March 2013 • Issue #429 AMSTATNEWS The Membership Magazine of the American Statistical Association • http://magazine.amstat.org

ASA Board of Directors Candidates

ALSO: Statistical Research Grants from the NIH Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted

AmstatNews MARCH 2013 • Issue #429 Executive Director Ron Wasserstein: [email protected]

Associate Executive Director and Director of Operations Stephen Porzio: [email protected] features Director of Programs 3 President’s Corner Lynn Palmer: [email protected] 5 Post-Enumeration Surveys in Africa Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson: [email protected] 7 The Future of ASA’s Electronic Publications, Part 2 Director of Education 8 ASA Welcomes Lynn Palmer, Director of Programs Rebecca Nichols [email protected] 9 Villanova to Host Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference Managing Editor Megan Murphy: [email protected] 10 Web-Based Training Program Continues to Be Successful Production Coordinators/Graphic Designers 11 Midwest Biopharmaceutical Statistics Workshop on Tap Melissa Muko Gotherman: [email protected] for May Kathryn Wright: [email protected]

Publications Coordinator 12 ASA Board of Directors Candidates Val Nirala: [email protected] 31 Biopharmaceutical Symposium to Offer Tutorials, Advertising Manager Short Courses Claudine Donovan: [email protected]

Contributing Staff Members Pam Craven • Melissa Muko Gotherman Lynn Palmer • Rick Peterson columns 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 22 FUNDING OPPORTUNITies Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA, or email amstat@ Statistical Research Grants from the NIH 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). This column highlights research activities that may be of interest to ASA members. This Material can be sent as a Microsoft Word document, PDF, or within an email. article includes information about new research solicitations and the federal budget for Articles will be edited for space. Accompanying artwork will be accepted statistics. Comments or suggestions for future articles may be sent to the Amstat News in graphics file formats only (.jpg, etc.), minimum 300 dpi. No material in managing editor at [email protected]. WordPerfect will be accepted. Amstat News (ISSN 0163-9617) is published monthly by the American Contributing Editor Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314- 1943 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional Jeremy M G Taylor is a professor of biostatistics at the University of mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Amstat News, 732 Michigan. He completed his education at Cambridge University and the North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA. Send Canadian University of California at Berkeley. He is co-editor of Biometrics. 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 News is the member publication of the ASA. For annual membership rates, see www.amstat.org/join or contact ASA Member Services at (888) 231-3473. Taylor American Statistical Association 732 North Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314–1943 USA 31 MASTER'S NOTEBOOK (703) 684–1221 • FAX: (703) 684-2037 Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted ASA GENERAL: [email protected] ADDRESS CHANGES: [email protected] This column is written for statisticians with master's degrees and highlights areas of AMSTAT EDITORIAL: [email protected] employment that will benefit statisticians at the master's level. Comments and sug- ADVERTISING: [email protected] gestions should be sent to Megan Murphy, Amstat News managing editor, at megan@ WebSite: http://magazine.amstat.org amstat.org. Printed in USA © 2013 American Statistical Association Contributing Editor Jean Adams is a statistician with the U.S. Geological Survey - Great Lakes Science Center and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, both headquar- tered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She earned a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and gained many valuable Promoting the Practice and Profession of StatisticsTM life lessons from two years with the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea. Adams The American Statistical Association is the world’s largest community of statisticians. The ASA supports excellence in the development, application, and dissemination of statistical science through meetings, publications, membership services, education, accreditation, and advocacy. Our members serve in industry, government, and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. columns 32 STATtr@k Turn Off the TV and Volunteer at the ASA STATtr@k is a column in Amstat News and a website geared toward people who are in a statistics program, recently graduated from a statistics program, or recently entered the job world. To read more articles like this one, visit the website at http://stattrak.amstat.org. If you have suggestions for future articles, or would like to submit an article, please email Megan Murphy, Amstat News managing editor, at [email protected].

Contributing Editor Janet Buckingham is a staff analyst at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. She works with teams of engineers, scientists, and analysts by applying statistical techniques to solve problems benefiting govern- ment, industry, and the public through innovative science and technology. For more than 27 years, she has volunteered on ASA chapters, sections, task forces, and committees. She currently serves on the ASA Board of Buckingham Directors as a Council of Sections representative.

34 175 An ASA Hall of Fame The ASA will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2014. In preparation, column “175”— Make the most of your ASA membership written by members of the ASA’s 175th Anniversary Steering Committee and other ASA Visit the ASA Members Only site: members—will chronicle the theme chosen for the celebration, status of preparations, activities to take place, and, best yet, how you can get involved in propelling the ASA www.amstat.org/membersonly. toward its bicentennial.

Visit the ASA Calendar of Events, an online Contributing Editor database of statistical happenings across the Stephen M. Stigler (PhD Berkeley) taught at the University of Wisconsin - Madison before moving in 1979 to The University of Chicago. He served globe. Announcements are accepted from as editor of JASA Theory and Methods from 1978–1981 and president educational and not-for-profit organizations. of the Institute for Mathematical Statistics and International Statistical Institute. His publications include the books The History of Statistics To view the complete list of statistics meetings (1986) and Statistics on the Table (1999). and workshops, visit www.amstat.org/dateline. Stigler

Many of the sections and committees sponsor events and host workshops and meetings. For details about these events and other news, make sure you visit our section, departments chapter, and committee pages online at 36 international year of statistics http://magazine.amstat.org. University of Limpopo to Commemorate Statistics2013 as Host of SASA

37 education USCOTS Features Blend of Workshop Opportunities

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2 amstat news march 2013 president's corner

Doctoral Training in Statistics and Biostatistics: Where Are We Headed?

t has been 26 years since I began my academic observation, and so forth are generating massive career, joining the department of statistics at new data structures. These Big Data—big news North Carolina State University as an assistant these days, as past-president Bob Rodriguez dis- professor.I But it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long cussed in his June 2012 column (http://magazine. (or that I could be this old). Maybe that’s because amstat.org/blog/2012/06/01/prescorner)—pose I’ve had such a good time. enormous new analytic and computational prob- What I have enjoyed most is working with stu- lems, and, as Bob argues, statisticians must bring dents and thinking about how best to train them, their unique understanding of uncertainty and the particularly at the PhD level. Over this period, I threats of bias, confounding, and false discovery have developed and taught many courses and been to the table. The rapid pace of new breakthroughs involved in curriculum revision and innovation. begs the question of whether our curricula require And I’ve seen our field evolve from one that, within more than incremental revision. Marie Davidian academia, stressed the mathematical aspects of sta- Our PhDs must graduate with the analytic and tistics to one that has become much more applica- computational skills to confront this age of massive tion and computation driven. data and with foundational mastery of our disci- This evolution has inspired my department and pline. They must also have the communication and others to review our curricula periodically and intro- leadership skills to work in an interdisciplinary set- duce new courses, exam structures, and so on. At ting. I know my department has struggled with this the PhD level especially, revisions have been mostly challenge. This led me to wonder how other depart- incremental. With some exceptions, most depart- ments are responding. I decided to find out. ments maintain a PhD curriculum based on a set of In an admittedly non-rigorous survey, I wrote to “core” courses covering what is considered funda- 33 chairs/heads of statistics and biostatistics depart- mental, foundational material; one or more qualify- ments and asked them to share their experiences by ing exams evaluating mastery of the core and pos- answering the following questions: sibly other material; and elective courses covering • Has your department undertaken a formal “standard” areas such as multivariate analysis and effort to revise your PhD curriculum in light “special topics” based on faculty research interests. of these developments, and, if so, how? Most have some sort of consulting requirement. This means that students entering a PhD pro- • Has your department introduced new cours- gram with a bachelor’s degree take three years of es in direct response to Big Data challenges? course work in many cases. A growing challenge has • How has your department approached the been figuring out how to sustain adequate coverage tension between exposing students to new of core and traditional material while introducing innovations and coverage of core and tradi- students to new topics. Or, for that matter, figuring tional material? out if we should. At no time has this challenge been greater. • Does your department offer courses or other The genomics revolution and technologies for training experiences in communication and remote sensing, medical imaging, astronomical leadership skills?

march 2013 amstat news 3 development of such courses was prospective and deliberate, while the vast majority of departments A few departments have replaced reported they were conceived by individual fac- ulty as “special topics” courses. Three departments traditional exams with exercises requiring would like to offer such courses, but have limited faculty resources. students to synthesize a research area and Views on balancing coverage of the core with that of new topics were diverse. The consensus in several departments is that coverage of core mate- write a journal-style article. rial such as probability, inference, linear models, measure theory, etc., is essential, and no plans for revision were reported. Others have taken steps to streamline. Several departments have merged two- course sequences on measure theory and advanced I received thoughtful responses from 55% (18) inference into one course of each to make room for of them. I know how busy they are, so I am willing other courses, and some have pared the core down to to assume the responses of those who were able are a first year of probability, inference, and linear mod- representative of what is taking place. Here is a sum- els, after which students pursue specialized “tracks.” mary of the salient points. Still others maintain a full core, but have de-empha- Four departments reported no recent, systematic sized some classical topics (decision theory was men- effort to modify their curricula or plans to do so. tioned twice) to make room for modern ones. The rest indicated that they had either revised their A few chairs opined that the current model curricula to varying degrees within the past five of several years of coursework may not be viable years or are in the midst of curriculum evaluation much longer and that we should consider the biol- now, inspired by Big Data developments. ogy/computer science approach of less coursework Several departments noted that they made a and immersion in research much sooner. Others deliberate decision to hire faculty with expertise thought we cannot hope to expose students to in genomics, computational biology, and high- everything and should focus on providing a tra- dimensional data to develop new courses, direct ditional core foundation on which they can build research, and set the department’s future direction. after graduation. Many reported moving to engage students in inter- Only a few departments reported having for- disciplinary collaboration in the first year by intro- mal courses targeting communication and leader- ducing a major data analysis project or requiring a ship skills, but most require students to interact revamped consulting course involving significant with other scientists and give presentations through interactions with scientists, presentations, and writ- data analysis projects, lab rotations, and compul- ten reports. Several have reduced the number of sory consulting courses. Two departments require exams to discourage students from being distract- courses on teaching skills, and others have courses ed by exam preparation. A few departments have on research skills and scientific communication and replaced traditional exams with exercises requiring statistical leadership (http://magazine.amstat.org/ students to synthesize a research area and write a blog/2012/02/01/statisticalleadership). journal-style article. Many reported introducing or I deliberately restricted this survey to PhD train- modernizing and requiring at least one statistical ing to keep it focused (and keep this column within computing course. the length limit). Several chairs also noted that their Almost all departments have introduced other departments had undertaken significant curriculum new courses, many focusing on Big Data top- revisions at the master’s level. ics, with titles mentioning statistical and machine The take-away message: There is a lot of thought learning, data mining, computational and molec- and innovation taking place regarding the future of ular biology, genomic science, high-dimensional PhD curricula. I hope this informal compendium data, and, in a few cases, Big Data explicitly. Several is helpful to departments as they move forward and have developed advanced computing courses, that it inspires discussion not only in academia, but including topics such as convex optimization and in industry and government, about the best training parallel computing, and require these or are con- models for meeting the Big Data challenge. sidering making them required. Three mentioned a new course on causal inference. In a few cases,

