

A chance meeting with a former ASA president, Fritz Scheuren, led me to be nominated for and Sastry G. Pantula, Dean appointed as the treasurer for the ASA. It really gave Sastry and his adviser and mentor, Iowa State University professor Wayne Fuller, College of Natural Sciences at California State University, San Bernardino me an insider view of how a 20,000-member “big have a family breakfast during JSM 2014, a JSM tradition. tent” organization is run, with many volunteers like (photo by Eric Sampson/ASA) us and many dedicated people who serve on the ASA Board looking out and advocating for our profession. It also gave me a chance to work with and observe amazing ASA staff who prioritize our success. One of the best calls I ever received was when I was nominated to be the ASA president. What an honor to have the opportunity to serve the ASA! The second-best call I ever received was from ASA Executive Director Ron Wasserstein congratulating me on becoming the first Asian president of the ASA in more than 100 years! It gave me an opportunity to GIVE (Growth, Impact, Visibility, and Education) to the ASA. It also gave me the opportunity to visit a number of our chapters, represent the ASA globally, and take a group of statisticians to China on a People to People trip. This leadership position certainly enhanced my chances of becoming the first statistician to be the director of the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation. Being director was one of the best jobs and gave me a bird’s-eye view of the outstanding research happening in mathematical and statistical sciences. Ron Wasserstein, Ingram Olkin, and Sastry Pantula during the 175th anniversary This service to our profession opened the doors for celebration at the 2014 Joint Statistical Meetings in Boston (photo by Eric Sampson/ASA) me to be a dean at a couple of colleges, including my current job. I have had the opportunity to serve on several ASA committees and currently serve on you excel! Infinite possibilities. I highly recommend the External Nominations and Awards Committee. serving the ASA and promoting the practice and Serving the ASA, in small steps, one step at a profession of statistics. It has been great for me, and time, made me understand the personal gratifica- I know you will reap the benefits, as well. ■ tion I get from serving others. It helped me decide

january 2021 amstat news 13 Reaching for High- Impact Opportunities Pushes Profession Forward External Nominations and Awards Committee Members

14 amstat news january 2021 n 2017, the ASA leadership convened the External Nominations and Awards Committee Iwith the specific charge to do the following: • Identify boards, committees, and other bodies external to statistics to which statisticians should be appointed to assist in advancing science and raising the profile of the profession • Identify high-profile awards (external to the American Statistical Association) for which some ASA members might be eligible • Identify people who should be nominated for IDENTIFY BOARDS, COMMITTEES, these positions or awards, assess eligibility, and EXTERNAL BODIES contact those individuals who would be able to effectively nominate the ASA member

The focus is on opportunities of high impact and visibility outside the statistical profession. The rationale for forming the committee was clear: Statisticians have an important role in helping make evidence-based decisions in a world awash in data an should serve on expert panels, advisory committees, and commissions where their expertise can enrich collaborative deliberations. Statisticians have been indis- pensable in playing these roles over a long period and they and the profession should be recognized. IDENTIFY HIGH-PROFILE AWARDS Outcomes of Committee Activity Members of the External Nominations and Awards Committee take pride in nominating ASA members for external awards and share in the nominee’s joy when a nomination is successful. For example, the committee nominated James O’Malley from Dartmouth for the 2019 Award for Excellence in Methodology in Health Economics and Outcomes Research from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research based on his original research published in Statistics in IDENTIFY ELIGIBLE Medicine in 2019 (see Page 32). O’Malley’s award- POTENTIAL NOMINEES winning work investigated the relationship between individuals’ proximity to fast-food establishments and their body mass index. The award not only brought personal honor to Benefit of Professional Services O’Malley but also public visibility to his home insti- Since its inception, the External Nominations and tution, which featured his winning in its news feeds Awards Committee has collaborated with ASA and on multiple websites. sections and committees to nominate ASA mem- When interviewed, O’Malley said, “The award bers to serve on external boards and committees. is testimony to the increasingly important role that statistics plays in society and … it depicts the profession of statistics in a very positive light.”

january 2021 amstat news 15 As John Tukey famously said, “The best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in every- External Nominations and Awards one’s backyard.” Statisticians bring unique insights Committee Members to collaborative efforts, because their knowledge is critical to nearly all applied sciences. However, these Christy Chuang-Stein insights can only bear fruit if statisticians have a seat Mary Batcher at the table when decisions are being made. Besides representing the statistical profession, Amit Bhattacharyya serving on external committees or boards offers Joseph Cappelleri networking opportunities that can open new Felicity Boyd Enders doors. The JSM 2020 session “E Pluribus Unum: Achieving Your Potential in Statistics Through Lee-Ann Hayek Different Organizations” (see bit.ly/38nAvSH) Regina Liu focused on the benefits of serving in professional societies and on external boards and offered tips for build- Sastry Pantula ing networks. With the right timing, this can be a Kimberly Sellers great way to grow professionally for many statisticians. David Marker Finding Nominees Members of the External Nominations and Awards Committee need the help of all statistician col- Submitting Nominations leagues, as they are limited by their knowledge of On multiple occasions, committee members have individual statisticians who might be eligible for reached out to candidates who could represent the award or committee opportunities. To expand the profession well, but the inquiries went unanswered. committee’s reach, especially to increase the nomi- If the profession does not have trailblazers who are nation of diverse candidates, committee members willing to put their hats in the ring, statisticians frequently depend on sections, other ASA commit- may never break the holds on prestigious awards by tees/groups, and the ASA community to identify researchers from other scientific fields. potential candidates. When asked to help identify When a member of the External Nominations candidates in the future, consider who may be eligi- and Awards Committee reaches out about going ble, especially candidates who go beyond “the usual after an external opportunity or award, give the invi- suspects.” The committee is committed to broad- tation serious consideration. Respond even if your ening the candidate pool and nominating diverse answer is negative, ideally with suggestions for other candidates in terms of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, eligible candidates. There is no better way to expand and other characteristics. the profession’s reach than by putting ASA members on influential boards and committees and helping them win prestigious awards. ■