4 amstat news march 2013 Post-Enumeration Surveys in Africa Jeremiah P. Banda, Alfredo Navarro, Rajendra P. Singh, and David C. Whitford

he UN Statistical Commission recommends that post-enumeration surveys (PES) be undertaken to measure the coverage of a Tcensus. In the 2010 round of censuses, some coun- ties in Africa not only followed this recommenda- tion, but enlisted PES/census “experts” to assist. In South Africa, the PES is used to adjust for the undercount, so Statistics South Africa implemented it carefully. For instance, aerial photos were used to more clearly delineate sampled housing units to be interviewed in the PES. And, to evaluate the matching of the PES interviews to the census, a sample of areas was “rematched”; the results showed that the matching was statistically reproducible. Subsequently, the undercount was estimated and Two of the authors and a U.S. Census Bureau employee with their the census counts were adjusted accordingly. The colleagues on the Zambian PES team adjusted official census counts were disseminated about one year after census day. The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency Other than conducting the census, one of the (ZIMSTAT) conducted its fourth census since highest priorities for the Zambia Central Statistical independence in August 2012. Since the cen- Organization (CSO) is developing and implementing sus data usages have increased significantly over a comprehensive evaluation of census data quality. The the years, the ZIMSTAT considered it critical to first PES was conducted right after the 1990 census. evaluate the census data quality. One of the evalu- After the 2000 census, a PES was implemented, but ation methods employed is the post-enumeration the results failed to meet minimum quality standards survey. This is the first time ZIMSTAT is imple- and the CSO decided against releasing the results. menting a PES. The goal of the evaluation is to Following the recent 2010 census, a PES was understand the census data quality with respect implemented. This time, the PES execution plan to coverage and content errors at the national included getting assistance from the U.S. Census level and gain insight to improve future census- Bureau through the Agency for International es. However, the PES is designed to account for Development. Census Bureau assistance was pro- urban/rural variation in coverage. The PES data vided through the planning and implementation collection was completed in November of 2012. of early PES operations such as clerical and com- Matching and estimation processes are planned for puter matching. Subsequently, the focus shifted to early 2013, and the PES evaluation is expected to be increasing capacity through training, especially soft- completed by mid-2013. ware and statistical knowledge. Ghana successfully conducted a PES follow- The capacity-building mission focused on the ing the 2010 Population and Housing Census. design and implementation of efficient methods for The objective was to measure census coverage and handling missing data (imputation), dual-system content error. Issues also were identified requiring and small-area estimation, and the estimation of improvements in future censuses. A representative reliability measures (variance estimation). Training sample of enumeration areas (EAs) was selected. All was focused on increasing statistical knowledge and households and persons in the selected EAs were to the development of statistical software, mainly desk- be enumerated. Inferences were made at national top applications in SAS. The PES evaluations and and regional levels. Initial matching was followed reports are expected to be completed by the spring by reconciliation visits, after which the final match of 2013. status of all cases was established. The Dual System In all four of these efforts, countries not Estimation methodology was adopted and imple- only produced high-quality censuses, but also, mented. The results of the PES were not used to in accordance with UN guidelines, evaluated adjust census results. their products—two worthy goals of large-scale statistical endeavors such as taking censuses. n

march 2013 amstat news 5 6 amstat news march 2013 The Future of ASA’s Electronic Publications, Part 2 Ron Wasserstein, ASA Executive Director

his is the second in a series of articles about (moderated or otherwise) reside in perpetuity with the future of the ASA’s electronic publica- the article? What is the best way to find and remove tions. Last month, we began the series with unprofessional comments? Ta discussion about the future of journal structure, the article submission process, and peer review (see Errata http://magazine.amstat.org/blog/2013/02/01/e_pubs_ In print-based publications, errors an article may asa). The purpose of this series is to collect feedback contain reside in perpetuity with the article. Errors, from the statistics community about a variety of sometimes found many years later, are published in issues related to what our journals should become errata documents in future journals and may or may over time. not be discovered by a person who has come across In this month’s installment, we seek your com- the original erroneous journal article and is unaware ments about the desired content of the electronic of the error(s). Electronic journal articles can be cor- journal of the future. The easy answer, of course, rected when errors are found, while preserving the is that we want all of the content and functional- original version and subsequent revisions. Is this the ity discussed below, and more besides. But all this way errata should be handled in journals? comes at a cost, and cost issues will be addressed in a future article in this series. Nontraditional Content Many important documents are written that are not Article Length and Structure in the purview of traditional journals. Often such In the print world, page cost dictates journal size, material is called “gray literature,” and, for statisti- which dictates page length for articles. In the elec- cians, could include technical reports, design pro- tronic world, “page limits” are a non-issue. A side tocols, unpublished weighting schemes for federal benefit of page limits, however, has been that surveys, replications of experiments, lecture notes, authors and editors have to think hard about the old qualifying exams, and more. Should the ASA essentials of articles. This forces a certain discipline provide a home for gray literature in statistics? of brevity, but also means important information is sometimes left to readers to interpolate. What Interaction with the Content should the article of the future include that is often For all this content to be ultimately beneficial, read- omitted now? ers need to be able to find it and engage with it. What search capabilities are needed beyond those Supplementary Content currently available in ASA journals? And should Related to the article, itself, may be many kinds of readers be expected to search, or should ASA jour- supplementary material: data sets, computer code, nals provide notifications when new materials are graphical information, additional examples or case presented based on user interests and preferences? studies, photos, audio or video, etc. These materials When interesting material has been located, were used by the author in conducting the research, what should we expect of that material? Graphics and likely will be helpful to others who wish to do can be interactive and code can be easily accessed further research. When should such materials be and used with new data brought by the reader, for included in the publication? Always? At the author’s example. Are such capabilities important? discretion? Should these materials be included in the peer review process of the future? Please Send Us Your Comments Another form of supplementary content is We are eager to receive your comments about reader comments (and, possibly, ratings provided these matters. Please leave a comment at the end by readers). Discussion threads may then emerge of this article online at http://magazine.amstat.org as readers comment on the remarks of other read- or email ASA Executive Director Ron Wasserstein ers. Should an electronic journal provide the option at [email protected]. All comments will be read by a for readers to respond to the articles they read, and panel appointed by the ASA Board to review and should those comments and discussion threads summarize feedback. n

march 2013 amstat news 7 ASA Welcomes Lynn Palmer, Director of Programs Melissa Gotherman, ASA Graphic Designer/Production Coordinator

on treatment, care and concerns of palliative care patients, and integrative medicine. She also spent time collaborating with researchers in the behavioral sciences and, in the past five years, has been on 25 grants (most through NIH/NCI). Palmer is starting at the ASA at an exciting time. It’s the International Year of Statistics, and next year the ASA will celebrate its 175th anniversary. “I am looking forward to learning about the many ways the profession of statistics is being practiced in the U.S. and internationally and how our profession can improve society on a local and global level.” When asked what attracted her to the position of director of programs, Palmer said she liked the “big picture” of being able to contribute on a larger level through the ASA. Her current vision for the ASA Director of Programs Lynn Palmer is busy at work at the ASA office in position is to design, develop, and implement new Alexandria, VA. programs geared toward serving ASA members in areas such as career development and for promoting he ASA is pleased to announce that J. the practice and profession of statistics. Lynn Palmer has joined its staff as director In particular, she wants to consider new pro- of programs. grams for students, younger statisticians, applied TPalmer earned her BS and MS in sociology from statisticians, women, minorities, and international Oklahoma State University in 1976 and 1978, members. “Some of these programs are already in respectively. While completing her MS, she was place, and some could be strengthened, and new required to take two graduate-level courses in sta- programs could be developed,” she said. She also tistics. “I loved them, and they seemed to click with wants to provide leadership for existing programs what I wanted to do with my career,” Palmer said. to ensure their continued success and is keeping her That led her to complete an MS in statistics from options open to contribute to the ASA in a more Oklahoma State University in 1980 and a PhD creative and meaningful way. in biometry from The University of Texas Health Palmer has been an ASA member since 1980. Science Center in 1988. She served as secretary (1996–1998) then presi- Her career in statistics began at the Department dent (1999–2000) of the Houston Area Chapter. of Vocational and Technical Education, Research From 2002–2004, she served on the ASA Board Unit, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, while she was still a of Directors as Council of Chapters representa- statistics graduate student. There, she analyzed data tive. During that time, she was also chair of the for reports and eventually was able to take the lead Committee on Career Development and a member on a project in which she designed, conducted, ana- of the Committee on Women in Statistics. In 2007, lyzed, and wrote the entire report. she served as chair of the Council of Chapters. Prior to arriving at the ASA, Palmer was From 2008–2010, she was chair of the Journal of employed as an associate professor at The University Computational and Graphical Statistics Management of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) Committee. In 2008 and 2009, Palmer served as in Houston, Texas, for more than 22 years. While a member of the Founders Award Committee, at MDACC, her research focused on investigating and, in 2009, was chair of the ASA Nominations the effects of estimating or ignoring missing data Committee, serving the previous year as a member. that was not missing at random. She also developed In 2010, she became a Fellow of the ASA. a Bayesian population model to determine optimal Palmer also has attended most JSMs since timing for blood stem cell collections in breast can- becoming a member. This year, she is looking for- cer patients scheduled for high-dose chemotherapy. ward to attending as a staff member. “It will be Her collaborations with medical researchers focused great to see how JSM is organized from the other