16 amstat news january 2021 Nominate a WEBINAR Colleague for Privacy Risk and Preservation ASA Leadership he ASA Committee on been raised regarding the privacy Privacy and Confidentiality risk associated with the contact Position is hosting a webinar on tracing apps and software. ominations are being Tcontact tracing and information Liu will provide an overview sought for ASA president- sharing January 29 at 1 p.m. EST of the GPS- and Bluetooth- elect and vice president over Zoom. The host will be Fang based contact tracing apps in the Ncandidates for the 2022 election. Liu, professor of applied and framework of both centralized While the 2021 elections have computational mathematics and and decentralized models, exam- yet to be held, the Committee on statistics at the University of ine their associated privacy risk, Nominations needs time to eval- Notre Dame. and discuss the effectiveness of uate recommendations to pro- Contact tracing in the the privacy-preserving measures pose the best possible slate of can- COVID-19 pandemic is key adopted in these apps. She will didates for these critical positions. to preventing the spread of the also share the ongoing work of As a member of the ASA, disease. Countries and regions her group on the application of you recognize the importance of around the world have developed formal privacy protection con- leadership in our diverse, com- and deployed contact tracing cepts and models to COVID data plex, and multidisciplinary field. software or mobile apps. While collection and sharing. You and all fellow ASA members contact tracing plays an important Register at bit.ly/387yCsT. ■ deserve visionary leaders who role in the pandemic, red flags have can ensure our discipline has a voice at the table when appro- priate, whether it be in academe; 12-week Summer internships are research firms; federal, state, or available in the Biostatistics and local government; or nonprofit Statistical Programming Department, for organizations. This is why we THE SCIENCE of POSSIBILITY Graduate Students working toward a need your input. Ph.D. or M.S. in Statistics, Biostatistics For this election cycle, the (or closely related field). Students will president-elect will be selected work with Vertex Clinical Development from industry and the vice presi- statisticians and programmers, on dent will be selected from gov- theoretical or applied problems with ernment. Think about your col- relevance to drug development. leagues and associates who are members of the ASA and would Vertex is among the most innovative make good candidates for these companies in the pharmaceutical positions. Think about members industry, having discovered and who have helped run a confer- developed the only approved therapies ence or are active in your section for cystic fibrosis, treating the underlying or chapter. Then, nominate your cause of the disease, and is now choices for the 2023 president- expanding to multiple therapeutic areas. elect and vice president by email- As a medium-sized biotech, we offer the ing [email protected]. solid training and experience of the large pharmaceuticals, while retaining the Supply as much information speed and agility of the small biotechs. about your nominee as possible to assist the committee in researching each candidate thor- oughly and discretely. The deadline for nominations is February 1. ■ The 2-4 positions in each Dept., are based at our Boston Seaport Headquarters. Please contact Vertex University Relations at [email protected] by Feb 19th.

january 2021 amstat news 17 columns

STATtr@k Jeremy Gu: Data Science from the Tech Industry to the World of Fashion Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published on ThisIsStatistics.com after several years of working in the industry, Jeremy in March of 2020. It has been republished recommends students read these principles before they land their first jobs. “Amazon helped me train here with permission. my technical skills like coding and modeling, but it also helped me build my soft skills such as com- hen you think of the biggest companies municating with others and understanding the busi- in the world built on data, which do you ness,” he said. think of? Amazon? Uber? Stitch Fix? Jeremy Gu WData scientist Jeremy Gu has experience at all three, Building on Technical Skills with using data to advance their offerings and make stra- Experimentation Platforms tegic business decisions. Following his time at Amazon, Jeremy worked for After Jeremy graduated from the University of Uber. He was the senior data scientist on the experi- Minnesota with undergraduate degrees in math mentation platform team, then went on to lead a and statistics and the University of Washington group of data scientists to develop business strategy with his master’s in statistics, he found his first job for Uber. at Amazon. He held several roles there working “Amazon and Uber have common areas in data with machine learning, marketing analytics, and science because they have similar business prob- data science. lems,” Jeremy said. “Like the optimization in the “Amazon means a lot to me. I feel extremely supply chains of Amazon, the optimization in the fortunate to have started my career there,” Jeremy shared-ride business of Uber enjoys a high level of said. “Data science at Amazon is disrupting the public attention because many people in the US e-commerce industry in many ways. Amazon has use Amazon and Uber. Data scientists work on several business lines, and therefore data scientists can questions such as how to minimize the time on the find many various, challenging, and unique questions route and how to provide an accurate estimated that data can provide solutions to,” he continued. “For time of arrival,” he continued. example, its supply chain optimization attracts many Even though Jeremy left Uber in December of great researchers to improve delivery efficiency, and its 2019, he said his experience there was as precious as advertising technology provides capabilities that data his time at Amazon. “Uber taught me to hold onto scientists can leverage to improve ad performance.” the rails and keep moving in a storm, and Amazon “Amazon has a long history of using data, and laid a solid foundation on which I can develop my thus, the data science career development is mature,” career wisely,” he said. Jeremy said. “Data scientists can choose different You’ve likely seen Jeremy’s work on Uber Eats career paths: business insights, machine learning, without even noticing it. Jeremy and his team economics, optimization, and so on. A few presti- determined the best email subject lines that would gious scholars and experienced managers at Amazon, convert clicks to orders and performed tests to deci- together with HR partners, design career growth pher what was most meaningful for users. plans for data scientists from various backgrounds.” There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of Amazon’s leadership principles, such as “customer sending a seemingly simple email. What’s the best obsession” and “earn trust,” changed Jeremy’s way of subject line? How do emoji perform? Do users pre- thinking. During his first year at Amazon, he wasn’t fer $5 off, free delivery, or 10 percent off? What fully aware of the importance of the principles. But subject line drives the most people to open the

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email and subsequently place an order? While you many commonly used techniques and made me MORE ONLINE may have never thought about the data in your realize that statistics provide a quantitative way of Read more statistician inbox, this is one of the many integral roles statis- decision-making in life,” Jeremy said. career profiles at https:// thisisstatistics.org/ tics plays in larger business strategy. As for advice for current students, Jeremy sug- category/profile. gests exploring your strengths and interests to find From Tech to Fashion out where they intersect. Jeremy is now the data science manager at Stitch Fix, a fashion company that uses data to help recommend style options to its subscribers. To increase the custom- At some point, after collecting er base, Jeremy’s team works on optimizing marketing channels and improving marketing effectiveness. The technology industry offers lots of opportu- enough life experience, you nities for statisticians and data scientists. According to Jeremy, there are many opportunities within the will be self-aware and know industry and a wide variety of projects to work on, as well as the added bonus of collaborating with colleagues who specialize in other fields. what you want to spend your “Stitch Fix is a successful public company … younger than Amazon and Uber. From its Day time on. When you put your 1, the company has built data science projects as important and impactful as the other two com- energy into the things that panies,” Jeremy said. “For example, how to quan- titatively learn your style, or how to recommend clothes you’d never consider but it turns out you you are passionate about, your like to wear.” The business problems in the company—the strengths grow very fast. personalized styling, the warehouse inventory, and the supply chain logistics—require an enormous amount of work from data science, according to Jeremy. “The most significant difference between “At the University of Minnesota, I recalled that working at Stitch Fix and working at Amazon and Professor Peihua Qiu, who taught me in two won- Uber is in the responsibility of the job,” Jeremy derful statistics classes, always told us that our inter- said. “Data scientists at Stitch Fix are more likely to ests were the best teacher. So did my manager, Ben take on tasks in engineering and business develop- Yao, at Amazon. I see that great passion is one com- ment in addition to data science. In bigger com- monality among successful students at school and panies, in terms of the number of employees, data high performers in the industry,” Jeremy said. scientists are more likely to focus on the technical He continued, “Curiosity is a good start. “If you details of the projects, while the flexibility and the are curious about something, be brave and try it, variety of the work may be bounded.” be humble and seek help from others, and don’t be frustrated when you fail. You will refine your vision Discovering Data Science’s Power spontaneously, when meeting new people and giving Jeremy first became interested in statistics because your time for reflection. At some point, after collect- he liked analyzing data and making predictions. “I ing enough life experience, you will be self-aware and am fascinated by the ways people make decisions, know what you want to spend your time on. When especially those made by the great leaders in history. you put your energy into the things that you are pas- Stats 101—taught by a great professor, Sanford sionate about, your strengths grow very fast.” ■ Weisberg—gave me a comprehensive overview of