8 amstat news march 2013 side of the mirror. I look forward to meeting new people on the committees to which I am a liaison and having more opportunities to meet and learn Villanova to Host more about the great diversity of the members of Nonclinical Biostatistics the ASA.” Palmer is also active outside of the ASA. In 2012, Conference she served as president of the Caucus for Women in Statistics and is currently past president. She is one The biennial Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference of the four original organizers for a proposed confer- will be held October 15–17 at Connelly Conference ence, Celebrating Women in Statistics 2014: Know Center on the campus of Villanova University in Your Power, and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Villanova, Pennsylvania. The conference will provide a Society. She was recently elected to membership in venue for the presentation and discussion of scientific the International Statistical Institute and is a long- and statistical issues in biomarkers/discovery; preclini- time member of the International Biometric Society cal safety/toxicology; and chemistry, manufacturing, and International Society for Bayesian Analysis. and controls. Two short courses on technical topics Over the course of her career, Palmer has authored also are offered and included with registration. or co-authored more than 175 journal articles. This is the third such conference held in the United In her free time, Palmer likes to run (she has States. On even-numbered years, a similar conference completed 44 marathons), read, and travel. She is held in Europe. Additional information, key dates, has traveled to many parts of the globe with her registration, and abstract submission materials can be husband, Paul Maley, who is a dedicated amateur found at www.ncb2013.org. Questions, suggestions, astronomer. Maley has been organizing eclipse tours and comments may be directed to [email protected]. since 1970, and they have been fortunate to see The Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference is orga- approximately 20 solar eclipses together. nized by statisticians from the pharmaceutical industry, Have a question for Lynn? Please contact her at academia, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration in [email protected]. n collaboration with the department of mathematics and statistics at Villanova University.

march 2013 amstat news 9 Web-Based Training Program Continues to Be Successful Shailaja Suryawanshi, Merck & Co., Satrajit Roychowdhury, Novartis Inc., and Rick Peterson, ASA

Webinars offered this year have included the fol- lowing topics and presenters: • Impact of Phase 2 Dose-Finding Study Design on Phase 3 Probability of Success and Net Present Value by James Bolognese, Cytel, Inc. • Comparing Strategies for Trials with High Placebo Response by Anastasia Ivanova, The University of North Carolina • Bayesian Evidence Synthesis in Drug Development by David Ohlssen and Heinz Schmidli, Novartis, Inc. • Introduction to Pharmacokinetic/ Pharmacodynamic Modeling for Statisticians by Alan Hartford, Agensys The program has attracted a broad audience of industry statisticians, academic researchers, govern- ment statisticians, and graduate students, with both attendees and presenters indicating that the webi- nars are convenient. A few hundred people partici- pate in each webinar, with many taking advantage The program has attracted a broad of wider localized audience participation using a single registration fee. Currently, most participants audience of industry statisticians, academic are based in the United States, but there is hope of organizing sessions that will allow participation from countries in other time zones. researchers, government statisticians, and Based on feedback received by the organizers, the low cost of each webinar is one of the most attrac- graduate students … tive features of the program. The Biopharmaceutical Section subsidizes the program to provide its mem- bers with the lowest possible rate. The registration fee for section members is $44. The fee for other ASA members is $59, but they have the option of n-depth topic reviews and training using webi- joining the Biopharmaceutical Section for $8 and nars have become a standard teaching tool for receiving the section member rate. The registration the Biopharmaceutical Section. It and the ASA fee for non-ASA members is $74. CenterI for Statistics Education launched the pro- For more information about the web-based gram in March of 2007 to provide an alternative to training program, visit www.amstat.org/sections/ live training courses. With budget cuts that affect sbiop/webinarseries.html. Additional materi- travel-related activities and individual training costs als and interactive options are available at www. across the board, webinars have emerged as a low- biopharmnet.com/doc/doc03002.html. cost way to deliver training. Additionally, travel The section is working on the 2013 program time constraints for live training sessions are allevi- and encourages readers to share their suggestions for ated, allowing members to participate in smaller future webinars by emailing ASA Education Programs focused groups. Associate Rick Peterson at [email protected]. n

10 amstat news march 2013 Midwest Biopharmaceutical Statistics Workshop on Tap for May

he 36th Midwest Discovery/Pre-clinical; Chemistry, any biopharmaceutical statistical Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Controls; topic. Abstracts must be submit- Statistics Workshop and Health Outcomes and ted by April 10. See the work- (MBSW),T with the theme Observational Research. Each track shop website at www.mbswonline. “Sharing Statistical Solutions,” will have three sessions at least two com for details. will be held at Ball State hours in length with 3–5 speakers. Students are encouraged to University in Muncie, Indiana, A student-focused session participate in the MBSW activi- May 20–22 at the alumni center. organized by Yun-Fei Chen of ties. To help financially, limited The workshop will begin Eli Lilly and Cathie Spino of the scholarships are available to offset with two half-day short cours- University of Michigan also will travel costs, with preference given es—Survival Data Models by be part of the MBSW. to students who present post- Terry Therneau and Handling Additional opportunities to ers. Students or faculty sponsors Informative Censoring by Diane meet speakers and network will interested in applying for schol- Fairclough—before moving into take place during the Monday arships should visit the workshop the afternoon plenary session. evening mixer and Tuesday social website or contact Fangyi Zhao at Plenary speakers are Lee Wilkinson hour and banquet. Paul McKenzie [email protected] for details. and Frank Harrell. They will dis- of Johnson & Johnson will give a Questions can be sent to cuss expert systems and statistical talk titled “Leadership and Career Melvin Munsaka, publicity chair, graphics, among other topics. Development” during the banquet. at [email protected]; As usual, the workshop will Contributed posters are being Bill Pikounis, workshop chair, at have four parallel tracks with ses- accepted for the poster session, [email protected]; or Dale sions on Tuesday and Wednesday. which will be held on Tuesday. Umbach, local arrangements The four tracks are Clinical; Posters will be considered on chair, at [email protected]. n

march 2013 amstat news 11 ASA Board of Directors Candidates

he ASA announces the selection of candidates for the 2013 election. The winning candidates’ terms will begin Tin 2014. Make sure to look for your ballots in your email inbox and to vote early. Voting begins at midnight EST on March 15 and ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on May 3. Complete candidate biographies can be read at www.amstat.org/candidatebios/ candidatebios.pdf. President-elect Christy Chuang-Stein Vice President, Statistical Research and Consulting Center, Pfizer Inc. I am honored to be considered as a presidential can- in the roles we play and talents we possess in our didate for the ASA. Our association is full of bril- profession. As the strategic plan encourages the liant statisticians. While we differ in our statistical ASA to be “The Big Tent for Statistics,” we need training and expertise, we share the same passion for to make sure the Big Tent celebrates the achieve- statistics and a common desire for a strong profes- ments of statisticians in all roles. Along with plac- Chuang-Stein sional identity; they bind us together as members of ing high value on innovations in research, we also the ASA. It is through this shared membership that should headline innovations in education, applica- I reach out to you as a presidential candidate. tions, and statistical engineering. We can start this What could I offer to an organization that will journey by reviewing the award process within the soon celebrate a rich history of 175 years? Guided ASA and making adjustments if necessary. I believe by its strategic plan, the ASA has many ongoing an award system that recognizes diverse achieve- activities in support of statistical literacy and out- ments will not only encourage greater membership reach, expanded membership benefits, increased engagement, but also foster greater appreciation of ASA presence on Capitol Hill, new meetings, and each other in the Big Tent. publications. If elected, I will continue to support these worthy endeavors. In addition, I offer my Call Members to Service energy and leadership to the following: As General Colin Powell once said, “Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Endeavors suc- Accelerating the Pace of Using Statistical ceed or fail because of the people involved.” The Excellence to Influence Decisions and Policies most valuable asset of an association is its mem- At its heart, statistics is an applied science. It trans- bers. Many statisticians have built up the ASA to forms information to knowledge, knowledge to what it is today through their active participation in decisions, and decisions to actions. The success of chapters, sections, committees and the ASA Board. our profession is critically dependent on our ability I believe it is crucial to create a strong culture of to actively contribute to this process, by transform- volunteerism and invite all members to own a piece ing our technical excellence to pragmatic solutions of our association’s future. A strong activism culture and thereby influencing decisions and policies. We can help ensure that our association continues to have seen this play out successfully in areas such as grow, to be strong and forward-looking for future medicine and auto industry. In this increasingly fast- generations of statisticians. One way to progress this paced age, we need to accelerate this transformation. is to recruit young graduates to serve on our com- One way to enable this is to rigorously promote and mittees and give them a strong voice on the future facilitate statistical partnerships among academe, direction of our association. industry, and government. I am convinced such Participating in working groups with statisti- partnerships will open up new frontiers of statistical cians from all sectors of employment, serving on applications and earn statisticians the reputation of the Fellows Committee, and chairing the 175th invaluable partners in the 21st century. Anniversary Committee have given me unique expe- rience and insight into the above goals. I am excit- Celebrating the Achievements of Statisticians in ed about the opportunity and look forward to the All Sectors of Employment chance of working with you to achieve these goals. The ASA has committees that address the needs of groups such as women, minorities, and applied stat- isticians. There is another type of diversity, rooted

march 2013 amstat news 13 President-elect David Morganstein Vice President, Director of Statistical Group, Westat, Inc. I deeply appreciate the nominating committee put- members, and I’m pleased to continue my own par- ting forth my name as a candidate for the position ticipation by offering a tutorial at CSP 2013. of president. It would be an honor to continue serv- Having worked in and consulted to industry ing the ASA in this new role. We face exciting new and government most of my career, I have learned opportunities addressing topics such as Big Data and that sharing best practices, an issue closely related Morganstein supporting statistical practice. We embarked on a to statistical ethics, is an invaluable part of profes- road to improve communications with other organi- sional growth. In chairing the deliberations of the zations and the news media, steps that will improve International Statistical Institute’s ethics committee as our visibility in the world. Some attempts have been it re-wrote its Code of Ethical Behavior, it was clear to made to create a mentoring network to support me that there is much to be discussed and shared on younger members in their professional growth. I am ethical principles and statistical best practices. excited at these first steps and support them. The ASA is a multi-cultural, diverse organization Visibility with many special and varied interests. I would pay The leadership of the ASA and our executive direc- careful attention to the many distinct concerns of tor has expanded our efforts to increase the visibility our members and bring this understanding to our of our profession and association recently. A number planning for the ASA’s future. Our world is seeking of important steps have been taken: hiring a public evidence-based answers to a host of complex issues, relations coordinator, holding training sessions for and the ASA membership’s breadth of skills offers board members on how to increase the effectiveness a way to navigate the growing flood of data. Our of communications with journalists, and identifying very rich community offers a wide variety of per- popular media that might be open to running news spectives, and we are at our strongest when we learn items that highlight the contributions of our mem- from each other and try to set priorities that serve bers. These steps offer a great opportunity, and I am as many of our members as possible. I heartily sup- eager to assist in developing and expanding them. port, and in the past have assisted, the association’s Membership effort to engage its membership through soliciting As someone who was encouraged and guided profes- their views as vital input when reaching decisions. sionally early in my career by more senior statisticians, The association’s strategic plan focuses on a num- I think our association could help create mentoring ber of areas that are both of personal and profes- networks in our chapters, sections, and member orga- sional interest, namely, statistical practice, visibility nizations. There have been a few trial efforts to create of the profession, and membership growth—areas such links. There are challenges to find suitable men- to which I would continue to contribute. tors and match them, but our members’ collective Statistical Practice knowledge regarding social networks could be tapped The ASA continues in its efforts to balance our to help accelerate these activities. profession’s vital contribution of sound theory with Finally, in recent years, the ASA office has taken equally important good practice. Statistical practice is exciting, proactive steps to find new ways to serve the subject of a new annual ASA conference, first held members. I look forward to addressing our chal- in 2012. The meeting attracted a variety of association lenges and expanding our opportunities.