january 2021 amstat news 19 columns

STATS4GOOD

David Corliss leads a Data for Good: The Year in Review data science team at Fiat Chrysler. He serves on he year 2020 was a year of great changes and dissemination of important research on COVID- the steering committee challenges. From a pandemic, working from 19 and its effects. for the Conference remote locations, economic upheaval, and During this pandemic, we have learned a lot on Statistical Practice Tconstant challenges against science during a highly about SARS-CoV-2 and the virus that causes it. and is the founder polarized election year, we come to a new year Sadly, the pandemic has also been a working labo- of Peace-Work, a volunteer cooperative exhausted and yet full of hope. The Data for Good ratory on the psychology and sociology of science of statisticians and data community has been at the center of many storms rejection and its potentially deadly consequences. scientists providing in the past year, rising to the challenge to support Perhaps the most important lesson the D4G com- analytic support for communities, guide an economy through a sea of munity has learned is that getting the science right charitable groups and troubles, preserve the environment, fight for justice, is essential but science alone is not enough. Effective applying statistical methods in issue-driven and—perhaps as no year before—save lives. communication, policy advocacy, and support for advocacy. More than any other event in this tumultuous science education at the elementary level so kids are year, the COVID-19 pandemic has put Data for less likely to suffer from science denial later on are as Good in a variety of crucial roles. From under- much a part of Data for Good as analyzing the data. standing the virus and its effects to best practices Analytic tools, methods, and technology contin- to avoid spreading the disease to the race to develop ued to advance rapidly in 2020, perhaps even accel- treatments and vaccines, analytics has been at the erating at times due to the urgency of the pandemic. forefront of the fight against the pandemic. D4G Applying new technology to develop solutions in teams have also been deeply engaged in addressing Data for Good has been a theme for this column the wider effects of the pandemic, including eco- this year. Tools and techniques for working with big nomic disruption and the disproportionate impact data are becoming basic skills used in many areas of COVID-19 or marginalized communities. The of statistics. Big data is almost everywhere in D4G pandemic has had ecological impacts, as well, giv- today. Social media data is mined for hundreds of ing us a line of sight into a world with less pollution projects making an impact on peoples’ lives, from in many places. And ASA journals, conferences, tapping medical opinions to better understand and webinars have played a leading role in rapid COVID-19 to identifying victims of hidden crimes

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like human trafficking (bit.ly/385u1aR). Satellite data is another area of technological advancement, with a wave of new D4G projects in 2020. The data Get Involved is often freely available for the public, especially gov- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric ernment data sources, making it a great choice for Administration supports a number of hackathons. Analysis of satellite data is being used scholarships for undergraduate education to fight wild fires (https://bigearthhacks.stanford.edu), and summer internships, which offer monitor forest cover (bit.ly/3qUOPKC), and even many excellent opportunities to work in identify populations at higher risk of COVID-19 environmental science for the greater good. without going door to door during the pandemic (bit.ly/3aiVMPM). Applications are due by February 1. All the One data tool I have noticed becoming more details can be found at bit.ly/2WmbMIJ. important is SQL. It’s becoming a kind of lingua franca for data—a language everyone uses to move Francesca Dominici of Harvard, was recognized for data independently of platform or analytic software, her leading work at the intersection of statistics and independent of the language used for analysis. This public policy, addressing issues of transparency and is especially important for students, who often learn reproducibility in science in general, and her statisti- many powerful analytic tools and methods only to cal work on the health effects of pollution. find they can’t use them to solve problems without Looking ahead, DataKind founder Jake Porway SQL to access and move the data. Cloud environ- offered his insight in a December Amstat News ments and tools make up another area of rapid interview. The conversation covered designing technological advancement. As big data continues effective projects, focusing on finding the right to grow in importance, SQL and cloud tools have, problem to be solved, and developing private-sector too. D4G projects are a great place to learn and partnerships to make an impact on a global scale. apply these skills. This visionary leader discussed systematic inequali- 2020 may always be remembered as the “Year of ties and how to use data and analysis to bring about COVID,” but it will also be remembered as a water- lasting structural change for the greatest impact on shed year for Data for Good in the ASA. At JSM, peoples’ lives. If you haven’t seen the interview, be D4G took center stage with the theme Everyone sure to check it out at bit.ly/3noTi6e. Counts: Data for the Public Good. JSM 2020 became 2020 has certainly been a year for the record the premier event for D4G practitioners with ses- books. As we wrap up, I want to express my deep sions, panels, and events dedicated to using statistics thanks for everyone at Amstat News, especially to make a difference in thousands of ways. It was a Managing Editor Megan Murphy. The entire team generational event in Data for Good globally, fos- at the ASA has been tremendously supportive of tering enthusiasm, learning, and networking. All in this column and the vital role Data for Good plays all, JSM was a remarkable event that will have an in making a difference for so many. Most of all, I impact on D4G practitioners and practices for years want to thank you—our readers—and everyone in to come. the Data for Good community for your continued One highlight at JSM every year is the announce- interest and support. Please say hello at confer- ment of the winner of the ASA’s Karl E. Peace ences and events (even if virtual) or send an email Award for Outstanding Statistical Contributions to suggest topics, projects, and events to feature in for the Betterment of Society. This year’s recipient, Stats4Good. ■

january 2021 amstat news 21 columns

MASTER’S NOTEBOOK To Get a PhD or Not to Get a PhD? Part 4 The ASA Committee on Applied Statisticians gives you the experiences of four statisticians who took different paths after earning their master’s degrees. In pre- vious issues, we featured Kathryn Irvine—who earned a PhD—and Mark Otto and Allison Florance, who both chose to join the workforce after earning their master’s. This month, Erin Twomey-Wilson explains why she found a master’s degree to be the best fit for her. Erin Twomey-Wilson is an evaluation and tatistics has consistently been part of my aca- Certificate of Accomplishment in meteorology. I research specialist at demic career. Since meteorology was always a worked there until the 2012 downturn, when they The College Crusade passion, I took every science and math class to let all contractors go. My statistics background led of Rhode Island prepare—includingS statistics. On the way, I met a me to a job working for a health insurance company and holds a GStat mentor and friend, Professor Silva, who drew me a couple months later. I quickly realized actuarial certification and MS into earth science. in statistics. work was not the path I wanted to take and decided After my bachelor’s, my first job was in envi- to get a master’s degree in statistics. ronmental wastewater hazard sampling. I took the I worked all online for my second master’s, a samples from waste-carrying trucks—it was a nasty thousand miles away at Penn State. Probability the- job. My mentor encouraged me to go into physics at ory nearly killed me. My employer paid for my mas- the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to earn ter’s and the company actuaries helped me at lunch, a master’s. even looking over my homework. I used every other At the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, resource, too, including paying for tutors and crash- I walked into my first class and the all-male class ing online study sessions. My statistics degree gave and teacher were surprised to see me. Nobody want- me the confidence and knowledge to leave my job ed to work with me because I was the only female. and pursue a career I love. Therefore, I spent my time doing homework with Now I specialize in research and evaluation the undergraduate physics students. They made my of college access programs. I love brainstorming, time in graduate school enjoyable. Math was the collaborating, designing, and analyzing my own universal language not just in physics but also in surveys. There is a seven-year grant cycle during earth science, oceanography, and physical science. which I test the effectiveness of different programs, As a teaching assistant, my mentor arranged for me tracking low-income and first-generation students to teach an undergraduate course in earth science in sixth grade through college to job interviews. and meteorology. In one analysis, I showed a 40 percent increase in I developed my love for statistics while writ- graduation rates of students who matriculate to ing my thesis on the effects of the North Atlantic four-year colleges versus two-year community col- Oscillation on in-situ sea surface temperatures in leges. Statistics is making college accessible to many Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. I looked for pat- Rhode Island students. Imagine that! terns in the temporal correlations. This could be My master’s-only career is varied and has allowed important to understand how the pole to equa- for a wide variety of work and experiences. I have tor temperature difference decreases affect climate the ability to jump into a different field, take con- change. The completion of my physics degree tinuing education courses, and tailor my training to allowed me to master high-level math courses make me more valuable. that would prepare me well for my next academic I have thought about getting a PhD, especially achievement. On the personal side, I married my when I have been cut out of conversations with husband, Stephen, a front-end web developer who PhDs who think someone with a master’s has noth- thought my interest in math was cool. ing to contribute. Maybe I am missing out on My physics degree led me to my dream job as opportunities or higher pay but, at mid-career, I a research analyst with the US Geological Survey can take on anything with my master’s and a few (USGS) at Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science continuing education courses at JSM. I am thrilled Center in 2006. While continuing to work at the with the direction my career and life have taken. USGS, I earned a US Department of Agriculture Not getting a PhD was the right decision for me. ■

22 amstat news january 2021 education

NOMINATIONS WANTED

ASA Awards Recognition Know of a deserving person who andshould be considered for ASA recognition?

The ASA's extensive awards program recognizes statisticians who have made outstanding contributions through areas such as:

• Research • Teaching • Consulting • Service to the association or to the profession

The ASA also provides student scholarships.

Nominatewww.amstat.org/awards Someone Today

Many ASA sections and chapters offer their own awards. Visit the section and chapter websites to view their offerings. january 2021 amstat news 23 education

Teaching Conference Taking Proposals

he US Conference on Teaching Statistics Proposals are being accepted for interactive (USCOTS) will be held virtually June 28 to breakout sessions, pre-conference workshops, post- July 1, with pre-conference workshops start- ers-and-beyond contributions, and birds of a feather Ting June 24. The conference provides a welcoming discussion topics. Deadlines are the following: and engaging environment in which teachers can exchange ideas and motivate each other to improve • February 1: Proposals for pre-conference their teaching of statistics. The conference features workshops thought-provoking plenary sessions, interactive breakout sessions, informative posters-and-beyond sessions, • February 1: Proposals for interactive breakout and opening and closing sessions with five-minute sessions presentations. Other highlights include birds-of-a- • March 11: Proposals for posters-and-beyond feather discussions, a speed mentoring session, an contributions (if you would like to receive for- awards ceremony, extensive pre-conference work- mative feedback before your final submission) shops, and exhibitor technology demonstrations. The USCOTS theme for 2021 is Expanding • April 22: Final proposals for posters-and- Opportunities. Sessions will explore many aspects beyond contributions of this theme, including strategies for increasing • May 31: Proposals for birds of a feather participation and achievement in the study of sta- discussions tistics for students from underrepresented groups, supporting and encouraging students and colleagues More information about the conference and pro- who are beginning or contemplating careers in sta- posal submission is available at www.CAUSEweb. tistics education, and leveraging the emerging disci- org/cause/uscots/uscots21 and www.CAUSEweb.org/ pline of data science to democratize opportunities cause/uscots/uscots21/proposals. for students from all backgrounds. Questions can be emailed to program co-chairs USCOTS has been held in odd-numbered years Allan Rossman ([email protected]) and Kelly since 2005. This will be the first USCOTS to be McConville ([email protected]) or CAUSE direc- held virtually. tor, Dennis Pearl ([email protected]). ■

24 amstat news january 2021 education GAISE II Now Available; Download for Free MORE ONLINE For more he Pre-K–12 Guidelines for Assessment and information Instruction in Statistics Education II (GAISE about GAISE II, II): A Framework for Statistics and Data see the Harvard TScience Education is now available for free download Data Science Review article at bit.ly/GAISEII and will soon be available for pur- at https://hdsr. chase via NCTM or Amazon. mitpress.mit.edu/ The GAISE II report presents a framework for pub/cqncbp3l/ statistics and data science literacy at the elementa- release/3. ry-, middle-, and high-school levels and addresses the evolution of data types and skills needed to make sense of the wealth of data that confronts us. Updates include the following:

1. The importance of questioning through each stage of the statistical problem-solving process (formulating a statistical investigative question, collecting or considering data, analyzing data, and interpreting results) and how this process remains at the forefront of statistical thinking 2. The consideration of different data and variable types and the importance of care- fully designing how primary data is collected or secondary data is considered to answer a statistical investigative question, the process of collecting and cleaning data, the interrogation of data, and the analysis of data 3. The inclusion of multivariate thinking throughout all levels of K–12 education 4. The role of probabilistic thinking in quanti- fying randomness used by students throughout all school levels 5. The shifts and deepening of the role of technology throughout pre-K–12 education 6. The importance of how now, more than ever, statistical information is communicated

“The American Statistical Association is committed to providing leadership in all aspects of statistics education,” said 2020 ASA President Wendy Martinez. “I made K–6 education the focus of one of my presidential initiatives, so I am delighted that pre-K–12 GAISE II becomes available during my year as president. GAISE II, which updates the pre- K–12 GAISE released in 2005, reflects best practices in statistics education, expanded definitions of data, and advances in technology. Teachers, curriculum developers, administrators, and policymakers will be able to use this document to develop and imple- ment standards and lessons that ensure data and statistical literacy. GAISE II provides a framework for rich instruction in statistics for all students!” ■ january 2021 amstat news 25 education

NOW VIRTUAL!