14 amstat news march 2013 Vice President Jeri Metzger Mulrow Program Director, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation The ASA as the “Big Tent for Statistics” really res- think there is space in the “big tent” for all of us, onates with me. Ever since I joined the ASA as a but we must continue to work at it. graduate student, I have felt that ASA is like a home. As with any diverse group, people’s opinions It is a place where I feel welcomed and comfortable. differ and things don’t always go smoothly. This is Mulrow As an applied master’s-level statistician, this may good. It would be boring if we all agreed on every- sound surprising to some. However, the ASA has thing and no one had a unique thought. The chal- provided me with many great opportunities. I have lenge is to listen to the differences and create an been able to meet and work with many interest- amenable solution. I believe what I learned from ing statisticians, continue my statistical learning my past experience on the board would help me do through short courses and presentations, and lead this. Therefore, I am honored to be nominated and as chair of several ASA workgroups and a mem- excited to be a candidate for ASA vice president. ber of the Board of Directors as the Council of If elected, I would look forward to working with Sections Governing Board’s board representative. I many terrific people and promoting the practice and even traveled to China as part of a People to People profession of statistics. I am particularly interested Ambassador Program in 2010. in hearing from members (and future members) However, I think there is room for the ASA to about their interests and needs. The board is already improve. Statisticians are a diverse group, work- tackling some big issues related to the future of pub- ing in many areas on many types of issues. There lications, structure of the Joint Statistical Meetings, continue to be new and emerging areas of statisti- visibility of the profession, and cohesiveness of con- cal research and practice. Our focus and needs are tinuing education and professional development. I always changing. Our leaders must recognize this am anxious to look ahead to see what other issues diversity and steer the organization accordingly. I the board should take on.

Anna Nevius Supervisory Mathematical Statistician, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration

I feel honored to have been asked to be a candidate These life experiences have led me to especially for the office of vice president of the ASA. Over the embrace two of the strategic plan initiatives—mem- years, the ASA has played an important role in my bership growth and education. Too many statistical development as a statistician. From my first years colleagues do not see the need for active member- Nevius as a graduate student in statistics at Kansas State ship in the ASA. The challenge is to provide mem- University, my professors instilled in me the obliga- bership incentives that motivate them to want to tion and privilege of being an active participant in become members. In today’s world, with so much the statistical world, which included membership in “free” information on the Internet, finding enticing the ASA. I have lived by that principle and found membership incentives is challenging, but a task I that many doors have been opened to me because would like to pursue. of my membership. My other passion is promoting statistical edu- I have had the opportunity to serve on commit- cation, beginning in kindergarten. Part of my tees such as Outreach, Women in Statistics, and responsibilities at CVM/FDA has been to recruit Membership. I also have been privileged to serve in statisticians for our group. This has been one of the various capacities on the executive committee of the hardest tasks, as the employment opportunities have Biopharmaceutical Section, including chair. far exceeded the employment pool. Most of my working life has been as a super- I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the visory mathematical statistician at the Center board as a vice president of the ASA, working with for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug other board members to find ways to embrace the Administration. Previously, I worked as an instruc- strategic plan as we promote the field of statistics in tor in statistics at the University of Nebraska. our 175th year.

march 2013 amstat news 15 Council of Sections Board Representative Cynthia Long Professor, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, 2006, and Director of Research, 2011 I am honored to be a candidate for the Council of research infrastructure and cultivated collaboration Sections (COS) Governing Board Representative to to build a successful research program. My expe- the ASA Board of Directors. I have actively partici- riences and unique perspective give me the ability pated in five ASA sections throughout my 25 years to communicate effectively with section leadership as an ASA member and truly value the opportuni- and the Board of Directors regarding issues that Long ties it has given me. I have made friends, fostered are important to the sections. I think I can suc- professional networks, and worked toward common cessfully represent the diverse membership of the goals with many statistical colleagues. Over the past sections on issues of direct relevance to the ASA’s 15 years, I have been fortunate to be involved in current strategic plan, including increasing the vis- the leadership of three sections, holding positions of ibility of statistics as a profession, promoting the publications officer, program chair, and chair. I just value of statisticians, establishing continuing pro- completed the last year of my term as representa- fessional development opportunities and standards, tive to the COS for the Teaching of Statistics in the and enhancing the organization of JSM without Health Sciences Section. diminishing its broad appeal to ASA membership. I My career thus far has been as a biostatistician would find it extremely rewarding to serve the ASA and director of a research center in a non-traditional in this role. setting, where I have developed and enhanced our

Jackie Miller Auxiliary Associate Professor and Education Specialist, The Ohio State University I would be honored to serve our profession as in sections. As COS representative, I will strive to Council of Sections Representative to the ASA increase the visibility of our profession and con- Board. The Council of Sections is made up of tinue the open dialogue between the board and individuals from diverse backgrounds and experi- Council of Sections so we can help all ASA mem- ences, but with similar interests who come together bers be a part of our parent organization. Miller

Council of Chapters Board Representative James J. Cochran Bank of Ruston Endowed Research Professor, Louisiana Tech University I am honored to be a candidate for Council greater awareness of the profession and increasing of Chapters Governing Board (COCGB) the inclusiveness of the organization. I also can use Representative to the ASA Board of Directors. ASA what I have learned as the organizer and chair of a chapters are the core of the organization’s ability to series of international teaching effectiveness collo- generate interest and enthusiasm for its initiatives quia (held in several countries) to develop strategies Cochran and activities at the grass roots level, so the oppor- for achieving effective outreach through the creation tunity to represent chapters on the ASA Board of and delivery of professional development courses. Directors is particularly appealing. These activities demonstrate my commitment to the Serving as COCGB representative would pro- organization’s goals of increasing the visibility of the vide me with an opportunity to use what I have profession and reinforcing the organization’s posi- learned as a member of the COCGB and Council of tion as an inclusive “big tent” for statistics. Sections, co-founder and co-chair of Statistics with- Journals and meetings are primary sources of out Borders, and co-chair of Friends of Australasia to revenue for the ASA, and the organization is facing develop and facilitate processes through which chap- issues with each of these functions. The ASA Board ters can help the ASA achieve its goals of generating of Directors is dealing with uncertainty about the

16 amstat news march 2013 future of journals. Will other delivery systems ulti- a result of increased appreciation for what our dis- mately supplant print? How do we move our jour- cipline has to offer and so a positive outcome, we nals in this direction in a cost-effective manner with must be concerned with how we can be the “big as little disruption as possible? How do we identify tent” of statistics without further increasing the and take advantage of the benefits of moving our number of sessions at JSM. I look forward to apply- journals in this direction? As a COCGB representa- ing what I have learned through my experiences tive to the board, I would have an opportunity to participating in the organization of JSM and con- apply what I have learned through my experience as ferences of organizations such as the International editor-in-chief of an electronic journal (INFORMS Statistical Institute, Institute of Mathematical Transactions on Education), founding editor-in- Statistics, Institute for Operations Research and the chief of an online and print encyclopedia (Wiley Management Sciences, and International Federation Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management of Operational Research Societies to this issue. Science), and associate editor for seven other jour- I would welcome the opportunity to represent nals to this critical issue. the interests of chapters, further integrate chapter The ASA Board of Directors also is dealing with members and officers in ongoing ASA activities the rapid growth of the annual Joint Statistical and initiatives, and work with the ASA Board of Meetings (JSM 2012 in San Diego featured more Directors and the organization’s members to accom- than 50 concurrent sessions). While this growth is plish the organization’s goals.

Daniel Jeske Professor and Chair, University of California at Riverside

I believe participation in the ASA is a critical piece As ASA members, to elevate and promote our of our identity as professional statisticians. Obvious profession, we must act as self-appointed ambassa- benefits include opportunities for networking, con- dors. Our individual participation in local chapters, tinuing education, and free online access to some for example, might encourage a student, inspire a of the top journals in our field. For me, one of the colleague, or bring an otherwise isolated statisti- most rewarding benefits is what I learn from interact- cian into the camaraderie of our profession. As the Jeske ing with statisticians who work across a diverse array Council of Chapters Representative to the ASA Board of environments. of Directors, I would bring this type of mindset to my work on the important issues facing the board.

International Representative to the Board Ming-Yen Cheng Professor of Statistics, National Taiwan University The ASA has been playing a key role in the promo- I was educated in Taiwan and the United States tion of research, application, and dissemination of and have working experience in Australia, Taiwan, statistics. I have been a member of ASA since 1994, the United Kingdom, and United States. I have the year I earned my PhD degree. This experience been involved in various activities of the ASA and has greatly helped my career as a researcher and edu- IMS. If I were elected, I would contribute to the cator in statistics, and so I am particularly honored ASA’s effort for statistics education at all levels; Cheng to be given the opportunity to stand for the elec- activities to promote links, exchanges, and collabo- tion for the international representative to the ASA ration between statisticians from different parts of Board of Directors. the world; and recognition of the importance of sta- tistics to our society, science, and technology.

march 2013 amstat news 17 International Representative to the Board Masahiro (Masa)Takeuchi Professor of Clinical Medicine (Biostatistics, Pharmaceutical Medicine), School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University

My education in statistics and working experience require statistical theory and communication with as a statistician in both academia and government medical practitioners. regulatory agencies in the United States and Japan has My 10 years’ working experience as a math- Takeuchi made me interested in applying for the ASA’s position ematical statistician at the U.S. Food and Drug of international representative to the board. With my Administration has changed my view of statistical experience establishing the first department of bio- practice. Different from the academic and journal statistics in Tokyo with both a master’s and doctor- publication setting, a robust estimate of standard ate program in biostatistics, I think I can be a liaison error of the estimated efficacy to preserve p-value between the United States and Japan in education and is important for drug review. In regulatory affairs, government regulatory statistical science. the type I error rate is the most important idea, and In Japan, mathematical statistics is predominate- crucial for understanding results. ly theoretical, and there is a lack of attention given As an international representative to the ASA to education in biostatistics. After the ICH move- board, I believe I can apply my knowledge and ment, it is clear that the role of biostatistician is experience in both the United States and Japanese important in drug development and review of new academia and regulatory agencies. I hope to pro- drug applications to the Ministry of Health, Labor, vide and stimulate unique statistical research issues and Welfare. Education and practice in biostatistics to the ASA for international collaboration.

ASA 2013 Election Candidates List Council of Chapters Governing Board Program Chair-Elect Chair-Elect Gary Rosner, The Johns Hopkins University Scott Evans, Harvard University Catherine Calder, The Ohio State University Linda Young, University of Florida Council of Sections Representative Vice Chair, District 5, Region 3 Dawn Woodard, Cornell University Julia Sharp, Clemson University Donatello Telesca, University of California at Ji-Hyun Lee, Moffitt Cancer Center Los Angeles Vice Chair, District 6, Region 3 Biometrics Section Xiaoming Sheng, University of Utah Chair-Elect Jo Hardin, Pomona College Diana Miglioretti, Group Health Cooperative Jeffrey Morris, MD Anderson Cancer Center Council of Sections Governing Board Council of Sections Representative Chair-Elect Joe Hogan, Brown University David Breiter, Covidien Renee Moore, North Carolina State University Stephen Gulyas, Optum, Inc. Vice Chair, 1st year Biopharmaceutical Section Tony An, SAS Institute Inc. Chair-Elect Stacey Lindborg, Biogen Idec Dionne Price, Food and Drug Administration Jeff Maca, Quintiles Section on Bayesian Statistical Sciences Program Chair-Elect Chair-Elect Stephine Keeton, PPD Purushottam W. Laud, Medical College Gary Aras, Amgen of Wisconsin Ed George, University of Pennsylvania

18 amstat news march 2013 Treasurer Secretary/Treasurer Heather Thomas, Actavis, Inc. Ann Lazar, University of California at Xiaohui (Ed) Luo, Bausch + Lomb San Francisco Council of Sections Representative Julie Sharp, Clemson University Alan Hartford, Agensys, Inc. Executive Committee at Large John Johnson, Registrat-MAPI Scott Berry, Berry Consultants Heidi Spratt, The University of Texas Business and Economic Statistics Section Medical Branch Chair-Elect Tim Dunne, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Section on Statistical Education Bruce Meyer, The University of Chicago Chair-Elect Alison Gibbs, University of Toronto Program Chair-Elect Bill Notz, The Ohio State University Beth Andrews, Northwestern University Denis Nekipelov, University of California Executive Committee at Large at Berkeley Albyn Jones, Reed College Publications Officer Kari Lock Morgan, Duke University Cindy Yu, Iowa State University Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel, Duke University Ataman Ozyildirim, The Conference Board Tim Jacobbe, University of Florida Council of Sections Representative Council of Sections Representative John Abowd, Cornell University Chad Schafer, Carnegie Mellon University Stephanie Shipp, IDA Science and Technology Jamie Perrett, Monsanto Policy Institute Publications Officer Jennifer Kaplan, University of Georgia Section on Statistical Computing Jeff Jonkman, Grinnell College Chair-Elect David van Dyk, Imperial College London Section on Statistics and the Environment Doug Nychka, National Center for Chair-Elect Atmospheric Research Kate Calder, The Ohio State University Program Chair-Elect Brian Reich, North Carolina State University Giles Hooker, Cornell Program Chair-Elect Feng Liang, UIUC Edward L. Boone, Virginia Commonwealth Secretary/Treasurer University Tim Hesterberg, Google Bo Li, Purdue University Sudipto Banerjee, University of Minnesota Treasurer Publications Officer Snehalata V. Huzurbazar, SAMSI Kathi Irvine, U.S. Geological Survey Usha Govindarajulu, Brigham and Women's Hospital Publications Chair-Elect Bo Li, Perdue University Candace Berrett, Brigham Young University Council of Sections Representative Emily Lei Kang, University of Cincinnati John Monahan, North Carolina State University Section on Statistics in Epidemiology Jim Wendelberger, Urban Science Applications Chair-Elect Section on Statistical Consulting Babette Brumback, University of Florida Chair-Elect Dylan Small, University of Pennsylvania Jon Mahnken, The University of Kansas Program Chair-Elect Medical Center Haitao Chu, University of Minnesota Eric Vance, Virginia Tech's Laboratory for at Minneapolis Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis Yan Ma, Hospital of Special Surgery Publications Officer Elizabeth Brown, University of Washington Elizabeth Ogburn, Harvard School of Public Health march 2013 amstat news 19 Council of Sections Representative Council of Sections Representative Sebastien Haneuse, Harvard School of Julia Bienias, Nielsen Public Health Nino Hardt, The Ohio State University Susan Gruber, Harvard School of Public Health Section on Physical and Engineering Sciences Section on Government Statistics Chair-Elect Chair-Elect Stephanie P. DeHart, DuPont Wendy Martinez, Bureau of Labor Statistics Sarah Kalicin, Intel Corporation Jenny Thompson, U.S. Census Bureau Program Chair-Elect Program Chair-Elect Tirthankar Dasgupta, Harvard University Jeffrey Gonzalez, Bureau of Labor Statistics William Li, University of Minnesota Jenny Guarino, Bureau of Transportation Statistics Secretary/Treasurer Section on Statistical Graphics Peter Hovey, University of Dayton Chair-Elect Min Yang, University of Illinois at Chicago Jay Emerson, Yale University Section on Quality and Productivity David Hunter, Penn State University Chair-Elect Naomi Robbins, NBR Sharad Prabhu, SAS Institute Program Chair-Elect David Edwards, Virginia Matt Shotwell, Vanderbilt University Commonwealth University Martin Theus, BI Unit Telefónica Program Chair-Elect Council of Sections Representative Ananda Jayawardhana, Pittsburg State University John Castelloe, SAS Institute Alix Ann Robertson, Sandia National Labs Rebecca Nugent, Carnegie Mellon University Tony Ng, Southern Methodist University James Shine, U.S. Army Topographic Engineering Center Section on Risk Analysis Chair-Elect Publications Officer Lelys Bravo, Universidad Simon Bolivar Anushka Anand, Tableau Software Jing Zhang, Miami University Abbass Sharif, University of Southern California Charlotte Wickham, Oregon State University Program Chair-Elect Matthew Wheeler, National Institute for Health Policy Statistics Section Occupational Safety and Health Chair-Elect Tuncay Alparslan, American University Kelly Zou, Pfizer Inc. Council of Sections Representative Joe Cappelleri, Pfizer Inc. Mike Tarter, University of California at Berkeley Council of Sections Representative Susan Simmons, The University of North Carolina Ofer Harel, University of Connecticut at Wilmington Matt Rotelli, Eli Lilly & Company Secretary/Treasurer Cuixian Chen, The University of North Carolina Section on Statistics in Marketing at Wilmington Chair-Elect Roland Deutsch, The University of North James Wendelberger, Urban Science Applications Carolina at Greensboro Kinshuk Jeruth, Carnegie Mellon University Publications Officer Program Chair-Elect Xiaosong Li, The University of North Carolina Michael Braun, MIT Sloan School at Wilmington of Management Wensong Wu, Florida International University Lynd Bacon, Loma Buena Associates Social Statistics Section Secretary/Treasurer Song Lin, Nielsen Chair-Elect Michael Davern, NORC Rick Briesch, Southern Methodist University Victoria Velkoff, U.S. Census Bureau

20 amstat news march 2013 Program Chair-Elect Program Chair-Elect Barbara Downs, U.S. Census Bureau Jeffrey Solka, Naval Surface Warfare Center Jeff Hardcastle, University of Nevada-Reno Michael Crane Secretary/Treasurer Publications Officer Natalya Verbitsky Savitz, Mathematica Joseph Warfield, The Johns Hopkins University Joanna Turner, University of Minnesota Applied Physics Lab Gentry White, The University of Queensland Section on Statistics in Sports Secretary/Treasurer Chair-Elect Alix Ann Robertson, Sandia National Laboratories Shane Jensen, Wharton School Laura Freeman, IDA Andrew Thomas, Carnegie Mellon University Richard L. Warr, Air Force Institute of Technology Program Chair-Elect Joseph Koopmeiners, University of Minnesota Section for Statistical Programmers Tracy Morris, University of Central Oklahoma and Analysts Chair-Elect Section on Survey Research Methods Nance J. Petersen, Department of Veterans Affairs Chair-Elect Medical Center Michael R. Elliott, University of Michigan Steve Kirby, ViroPharma Incorporated Rachel Harter, RTI International Program Chair-Elect Program Chair-Elect Abdel-Salam G. Abdel-Salam, JPMorgan Stanislav (Stas) Kolenikov, Abt SRBI Chase & Co. Daniell Toth, Bureau of Labor Statistics Michael Carniello, Takeda Global Secretary Research & Development Sam Hawala, U.S. Census Bureau Treasurer John Bremer, Toluna Nakisha R. Boulware Reid, Walden University Teaching of Statistics in the Health Song Lin, The Nielsen Company Sciences Section Publications Officer Chair-Elect Rick Wicklin, SAS Institute Heather M. Bush, University of Kentucky Monica Johnston, Independent Consultant Lehana Thabane, McMaster University Section on Statistical Learning and Section on Nonparametric Statistics Data Mining Chair-Elect Chair-Elect Hans-Georg Mueller, University of California Hugh Chipman, Acadia University at Davis Yufeng Liu, The University of North Carolina at Steve MacEachern, The Ohio State University Chapel Hill Program Chair-Elect Program Chair-Elect Chunming Zhang, University of Wisconsin Ali Shojaie, University of Washington at Seattle Xiao Wang, Purdue University Matt Taddy, The University of Chicago Treasurer Section on Statistics in Imaging Huixia Wang, North Carolina State University Chair-Elect John Staudenmayer, University of Thomas Nichols, University of Warwick Massachusetts, Amherst Ciprian Crainiceanu, Johns Hopkins University Statistics in Defense and National Program Chair-Elect Security Section Haipeng Shen, The University of North Carolina Chair-Elect at Chapel Hill Ed Melnick, New York University Genevera Allen, Rice University n Bani Mallick, Texas A&M University

march 2013 amstat news 21 columns

Funding Opportunities Statistical Research Grants from the NIH Jeremy M G Taylor, University of Michigan