2021CONFERENCE ON STATISTICAL PRACTICE FEBRUARY 17–19, 2021

REGISTER Do you use statistics and data science in your daily work solving real-world problems? Want to communicate and collaborate TODAY more effectively with nonstatisticians and hone your skills? The Conference on Statistical Practice brings together statistical practitioners—including data analysts, researchers,

Regular and scientists—with these goals in mind. Registration Closes Short courses, tutorials, and sessions are designed to sharpen February 19, 2021 a broad spectrum of necessary skills in the following areas:

Leadership Career Development Communication Data Analysis Data Management Collaboration Study Design Big Data

Learn more at ww2.amstat.org/csp.

26 amstat news january 2021 awards & deadlines

$7,500 Scholarships Available

he Statistics Division of Qualified applicants must have Application instructions and the American Society for graduated in good academic stand- forms can be downloaded from Quality is accepting ing in any field of undergraduate bit.ly/2WlJAFG. Forms are due Tapplications for $7,500 scholar- study. Scholarship awards are by April 1. ships to support students who are based on demonstrated ability, aca- For more information, email enrolled in, or are accepted into demic achievement, industrial and Lynne B. Hare at lynne.hare@com- enrollment in, a master’s degree teaching experience, involvement cast.net or write to 55 Buckskin or higher program with a concen- in student or professional organi- Path, Plymouth, MA 02360. ■ tration in applied statistics and/or zations, faculty recommendations, quality management. This and career objectives. includes the theory and application of statistical inference, statistical decision-making, experi- 13th Annual Clinical Trials Conference mental design, analysis and VIRTUAL interpretation of data, statistical process control, quality control, REGISTRATION OPEN! quality assurance, quality Monday, April 12, 2021 (8:30 A.M. to 4:30 PM) improvement, quality manage- Cluster Randomized Clinical Trials: Challenges and Opportunities ment, and related fields. The emphasis is on applications as Registration: opposed to theory. Studies must https://www.cceb.med.upenn.edu/events/13th-university-pennsylvania- take place at US or Canadian conference-statistical-issues-clinical-trials institutions; online and in-class programs are included. SPEAKERS AND TOPICS Year 2020–2021 scholarship DAVID M. MURRAY Overview: Innovations in the Design and Analysis of Group - winners are the following: NIH or Cluster-Randomized Trials • Mervin Woodlin Jr., VICTOR DeGRUTTOLA Using Network-level (and Individual-level) Information in Design and Analysis Villanova University, in Harvard the MS category LUKE J. KEELE Complexities Caused by Noncompliance in Cluster University of Pennsylvania Randomized Trials • Jialei Chen, Georgia Tech JAMES P. HUGHES Current Issues in the Design and Analysis of University, in the PhD University of Washington Stepped Wedge Trials category LAWRENCE H. MOULTON Randomization: Beyond the Closurization Principle Johns Hopkins University During the last 24 years, NATALIE E. DEAN The Ring Trial Design for the Estimation of Vaccine Efficacy scholarships totaling more than University of Florida and Effectiveness During Infectious Disease Outbreaks $345,000 have been awarded to DEBORAH J. DONNELL Challenges in Implementing CRTs: from Hawthorne Effect 60 students. University of Washington to Measurement Bias WEILI HE Practical Considerations in Utilizing Cluster Randomization AbbVie Trials in Medical Research PANELISTS Andrew Copas University College London Karla Hemming University of Birmingham David Murray NIH Michael Proschan NIH Jeffrey Roberts FDA CBER Alisa Stephens-Shields University of Pennsylvania

january 2021 amstat news 27 awards & deadlines

Nominate an ASA Fellow Deadlines and Contact Information for Select The designation of ASA Fellow ASA National Awards, Special Lectureships, has been a significant honor for nearly 100 years. Under and COPSS Awards ASA bylaws, the Committee on Fellows can elect up to one- Program Deadline Nominations & Questions third of one percent of the total Gottfried E. Noether Awards January 15, 2021 [email protected] association membership as fellows each year. Catherine Calder, COPSS Leadership Academy January 15, 2021 [email protected]. Individuals are nominated by their ASA-member peers. To be Karl E. Peace Award February 1, 2021 [email protected] selected, nominees must have an W. J. Dixon Award for Excellence in established reputation and have February 15, 2021 [email protected] Statistical Consulting made outstanding contribu- Harry V. Roberts Statistical tions to statistical science. The February 15, 2021 [email protected] Advocate of the Year Award Committee on Fellows evaluates each candidate’s contributions Waller Awards February 15, 2021 [email protected] to the advancement of statistical Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Award February 15, 2021 [email protected] science and places due weight on W. J. Youden Award in the following: February 15, 2021 [email protected] Interlaboratory Testing • Published works Statistics in Physical Engineering February 20, 2021 Ming Li, [email protected] • Position held with employer Sciences Award • ASA activities Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship February 23, 2021 [email protected] • Membership and accom- Edward C. Bryant Scholarship Trust Fund March 1, 2021 [email protected] plishments in other societies Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award March 1, 2021 [email protected] • Professional activities ASA Fellows March 1, 2021 [email protected] To be eligible for nomination, ASA Mentoring Award March 1, 2021 [email protected] a person must be a current mem- Outstanding Statistical ber of the ASA who has held con- March 1, 2021 [email protected] Application Award tinuous membership from March Statistical Partnerships Among Academe, 1, 2017, to February 29, 2020. March 1, 2021 [email protected] Industry, and Government (SPAIG) Award Nominations may be submitted online until March 1 at bit. Biopharmaceutical Section community.amstat.org/biop/ March 15, 2021 ly/ASAFellowNoms. Questions Scholarship Award awards/scholarship should be sent to awards@ Founders Award March 15, 2021 [email protected] amstat.org. ■ Causality in Statistics Education Award March 16, 2021 [email protected] Government Statistics Section Wray April 1, 2021 [email protected] Jackson Smith Scholarship Links Lecture Award June 1, 2021 [email protected] Health Policy Statistics Section September 15, 2021 [email protected] Achievement Awards Lester R. Curtin Award October 15, 2021 [email protected] Deming Lecturer Award October 15, 2021 [email protected] Lingzi Lu Memorial Award October 15, 2021 [email protected]