ost statisticians with individual institutes or centers by faculty located in institu- faculty positions at may solicit applications to under- tions that have not been major universities and take research in specific areas that recipients of NIH research grant researchM organizations expect to are high priority for that institute funds. R15 grants are required to undertake original research. or center. NIH would issue a involve students, as well. While it may be possible to request for applications (RFA) on The R03 grant mechanism achieve this with funds from your a program announcement (PA). (small grants) is worth consid- own institution, obtaining funds These RFAs and PAs will tend to eration as a means of obtaining from external sources almost cer- have specific rules and instruc- short-term funding with a small tainly will enhance your research. tions for submission. They may budget to enable you to pursue In addition, such funding is likely or may not have specific funds a project that could then lead to to be an important element in cri- set aside to support them. They a full-scale proposal. The R03 teria for promotion. may exist for long periods of grant mechanism might be use- There are many governmen- time, or may only be available ful for a young investigator’s first tal and other organizations that for a short period. RFAs and PAs grant application. can provide support for statisti- may be reviewed differently from R21 grants (exploratory/ cal research. While the National unsolicited grant applications; development research grants) Science Foundation is probably sometimes they will be reviewed are for a two-year period with a the most common source of sup- by a regular study section, and fixed and limited budget. They port for more theoretical research, sometimes a special review panel are designed to support high-risk the National Institutes of Health will review them. Although RFAs projects and require less prelimi- (NIH) is by far the biggest sup- and PAs targeting statistical meth- nary data than a typical R01. porter of more applied meth- ods are relatively rare, some will While all institutes in NIH odologic research motivated by express interest in methodological will fund R01 grants, the policies applications in health, medicine, issues that might include statistical regarding support of R03, R15, and biomedical science. The pur- methods. A listing of RFAs and and R21 grants differ between pose of this article is to provide an PAs can be found at http://grants. institutes, and not all institutes Editor’s Note: overview of how statistics grant nih.gov/grants/guide. Visit www. accept unsolicited R03 and This article was applications are generally reviewed commissioned statfund.cancer.gov for information R21 applications. by the ASA at the NIH and guidelines for pre- about possible funding opportuni- K99/R00 grants (Pathway Committee for paring a grant application. ties for statistical research. to Independence awards) are Funded Research. Assistant professors who are Unsolicited research grant designed to facilitate the transi- It borrows infor- engaged in biomedical research applications can be of a number tion of a researcher from a men- mation from and tend to start thinking about writ- of types, including R01, R03, tored postdoctoral period (K99) updates a similar ing grant applications 2–3 years article written by R15, R21, and K99/R00. R01s into a faculty position (R00). Louise Ryan that after their first appointment. At (research project grants) are the These grants are personal fellow- appeared in the first, they may partner with more most common mechanism used ships that include a significant March 2002 issue senior investigators and act as a by NIH to fund individuals to research project. They are open of Amstat News. co-investigator on someone else’s pursue their own research ideas. to statisticians at some institutes, grant application, either a statisti- NIH accepts new R01 appli- but because the criteria by which cal methodology grant or a nonsta- cations in February, June, and they are assessed differ from usual tistically focused scientific project. October. R01 grants are for well- research grants, they will not be This is an important activity for conceived and novel research discussed here. statisticians and a useful learning ideas with important and prob- In a recent change to the experience, but the focus here is ably multiple related aims, and grant application process, all statistical research grants from the would require preliminary data applications are now submitted NIH as a principal investigator. or preliminary research. in response to a funding oppor- There are several other mech- tunity announcement. NIH Grant Mechanisms anisms worth considering. For has developed Omnibus PAs The NIH supports biomedical example, R15 grants (academic (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/ research through many kinds of research enhancement awards) parent_announcements.htm) grant mechanisms. Sometimes are designed to support research for use by applicants who wish

22 amstat news march 2013 columns to submit what were formerly institute. Different institutes have termed “unsolicited” applica- different budgets, their own priori- History of the NIH tions. This process does not ties, and their own policies regard- After a humble start in 1887 as a one-room diminish the interest of NIH ing allocation of resources. The laboratory of hygiene, today’s National Institutes leadership at each institute will institutes in investigator-initi- of Health (NIH) comprises 27 institutes and ated, unsolicited research grant ultimately decide which grants are centers. Among the larger institutes are Cancer; applications. NIH continues to funded, with input from the sci- Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Heart, Lung welcome “unsolicited” applica- entific staff at the institute. tions in statistical research in the An investigator can influence and Blood. Most NIH offices are headquartered same way it does in any other the institute and study section just outside Washington, DC, in Bethesda and area of biomedical research. assignments. For example, it is Rockville, Maryland. a good idea to include a cover The NIH supports biomedical research through General Review Process letter requesting assignment both intra- and extramural programs. Intramural to a specific study section for Nearly all applications are pro- research is that done by scientists employed by review and institute for possible cessed through the Center for the various institutes within NIH. However, the Scientific Review (CSR) and funding. The CSR and institute generally accommodate these bulk of the NIH budget goes into its extramural receive a careful initial screening programs, which fund researchers at various to ensure practical requirements requests, if possible. It is also important to choose an appro- universities and research institutions throughout have been met (e.g., page limits, priate title for the proposal and the United States, and even internationally. font sizes, required forms, signa- to write a clear, concise abstract tures, and budgetary informa- that allows a reader to get a sense tion). Once successfully through of the proposal immediately. current areas of priority and to this step, grant applications Because biostatistical method make contact with the program receive two critically important is a relatively small and special- officers who work in the extra- assignments. One is to an insti- ized field, it often will take some mural research divisions of those tute that will fund the grant, time and effort to identify the institutes to talk about your ideas should it pass the rigorous stan- appropriate target for your appli- and gain feedback. dard of peer review. The other is cation. Your proposal will have Program officers can provide to a “study section,” which will the best chance of success if it valuable advice about strategies provide the independent peer focuses on the development and to enhance your proposal’s likeli- review to assess the scientific application of statistical methods hood for funding. The program quality of the proposal. of direct relevance to one or pos- officer will generally be someone In general, institute and study sibly two institutes. For example, who understands statistics. They section assignments are separate. A someone interested in working also will understand the mission particular study section will review on methods for evaluating sur- of their institute and be a strong the scientific merit of applica- rogate endpoints in HIV vaccine advocate for well-conceived tions with a common disciplinary studies might choose to target research grants that align with theme, but that may have a variety their proposal to the National that mission. The program officer of institute assignments. Presently, Institute of Allergy and Infectious may observe the review of your we’ll talk about the specific study Disease. Someone interested grant application at the study section (BMRD) in which most in methods for processing and section, but they play no part in statistical methods grants are integrating genetic and genomic that review or in determining the reviewed. The assigned institute data might draw the interest of score for your application. Their uses the outcome of the study the National Human Genome feedback after the review, how- section to help decide whether to Research Institute. ever, could be valuable to you. fund the proposal. Choosing the general focus NIH designates the principal While the review from the for your proposal is a critical first investigator (PI) of an application study section and the score it step. It is a good idea to talk to as a new investigator if they have assigns is strongly associated with colleagues in your department not previously competed success- the likelihood of funding, it is not about how their work is funded. fully for a significant research the only factor that determines Attending workshops, such as award, such as an R01. An early funding. The discussion at the those sponsored by ENAR, pro- stage investigator is a new inves- study section and written review vides another opportunity to tigator who is within 10 years will not mention funding. NIH receive feedback on how to frame of completing his or her termi- has a dual peer review system, your research proposal. It is a nal research degree or residency. with the first review by the study good idea to check the websites The new investigator and early section and the second by the of potential institutes to identify stage investigator designations

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can be helpful to a grant applica- important parts of your proposal If you plan to develop software tion, both in how it is reviewed are your project description and for others to use, that should be and—for R01 applications—its specific research plan. mentioned and could be one of chances of funding. The project description the specific aims. This section is A list of websites that provide should summarize your proposal restricted to one page. information for would-be grant- succinctly and in such a way to ees can be found at http://grants. give a clear sense of what you will Research Strategy nih.gov/grants. do and why it is important. This This should have three subsec- short write-up provides you with tions: significance, innovation, Writing the Proposal an opportunity to catch the atten- and approach. Once you have decided on the tion and interest of reviewers and Significance: This subsection general focus for your proposal, convince them that something should convince the reviewer that you should start planning the exciting is coming along. Having the problems listed in your specific details. Assuming you already a well-written project description aims section are strongly grounded have an active research program also is important because it may in and motivated by important under way, you should allow be used by staff in the Center for issues in health sciences research. at least six months of relatively Scientific Review to assign your You must convince reviewers that focused effort to put your first proposal to a study section and by accomplishing those aims, you proposal together. institute. The project description will contribute significantly to It is important to submit the should be written in a way that the advancement of biomedical most polished application you a scientifically trained, but not research. This section also needs can for your first submission. necessarily statistically trained, to convince reviewers that you Testing the water by throwing in person can understand. If your know the literature and your spe- many ideas to see which the study proposal is funded, the project cific aims have not been accom- section like with the idea of bet- description will be made publicly plished by someone else already. ter developing them in the revi- available, as well. Hence, it is important to include sion is probably not a good idea. The specific research plan the appropriate references in this You would be wise to ask a senior consists of a number of sections, section. This section also can be colleague who is experienced in including specific aims, research used to describe applied work or grant submissions and reviews strategy, bibliography and refer- data analysis that has served as the to carefully read and critique a ences cited, plus other sections of motivation for the proposed meth- draft of your grant application. an administrative nature. The per- odological research. Colleagues at other institutions mitted length of the research strat- As you then work your way also may be willing to give you egy section differs depending on through the motivation for each advice about the specifics of your the funding mechanism. For R01 specific aim and sub-aim, try to research, but you should be aware applications, it is 12 pages; for R03 keep a consistent numbering that they then would be consid- and R21 grants, it is six pages. system. Remember, an important ered in conflict with your appli- goal is to make your proposal as cation and not able to review it at Specific Aims readable as possible for reviewers. a study section. This is where you outline the list You want your aims and logic NIH has strict guidelines for of concrete problems you plan to to be clearly articulated all the how your grant should be format- tackle. This section would gen- way through. ted, which can be found at http:// erally begin by briefly describ- You should provide details grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. ing the context of the problem about the applications that moti- For example, you must include all and articulating why the type vate your proposed research, required sections, adhere to page of research you are proposing is along with data sets that will be limits, and use clear, readily leg- important. It is a good idea to used in your work. Referring to ible fonts that satisfy strict mini- arrange your specific aims into letters of support from subject mum size requirements. Required three or four main groups, with matter specialists will generally sections such as your face page, each containing two or three be helpful. For most data sets or project description, key person- related and specific sub-aims. biomedical research applications, nel, table of contents, budgets, You should establish a number- there are already existing meth- and biographical sketches for key ing system for your aims and ods that could be used. Thus, it is personnel need to be filled out on sub-aims (e.g., 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, important for you to convince the specific forms. While it is impor- etc.) Data sets you will be using reviewer that your methods are tant to have all the administra- in your research are important sufficiently different and likely to tive details correct, the two most to mention in the specific aims. lead to different conclusions.

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This section also should out the details of your proposed the goal of making the application describe the likely impact of your research. This might include as easy as possible for reviewers to work. Ideally, your proposed how the models will be formu- understand and appreciate. While research should have an impact lated, the estimation method or the importance of clear writing on both statistical methodology algorithm that will be used, how cannot be overemphasized, the and the advancement of knowl- variances will be calculated, how most important determinant of edge in an area of application. you will evaluate your ideas, or success will be the nature of the Many people use this section to to what alternatives it will be proposed research, itself. describe the background experi- compared. If you propose to There is a fine line to walk in ence of the PI and other key per- undertake theoretical proofs or deciding on your general focus sonnel, outlining any key papers simulation studies, a brief outline and specific aims. On the one or results that might serve as the of how you will go about that hand, you want to demonstrate basis for the methods to be devel- should be included. It may be creativity by tackling unusual or oped if the grant is funded. It is a good idea to identify possible nonstandard problems. On the a good idea to list relevant pub- pitfalls and how you will address other, you want to tackle prob- lications—these will help dem- them if they arise. lems you can realistically solve, onstrate that you are well quali- Many applications will have given your background and fied to accomplish your research a software development and dis- expertise. In general, it is a good aims. You are not permitted to semination plan, so some detail of idea to write a grant application include papers that have not been the language you will use and how on a topic with which you are accepted for publication. it will be disseminated should be very familiar. If you are not con- The significance section will given. The target users of your fident that an idea is a good one, typically be 3–5 pages long. software should be clear (e.g., don’t include it as a major aim. Innovation: In this section, other statisticians, health practi- Tackling methodological prob- you explain the novel aspects tioners and other scientists) and lems that arise from consulting of your proposed research. The your dissemination plan should or project work is often an ideal novelty may be in the aims, be appropriate for this group. solution, provided the method- themselves, or they may be in the Many people find that a good ology has broader applicability details of the approach you will strategy is to provide a more than just that project. Reviewers be taking. It also may be because detailed description for the first will generally have a favorable sophisticated statistical approach- few specific aims and sub-aims impression of a proposal that es have not been applied to data (perhaps the strongest ones), demonstrates a good knowledge of this type before. Since innova- then have only the broad steps of the underlying scientific con- tion is an aspect of the proposal outlined for the others. Reviewers text and questions. Balancing that can be scored, it is important understand some aims will be theory and application is gener- that the reviewers understand better developed than others ally important. While it is good where the novelty is in your pro- will. It is usually a good idea to to propose research problems posed research. It may be helpful describe your strongest aims first, that are statistically interesting to list the novel aspects of each while retaining a logical flow. and innovative, reviewers will not aim and sub-aim explicitly. The number of pages avail- be convinced of their importance Approach: This section is able to describe details of your unless you also can argue for the where you describe in detail what approach for all your aims is practical importance of what you you want to do and how you are quite limited. Recent changes in are proposing to do. going to do it. To the extent pos- the review criteria for grant appli- A common problem with sible, without sacrificing coher- cations place more emphasis on statistical methods applications ency, the approach section should the impact and significance of is that they provide a narrative not overlap with the significance your proposed research, and less of a research area, describing section. As you write this section, on the details of how you are the issues and general approach ask yourself whether this material going to achieve it. Thus, you that will be taken, but they lack should be moved into the signifi- will have to choose carefully what a clear explanation of what the cance section if you find yourself details to show. Providing exces- investigators will actually do dur- starting to justify why the meth- sive detail on background mate- ing the period of the grant. You ods are important. rial or algebraic derivations is should not assume the reviewers Using the same numbering probably not helpful or necessary. have as much expertise or in- system as used in your previ- Maintaining a clear, simple depth knowledge as you in the ous sections to denote aims and writing style throughout the pro- focus of your grant application. sub-aims, the approach section posal is an essential ingredient for A clear distinction between what should immediately start laying success. As you write, keep in mind has already been developed and

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what you plan to do with grant provide or “owns” that data will For example, a proposal is likely to improve your review. be important. This solidifies focused on statistical methods The approach section also that you really do have access to for cancer clinical trials might should include a brief timeline the data and increases the likely include as a co-investigator an that describes in which years of impact of your work. oncologist who would provide the grant each aim and sub-aim data and subject matter advice, will be worked on. Budget with 5% effort allocated. More The investigators are an You should start thinking about junior investigators, particularly important review criterion. The budget well ahead of the submis- those applying for their first group of investigators will include sion due date. Most departments grant, will typically ask for less in the PI; co-investigators; and will have a financial administra- terms of postdoc or student sup- potentially graduate students, tor who can help you prepare the port, but usually request a larger post-docs, research assistants, needed numbers and documenta- proportion of their own salary programmers, and consultants. tion. You will need to think about (40–50% is common for first- Who is included and for what the percent effort you wish to time applicants). amount of effort should be driv- devote to the grant, yourself, along Preparing a budget for an en by the needs of the research. with the percent efforts of any co- NIH grant application is usu- For each of the key personnel, investigators, associated comput- ally relatively simple. R03 and R21 have fixed direct cost budget the grant application will include ing and other expenses, the grant totals. R01s will nearly always be a biosketch. This document is start date, and its duration. These “modular grants.” Basically, any limited to four pages and shows decisions help determine the grant application with a total the person’s education, positions “direct costs,” for your application. direct cost of less than $250,000 held, awards and honors, publi- Your grants administrator will per year can use the “modular cations, other grants that support then figure out the “indirect costs,” them, and a personal statement grant” format. This means you do which are generally a percent- not have to provide many details describing their expertise relevant age of the direct costs that go to to the grant and the role they will about the budget and funds can your school or research institution be requested in increments of play in the research. to help pay for the resources you The recommended limit for $25,000. A typical, basic statisti- need to do your work (e.g., your cal methods grant will have an the number of publications is office, heat, administration, etc). 15. These publications should be annual direct cost of $150,000– Mid-level and senior investiga- $200,000. More complex inter- selected carefully and focus on tors typically apply for 10–30% those that are more recent and disciplinary grants involving med- annual effort for themselves for a more relevant to the research. ical co-investigators or multiple 3–4-year period. Faculty who are This is particularly important co-investigators will generally be paid on a nine-month basis might for the PI, who needs to dem- more expensive. ask for summer salary. While onstrate to the review committee People sometimes ask for con- some applicants request five years that they are an active researcher sultant expenses. Usually, this will of funding, there is a certain risk and have the specialized expertise be a relatively modest amount in doing so, since the proposed needed to complete the proposed (less than $5,000), which will research agenda will need to be research successfully. The list of enable you to invite a colleague particularly strong to justify such publications also can help high- to visit you and work on one of a long period of support. light that the members of the the specific aims outlined in your It is common to request funds research team have successfully proposal. As indicated above, for one or two statistical co-inves- collaborated before. reviewers often like to see the The personal statements are tigators (say at 20% effort), along involvement of a consultant who also an opportunity to demon- with a postdoctoral fellow and/or is a subject matter specialist. strate that the investigators are a graduate student. Sometimes, it Your NIH budget can be well suited to make the research is a good idea to include a subject used to purchase needed equip- successful through their role in matter collaborator for a small ment. For most statisticians, this the proposed research. percent effort, especially if your means computers. It is reason- It can be useful to include let- proposal is strongly grounded in able for your budget to include ters of support with your grant applications. The appropriateness modest funds for “supplies,” as application. If your proposed and amount of effort will depend well as travel funds for yourself research is focused on a par- on the details of the research, role and perhaps one co-investiga- ticular application, including a of the collaborator, and maybe tor to attend one meeting each letter from the person who will the type of grant mechanism. year. Once again, submitting a

26 amstat news march 2013 columns modular grant has the major description of the types of • Research design: Development advantage that you don’t need to research BMRD reviews as follows: and innovative application provide a detailed budget justifi- of randomized trial designs; cation, but instead outline it in The Biostatistical Methods and adaptive designs; sample size broad terms. Research Design (BMRD) Study determination; design issues While you do not have to pro- Section reviews applications for experimental and obser- vide dollar amounts for each inves- which seek to advance vational studies; methods to tigator, there is a section called statistical and mathematical improve study design efficien- personnel justification. This sec- techniques and technologies cies; methods for survey sam- tion lists the number of calendar applicable to the experimental ple design; methods for com- months each person will devote to design and analysis of data parative effectiveness studies the research each year. It is impor- in biomedical, behavioral, • Data collection and mea- tant that the level of personnel and social science research. surement: Development and support requested be commen- Emphasis is on quantitative adaption of methods to esti- surate with the proposed research methods to aid in the design, mate and improve data pre- agenda. This section also should analysis, and interpretation cision, reliability, and valid- show in which aims each person of clinical, genomic, and ity; methods to estimate and will be involved and what their role population-based research adjust for bias, measurement will be. If the application includes studies. This includes analytic error, confounding, sampling students, post-docs, or research software development, novel and nonsampling error; psy- assistants, you should indicate who applications, and secondary chometric methods would supervise them. data analyses utilizing existing database resources. • Data analysis and modeling: The NIH Review Process Development of statistical How does the review process The specific topics are the fol- theory, analytic methods and work? For many years, most bio- lowing: models, computational tools, statistical grant applications were • High-dimensional data meth- and algorithms for the analy- reviewed in a so-called “special ods such as those arising sis and interpretation of data study section” that focused on sta- from genomic technologies, from clinical studies, random- tistical methods grants. About 15 proteomics, sequencing, and ized trials, observational stud- years ago, the Center for Scientific imaging studies; development ies, epidemiological studies, Review undertook a major reor- and applications of meth- human genetic association ganization of its study sections. ods for data mining; statisti- studies, environmental stud- One goal of the reorganization cal innovation in decision ies, complex surveys, large was to reduce the number of nar- support, statistical machine databases, and registries; rowly focused study sections and learning, Bayesian networks, methods to handle data fea- streamline the review process to neural networks and outcome tures and anomalies such as reflect the increasingly interdis- prediction; statistical meth- correlation, clustering, and ciplinary nature of biomedical ods for high-throughput data; missing data; risk prediction research more effectively. Because biomarker identification and forecasting methods; the number of biostatistical grants causal modeling • Novel analyses of existing data submitted does not warrant the Tomas Drgon is the scientific establishment of its own study sets: Innovative application of existing or development of new review officer (SRO) for BMRD. section, it was decided that biosta- The role of the SRO is to orga- tistical grants would be reviewed statistical and computational methodologies; application of nize the review of the submitted in the Social Sciences, Nursing, grants, assign the reviewers, and be Epidemiology, and Methods methods in substantially new areas of application; innova- the contact person for applicants [SNEM-5] Study Section. regarding the review process. About nine years ago, the tive, non-routine data analysis strategies including combina- Although most statistics grant Center for Scientific Review applications are reviewed in deemed there were sufficient tions of existing methods rath- er than de novo development BMRD, there are other specialized biostatistical grant applications study sections in which statistics and established the Biostatistical of new methods; development and evaluation of novel analytic grants can be reviewed. For exam- Methods and Research Design ple, grants focused on statistical (BMRD) Study Section. tools to address new questions within existing data sets methods for AIDS research might The NIH website gives the be reviewed at the AIDS Clinical