28 amstat news january 2021 people news

Eight Statisticians Honored by AAAS

n November, the American Association for the • Timothy C. Hesterberg, Google, Inc. Advancement of Science (AAAS) council elect- For excellent research in importance sampling ed nearly 500 members as fellows. A virtual and bootstrap methodology, important contri- inductionI ceremony for the 489 newly elected fel- butions to statistics education using resampling, lows will take place on February 13. The honorees and outstanding leadership and service to the will receive official certificates and rosette pins in profession. gold and blue—colors symbolizing science and • Qi Long, University of Pennsylvania engineering—by mail. For distinguished contributions to analysis of The eight new fellows of AAAS Section U incomplete data, causal inference, and analysis (Statistics) are listed below with their citations: of big data for advancing precision health. • Ying Lu, Stanford University School of Medicine • Sudipto Banerjee, University of California, For distinguished contributions to the Los Angeles advancement of statistics in medical and bio- For innovative contributions to Bayesian meth- medical research, particularly for the quality odology with focus on spatially indexed infor- control and risk prediction associated with mation; for high-impact applications; and for medical diagnosis. educational and mentoring excellence, professional service, and academic administration. • Richard L. Smith, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • David L. Banks, Duke University For distinguished contributions to statistics, For leadership at the Statistical and Applied particularly the statistical analysis of extreme Mathematical Sciences Institute, research on events and environmental applications, includ- risk analysis, and editorial service. ing climate change and air pollution. • Deborah J. Donnell, Fred Hutchinson Cancer • Elizabeth A. Stuart, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Research Center School of Public Health For distinguished contributions to the field of HIV prevention research, particularly for design For highly influential contributions to devel- and analysis of clinical trials of pre-exposure opment and application of causal inference prophylaxis and treatment as prevention. methods; for excellence in teaching and mentoring; and for distinguished professional leadership in statistics. ■

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january 2021 amstat news 29 people news

Beaumont Appointed Survey Methodology Editor Eric Rancourt, Survey Methodology Management Board Chair

tatistics Canada recently appointed Jean- François Beaumont, senior statistical adviser at Statistics Canada, as the new editor of SurveyS Methodology. Beaumont has been associated with the journal for 20 years; he served as assistant editor from 2000–2010 and associate editor from 2010–2020. He succeeds Wesley Yung, who has been editor since 2015. Survey Methodology has evolved tremendously over the past 45 years under the leadership of its pre- vious editors: M.P. Singh (1975–2005), John Kovar (2006–2009), Michel Hidiroglou (2010–2015), and Yung (2016–2020). In the first years after its creation, the journal published papers mainly from Statistics Canada’s authors but soon acquired the worldwide reputation of a high-quality journal for survey statisticians and methodologists. Today, Survey Methodology publishes innovative theoretical and applied statistical research papers from international authors on issues relevant to the activities of national statistical offices. There is a new publication landscape with many players in the field, and authors have heightened editorship of Beaumont and keep its same essential expectations in terms of review expediencies. While core value of scientific rigor. navigating this new ecosystem, members of the Survey Methodology is available for free at www. Survey Methodology Management Board are confi- statcan.gc.ca\SurveyMethodology. ■ dent the journal will continue to flourish under the

HAVE YOU LLoog in to your ASA account anand update your address at MOVED? https://goohtt .gl/SMJvXh.

30 amstat news january 2021 people news

Cheryl Addy Wins Kutner Award

he Michael H. Kutner Award for Distinguished Service to the Discipline Tis given annually to a graduate of the Emory University Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics. This year’s award recipient is Cheryl L. Addy from the University of South Carolina.

affairs. Currently, Addy is the vice Recent Kutner Award Winners provost and dean of the graduate school at the University of South 2019: Michael G. Hudgens Carolina. 2018: Dionne Price Addy has received numer- ous awards, including the 2017: Brent Blumenstein Distinguished Service Award 2016: Scott Clark from the American Statistical Association in 1997, Faculty 2015: Raymond Bain Service Award from the Arnold 2014: Edward Frome and David Dunson School of Public Health in 2008, Cheryl Addy and Academic Award from the American Public Health also served on the Education After earning her doctoral Association Statistics Section Committee since 2008. Since degree from Emory in 1988, in 2011. She has established a 2002, she has served as the sec- Addy took a position as instruc- stellar collaborative record as a tion representative for aca- tor in the department of epide- biostatistician with more than demic affairs for the Council of miology and biostatistics at the 100 co-authored publications Associate Deans. Additionally, University of South Carolina in high-impact journals. She she has served the University Arnold School of Public Health, served as the statistical editor of South Carolina in numer- where she advanced to associ- for the Journal of Suicide and ous ways. These include serv- ate professor in 1993 and full Life-Threatening Behavior from ing as graduate director for the professor in 2014. She served 1990–1996. department of epidemiology and as the department chair from Addy has also played an biostatistics from 1997–2005, 1994–1999, assistant dean for active role with the Council of serving on the faculty senate administration from 1998–2002, Education for Public Health, from 1991–1994, serving on and associate dean for academic having made 13 accreditation the Inter-Professional Education affairs from 2002–2005. In 2005, site visits while chairing six of for the Health Sciences Steering Addy was appointed as execu- them. For the Association of Committee since 2011, and serv- tive associate dean of the Arnold Schools and Programs of Public ing as a member of the Council of School of Public Health and, Health, she has served on the Graduate Directors since 1997. ■ in 2008, she was appointed as Biometrics Council since 1996 senior associate dean for academic (co-chair in 2011). Addy has

january 2021 amstat news 31 people news

James O’Malley Wins Award for Methodological Research Joseph C. Cappelleri, Pfizer Inc.

he ASA External Nominations and Awards Committee successfully Tnominated James O’Malley, professor of biomedical data science for The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, for the 2019 Award for Excellence in Methodology in Health Economics and Outcomes Research from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). O’Malley’s award-winning James O'Malley paper, published in Statistics in Medicine in 2019, investigated statistics plays in society and how In today’s world of ever-increasing the relationship between individ- wonderful it is that the award uals’ proximity to fast-food estab- reflected a contribution to statis- quantitative sophistication and lishments and their body mass tical methodology. “Given today’s index (BMI). His research made increasingly collaborative and automation ... it is important an important advance in the statis- interdisciplinary research arena, it tical methodology for hierarchical is very meaningful. And I think it to continue to encourage models by allowing the latent or depicts the profession of statistics random effects of a neighborhood in a very positive light.” methodological research that to have a bivariate impact on an In today’s world of ever- individual’s BMI through both res- increasing quantitative sophistica- idential and workplace exposure. tion and automation (e.g., artifi- identifies situations in which The Geisel School of cial intelligence, neural networks, Medicine, The Dartmouth machine learning, deep learn- current approaches are not Institute for Health Policy and ing), it is important to continue Clinical Practice, the department to encourage methodological satisfactory and works toward of biomedical data science, and the research that identifies situations program in quantitative biomedi- in which current approaches are overcoming the deficiencies to cal sciences all featured O’Malley not satisfactory and works toward winning the award in their news overcoming the deficiencies to solve a problem to its fullest. feeds or on their websites. When solve a problem to its fullest. interviewed, O’Malley empha- To read more about O’Malley sized that the award is testimony and the award, visit bit. to the increasingly important role ly/3mwd3HX and bit.ly/3r3jVjt. ■

32 amstat news january 2021 people news

n this year’s Fall Data Challenge, “Get Out Honorable Mention, Best Use of the Vote,” 56 teams submitted recommenda- External Data tions for increasing voter turnout using voting • Undergraduate behaviorI data provided by IPUMS. Following are Emily Litzenberg, Kate Lang, Nate Mulugeta, the winners: and Shannon Connor Sponsored by Elizabeth Johnson Best Overall Winners • High School • Undergraduate Team: Super Juniors James Anderson, Kevin Huang, Prathik Qi An, Mengzhi Qin, Xuling Yang, and Kakarlamudi, Angela Tsang, and Zack Zhuang Chenyuan Zhu Sponsored by Claudia Smith Sponsored by Ranjini Grove • High-School Team: NGIST This Binze Li, Isabella He, Julian Dong, and IsStatistics organized the challenge. For more Aurora Wu information about ThisIsStatistics or the challenge, Sponsored by Yongsheng Bai, Zhaohui Qin, and visit bit.ly/2WjqQ9Z. ■ Weihua An

Honorable Mention, Best Visualization • Undergraduate Aby Jaeger and Nikki Seina Sponsored by Heather Kitada Smalley • High School Samantha Waterston and Emily Mason Sponsored by John Rothrock

january 2021 amstat news 33 education

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34 amstat news january 2021 section • chapter • committee news

Quality and Productivity QPRC. This will make managing things well—conferences, jour- Chris Gotwalt, Q&P Chair the accounts of two conferences nals, mentoring and scholarship Here, at the end of 2020, it is less burdensome and Byzantine programs—as well as having almost trite to point out what for Q&P treasurers in the future. awards recognizing outstand- an eventful year this had been. The Q&P Executive ing contributions to our field. Crises like COVID-19 are a Committee has adapted and However, there were serious major shock to our institutions. modernized its meetings, which breakdowns of organizational Though they can carry a heavy are now online. We found our continuity and connectedness dose of loss and tragedy, crises ability to meet and make deci- in Q&P’s leadership. We have also afford us the opportunity sions is easier and more agile this overcome much of this and I am to identify what we really value, way. We have chosen to continue confident there will be continu- what we should preserve, and this practice moving forward, ing improvements by my succes- what we should change. For rather than having in-person sor, Richard Warr. One future Q&P, 2020 has had important meetings at QPRC, JSM, and improvement to Q&P’s execu- and positive developments, and I FTC. Having executive commit- tive committee would be to believe we enter 2021 a stronger tee meetings live over the web will diversify the set of organizations and healthier section. serve us well because it removes (i.e., corporations, national labs, The biggest news is we are the need for travel and facilitates and universities) contributing planning to transition primary more flexible scheduling, mak- volunteers to leadership posi- sponsorship for the Fall Technical ing participation accessible for a tions. We recruit and nominate Conference (FTC) from ASQ to more diverse population of inter- those we know and trust. As we the ASA via Q&P. The contract, ested volunteers. do this in the future, we need to which would start in 2022, has At the end of last year, as I anticipate this earlier in the year not been written or signed yet, transitioned into my role as chair, and reach farther. but the FTC Steering Committee the Q&P Executive Committee The crisis of 2020 caused us all and Q&P Executive Committee had unexpected challenges to miss out on much of what we are on board and a plan for oper- that required us to obtain ASA looked forward to at the begin- ational aspects of the transition approval for several people to stay ning of the year. Rather than list is in place. Once this is com- on beyond their usual terms. This what we lost or occurred in radi- plete, Q&P will go from primary gave me the luxury of an experi- cally changed form, it suffices to sponsorship of one conference— enced team. Dave Collins stayed recognize that almost every aspect the Quality and Productivity on as Q&P secretary until we of our lives is completely differ- Research Conference (QPRC)— found his successor, Annie Zangi. ent than it was at the beginning to two. FTC is an outstanding Additionally, Shan Ba stayed of March. Despite these surprises conference with a rich tradition on as program chair and Brian and challenges, Q&P has adapted extending over 60 years that we Weaver stayed on as past chair. fairly well: Our leadership team is enthusiastically look forward I look forward to working with certainly better connected than it to supporting in the future. For Brian in 2021 as we update the was a year or two ago and Q&P’s Q&P, taking this on amounts Q&P operating manual, which portfolio of responsibilities is set to the largest expansion of the essentially describes the operat- to become much larger in a way responsibilities of the section in ing procedures from the late 20th that will scale and be sustainable. many years. century and is critically in need of Overall, I think Q&P is much Q&P treasurer, Sharad Prabhu, an update. better positioned to thrive into will map the financial processes At the beginning of 2020, the future. ■ of FTC into a framework as con- Brian and I assessed that Q&P sistent as possible with those of was doing many individual

january 2021 amstat news 35 section • chapter • committee news

Survey Research Methods Statistics sections a student paper SRMS also sponsored the While 2020 has been a stay-at- competition to be part of a JSM Big Data Meets Survey Science home year, SRMS continued its topic-contributed session. (@BigSurv20) conference, which activities. The Joint Statistical SRMS works hard to commu- met virtually for five Fridays in Meetings were virtual, but SRMS nicate with its members through November and December. presented its usual program (which newsletters every January and In 2020, we awarded the included 10 invited sessions, 14 July (see bit.ly/2KpC5ei), these section’s first Outstanding topic-contributed sessions, eight Amstat News articles, the ASA Section Service Award to our contributed sessions, one poster Community, and our Twitter long-time webmaster, Pushpal session, and four roundtables) and account @srmsasa. Mukhopadhyay. Check out our even held a virtual mixer where all For member education, a proceedings site for proceedings were welcome. four-part webinar on weighting that go back to before we split off Part of SRMS dues goes was held in November. Our next from the Social Statistics Section toward full subscriptions to the webinar will be on respondent- in 1978. Journal of Survey Statistics and driven sampling and led by Krista In 2021, get involved. We will Methodology. Every year, we also Gile on January 21 from 10 a.m. need candidates for board positions sponsor student travel awards to to 12 p.m. EST. Learn more about and other volunteers for 2022. JSM and co-sponsor with the our webinars at bit.ly/3p0j1lF. Hopefully we can meet in person! ■ Government Statistics and Social

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36 amstat news january 2021 professional opportunities

Professional Opportunity listings may not exceed 65 words, plus equal opportunity information. The deadline for their receipt is the 20th of the month two months prior to when the ad is to be published (e.g., May 20 for the July issue). Ads will be published in the next available issue following receipt. Listings are shown alphabetically by state, followed by international listings. Vacancy listings may include the institutional name and address or be identified by number, as desired. California Professional Opportunities vacancies also will be published on the ASA’s website ■ The Department of Statistics in the (www.amstat.org). Vacancy listings will appear on the website for the entire calendar Donald Bren School of Information month. Ads may not be placed for publication in the magazine only; all ads will be and Computer Sciences at the published both electronically and in print. University of California, Irvine invites applications for a tenure-track faculty These listings and additional information about the 65-word ads can be found at position at the assistant rank level ww2.amstat.org/ads. beginning July 1, 2021. Please visit Employers are expected to acknowledge all responses resulting from publication of https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF06327 for their ads. Personnel advertising is accepted with the understanding that the adver- more information and to apply. EOE. tiser does not discriminate among applicants on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, color, national origin, handicap, or sexual orientation. Illinois Also, look for job ads on the ASA website at https://jobs.amstat.org/jobseekers. ■ The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Loyola University Chicago invites applicants for two assistant professor positions in statistics, data sci- ■ Assistant professor position to engage ence and bioinformatics. Full position the department at http://math.mst. in independent and collaborative descriptions and application instruc- edu. For full consideration, applicants research as part of the Johns Hopkins tions can be found at http://mathjobs. should apply by February 14, 2021. School of Medicine Richman Precision org. EOE. Missouri S&T is an AA/EEO institu- Medicine Center of Excellence in tion. Women, minorities, and persons Alzheimer Disease. Expertise in Maryland with disabilities are encouraged to machine learning and interest in apply. Missouri S&T seeks to meet the ■ Westat is seeking a senior survey dementia and use of electronic medical needs of dual-career families. Missouri methodologist to join our internation- records and other large data sources. S&T participates in E-Verify; for more ally respected, highly collaborative, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/ information on E-Verify, please contact multidisciplinary statistical science about/assistant-professorship. EOE. DHS at: 1(888) 464-4218. team. In this role, you will be respon- sible for overseeing staff who conduct Missouri Nebraska methodological research to develop and ■ Missouri University of Science & ■ The Department of Biostatistics, improve survey procedures and capa- Technology (Missouri S&T) invites College of Public Health at the bilities; developing innovative survey applications for the position of the University of Nebraska Medical Center methodologies; mentoring junior staff; Fred and June Kummer Endowed (UNMC), seeks outstanding faculty and collaborating with other practice Department Chair of Mathematics and candidates for a tenure-leading posi- areas in project development. Full job Statistics. The position will preferably tion at a level of assistant or associate description at https://bit.ly/36WXnHY. start with the academic year 2021– professor. For a full job description Apply at www.westat.com/careers. EOE. 2022. Learn more about the Kummer and to apply requirements, go to http:// Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/ Institute at kummerinstitute.mst.edu, unmc.peopleadmin.com/postings/54199. Disabled. the application process at http://hraadi. mst.edu/hr/employment/faculty, and UNMC is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. Individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

january 2021 amstat news 37 New York ■ Cornell University invites applications for the position of professor and chair of the Department of Statistics and Data Science (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/ jobs/16158). With a strong tradition of theoretical and interdisciplinary research and teaching the department integrates well with Cornell’s extensive and diverse academic community. Applicants should have an internationally recognized research program in one or more of the following areas: statistical methodology, statistical theory, or data science. EOE. International ■ Assistant Professor of Statistics. Department of Decision Sciences, Bocconi University, Italy. Applications from outstanding candidates are invited for tenure-track positions at the assistant professor level in the areas of interest of the department, which include statistics, probability and machine learning. The appointments will commence in fall 2021. Applications must be submitted online at www.unibocconi.eu/jobmarket to be received by January 8, 2021. EOE. ■

Department of Statistics Columbia University Lecturer in Discipline Position Starting Fall 2021

e Department of Statistics invites applications for multiple positions at the rank of Lecturer in Discipline to begin July 1, 2021. ese are full-time appointments with multi-year renewal contingent on successful review. ese positions will contribute to the departmental educational mission at the undergraduate and masters levels.

Lecturers in Discipline are ocers in the University who meet a programmatic need for instruction in specialized elds. e selected candidates will be expected to teach 3 courses per semester. A Ph.D. in Statistics or related eld and a commitment to high-quality teaching at both the undergraduate and MA levels in Statistics and/or Probability are required. Experience with online education is desirable but not required. Candidates will be expected to participate in the full gamut of statistics education including curriculum improvement, modifying and developing courses, and exploring new strategies for the teaching of statistics.

e department currently consists of 35 faculty members and 60 PhD students. e department has been expanding rapidly and, like the university itself, is an extraordinarily vibrant academic community. We are especially interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching and/or service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. For further information about the department and our activities, centers, research areas, and curricular programs, please go to our web page at:

All applications must be submitted through Columbia’s online Recruitment of Academic Personnel System (RAPS) and must include the following materials: cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, research statement, evidence of teaching eectiveness (teaching evaluations), a sample course syllabus and the names of 3 references. Applicants also should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be uploaded on their behalf.

For more information and to apply, please go to:

Inquiries may be made to Dood Kalicharan at Review of applications begins on February 1, 2021 and will continue until the position is lled. Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Armative Action employer.

38 amstat news january 2021 AMSTATNEWS ADVERTISING DIRECTORY

Listed below are our display advertisements only. If you are looking for job-placement ads, please see the professional opportunities section. For more job listings or more information about advertising, please visit www.amstat.org.

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january 2021 amstat news 39 SOCIAL CHATTER What do you miss about in-person conferences?

FOLLOW US Irene Helenowski, Ph.D. • @OrderOfTheDimen Kel Zou community. The thrill of traveling, the joy in meeting JSM Opening Mixers amstat.org colleagues in person, the sense of community when among peers in a big ballroom for a Rajitha M Silva www.facebook. keynote lecture :) #Networking com/AmstatNews Kisung You • @kyoustat @AmstatNews A chance to tell the speaker by facial expres- sions to jump over to next slide.

www.instagram Caleb King • @ckingstats .com/AmstatNews I second @OrderofTheDimen. I always looked forward to traveling to a new place and catch- ing up with colleagues I often would only see at conferences. NEXT MONTH : Ioannis Kontoyiannis • @yiannis_entropy Tell us! If statisticians Definitely random meetings (no pun intended) had a breakfast with new people! cereal, what would the name be? Xiao-Li Meng • @XiaoLiMeng1 Make sure to tag Let’s see: the chance of lifting up each other’s @AmstatNews in bootstraps, bragging about one’s \nu hat, your response. showing off another learning machine ... or just being normal, enjoying a paired t, sampling bits of pie, and chatting about how to deal with nuisance in confidence? :-)

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40 amstat news january 2021 STATISTICS What do you miss about TEACHER in-person conferences? SUPPORTING THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF STATISTICS

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