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Studies and Epidemiology Study proposed research, and (iii) that Innovation: Is the proposed Section (ACE). the work is innovative. work new? Is it creative? For The permanent members of Significance: Is the work innovation, the NIH website the BMRD study section, who important? If successfully states the following: have terms of 4–6 years, are accomplished, will the proposed mainly statisticians and biostat- research have an important effect Does the application isticians who have NIH grant on biomedical science? The NIH challenge and seek to shift funding. Permanent members website describes the assessment current research or clinical come from different regions of of significance as follows: practice paradigms by utilizing the United States and are selected novel theoretical concepts, by the SRO. As a group, they will Does the project address an approaches or methodologies, have a broad range of expertise in important problem or a critical instrumentation, or statistical methodology and appli- barrier to progress in the field? interventions? Are the concepts, cation areas. At each study section If the aims of the project are approaches or methodologies, meeting, there may be temporary achieved, how will scientific instrumentation, or interventions members who also review grants, knowledge, technical capability, novel to one field of research depending on the number of sub- and/or clinical practice be or novel in a broad sense? Is a missions and particular topics for improved? How will successful refinement, improvement, or which expertise is needed. completion of the aims change new application of theoretical Study sections generally meet the concepts, methods, concepts, approaches or three times a year to review pro- technologies, treatments, methodologies, instrumentation, posals. Reviewers receive the services, or preventative or interventions proposed? packet of grant applications to interventions that drive this field? be considered, along with spe- Approach: Is the planned cific assignments to review a Reviewers will be influenced approach well reasoned, appro- subset (usually 8–10) in detail. by how well you have written priate, and likely to lead to Reviewers will need to declare your significance section in pre- accomplishment of the specific themselves in conflict of inter- paring this part of their report. aims? The reviewer will pay close est for applications from any- Investigator: Is the team attention to what you have out- one from their same institution of investigators well qualified lined in your approach section. or from any close colleague. to accomplish the proposed Environment: Is the infra- Reviewers prepare a written cri- research? If early stage investiga- structure at the institutions where tique of each assigned proposal. tors or new investigators, or in the research will be undertaken Usually, each proposal will be the early stages of independent appropriate for what is required? assigned a primary, secondary, careers, do they have appropriate The reviewers will be looking at and tertiary reviewer. The written experience and training? If estab- the resources page in the grant critiques from these three review- lished, have they demonstrated application to assess this. They ers are available to the other an ongoing record of accom- also will consider any unique study section members a few days plishments that have advanced features of the scientific environ- ment, subject populations, or before the meeting. Prior to the their field(s)? If the project is collaborative arrangements. meeting, each assigned reviewer collaborative, do the investiga- Prior to the meeting, each of also posts a preliminary overall tors have complementary and the assigned reviewers provides score and preliminary scores for integrated expertise? The review- written critiques and a score for each of the following five crite- ers will be paying close attention each of the five criteria. The cri- ria: significance, investigators, to the biosketch(es) and any pre- liminary results in your proposal. tiques are in the form of bullet innovation, approach, and envi- points and focus on the strengths ronment. While all five criteria The study section will under- stand that junior investigators are and weaknesses of the proposal. matter, their order of importance The five scores are intended as goes from most important to likely to have less of a record of accomplishment of research than a guide to the reviewer and help least important. When submit- them arrive at the overall impact ting a grant application, it is more established investigators and make allowances for that in score. There is no formula for using important to bear this order of criterion scores to calculate overall importance in mind and help their review. They will, however, still need some track record of impact score. This is the score that the reviewers understand (i) why matters. Each reviewer will write a relevant research to convince the your proposed research is signifi- paragraph on the overall impact of reviewers that they can successful- cant, (ii) that the investigators the proposed research. have strengths relevant to the ly achieve the proposed research.

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The overall impact will be an The possible score for each would have a high chance of assessment of the likelihood for component and the overall impact funding, regardless of institute. the project to exert a sustained, from each reviewer is an integer In plentiful times, percentiles powerful influence on the research from 1–9, with 1 representing less than the 20th will have a field(s) involved, in consideration perfect. Despite efforts by the reasonable chance of funding. of the five review criteria. Center for Scientific Review to After you receive your cri- At the study section meet- harmonize scores between different tiques, you can be cautiously ing, each committee member study sections, the typical scores do optimistic if your percentile is gives their final overall impact differ. Roughly speaking, scores of in the top 8%. If you are in the score after the application is dis- 1 and 2 are outstanding and scores range of 10th–20th percentile, cussed, including issues related of 7, 8, and 9 indicate substan- you are in a “gray zone,” in which to human subjects, and the com- tial problems with that aspect of funding is uncertain. Sometimes mittee has a good understanding the application. an institute will fund a grant that of the strengths and weaknesses The overall impact scores are is just above its funding cutoff in of the application. The average of assigned a percentile. In BMRD, terms of percentile, if it is in an these scores (multiplied by 100) grants are percentiled based on area of particularly high scientific is what the applicant sees. They scores received by other grants priority. Percentiles higher than do not see the impact score from reviewed at BMRD in the cur- 25% will be funded rarely. each reviewer. rent and two previous cycles. For The process by which reviewers Only after the application is R01 and most other grants, it is assign scores is hard to describe. scored is the budget discussed. the percentile that is used to help In general, it is fair to say that The reviewers will assess whether determine the funding, whereas people assign scores by keeping the budget is reasonable relative the institutes use a score for some in mind these rough guidelines to the work to be accomplished other grants. The relationship on how scores translate to fund- and whether the length of time between scores, percentiles, and ing decisions. If three reviewers all requested is appropriate. funding decisions varies con- independently give similar scores, During the study section siderably by institute and grant it is reassuring to the rest of the meeting, the applications are mechanism, depending largely on committee and the final score will reviewed in batches. Roughly budgetary issues specific to each generally be similar. If the three speaking, new investigators are in institute and its individual fund- reviewers start out with different one batch, smaller grants are in ing priorities. Some institutes also scores, then considerable discus- another batch, and experienced have policies that favor new inves- sion might be needed before the investigators are in another batch. tigators and early stage investiga- committee is comfortable voting The preliminary scores from the tors by applying a different thresh- on a particular application. three reviewers will be used to old for funding for R01 grants. If your application is in the decide whether the application The percentiling occurs for 10–25% range, you can still will be discussed. Approximately most study sections at NIH. have some hope of funding, but the top 50% of the applications There are two obvious, but often should start to think about a in each batch are discussed. unrecognized, effects of this. One resubmission. Proposals consid- A few days after the meeting, is that it does not make any dif- ered to fall into the lower half of the final score will be made avail- ference to the number of grant those reviewed typically will be able online to the PI. Around applications scored in the fund- “not discussed” and no overall 2–4 weeks later, the written able range if the study section impact score given. If you get a critiques from the three review- is one that tends to give harshly bad score or your application is ers are posted online for the PI worded reviews or more gently “not discussed” for your first sub- to see. These critiques will be worded reviews. The other is mission, don’t despair. It happens updated versions of the prelimi- that if a study section reviews a to most people. Give yourself nary critiques prepared by the large number of applications, the a week or two to get over your three reviewers. There also will absolute number of grants from disappointment, and then start be an overall summary of the dis- that study section that will be in to evaluate your critiques care- cussion that highlights its main the fundable range is greater than fully. Try to determine whether strengths and weaknesses and for a study section that reviews a the reviewers think your pro- should provide the PI with an smaller number of applications. posal shows promise and can be understanding of why the grant The percentile necessary to fixed easily. Talking to a senior application received the score it gain funding also will vary over colleague can be helpful at this did. The overall summary is writ- time, dependent on the current stage. Your program officer also ten by the SRO. economic situation. In lean may be able to give you advice. times, an 8th percentile or less

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How grant applications are successful the first time, the effort Useful Contacts reviewed and funding deci- is not wasted. Many describe the Misrak Gezmu sions are made at the NIH is a experience of grant writing as posi- Mathematical Statistician, Biostatistics Research Branch complex process. Much effort tive. It is an opportunity to think NIH, NIAID, DAIDS goes into thinking about how through your research priorities 6700-B Rockledge Drive-MSC 7626 it should be organized and and focus your thoughts. For Room # 4242 conducted to be objective and fair many researchers, writing the grant Bethesda, MD 20892-7626 and in such a way that enhanc- is integral to doing the research. [email protected] es the mission of the NIH. No You can even think of a grant Michelle C. Dunn applicant can be expected to application as a compilation of Mathematical Statistician and Program Director understand all the intricacies of a series of half-written papers. Surveillance Research Program the system. If you are not fund- The significance section contains Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences ed, you can console yourself by the introductions to the various National Cancer Institute recognizing you are part of the papers, while the approach sec- 6116 Executive Blvd. majority and understanding that tion contains an incomplete draft Suite 504 the system will hopefully enable of the main results of the papers. Bethesda, MD 20892-8316 you to have a better chance at Winning your first RO1 grant [email protected] funding for your next application. can be the first step in a long-term, Tomas Drgon The grant review process has satisfying relationship with the Scientific Review Officer some similarities to the review of NIH. So long as you accomplish Center for Scientific Review an article submitted to a journal; your aims, publish your work, and 6701 Rockledge Drive however, there are important dif- generate new ideas for each succes- Bethesda, MD 20892 ferences. If the editor invites you sive renewal, there is no reason why [email protected] to revise and resubmit a paper, the your RO1 grant can’t stay with you referees’ reports are usually fairly throughout your career. During clear about what needs to be done your earlier years, you might be If you decide to fix the appli- to make the paper acceptable for the one doing all the calculations cation and reapply, respond publication. If you successfully and programming needed to work explicitly to each of the weak- do those things, there is a good out the problems outlined in your nesses in your critique, indicating chance the paper will be accept- proposal. As you become more senior, the problems can be shared how and where you have revised ed. For a resubmission of a grant, with your students and junior col- your application. This response the critiques you received are an leagues. Eventually, you will be should be laid out clearly in a evaluation of the original submis- guiding fresh new investigators section called “Introduction.” If sion’s strengths and weaknesses; you disagree with the reviewer applying for their own grants. they are unlikely to include spe- on certain points, state your I want to emphasize the impor- cific suggestions about how to arguments in a logical manner, tance of the BMRD study section but avoid criticizing the review- make the grant application better. to our profession. BMRD is the er—this tactic is likely to backfire Another difference concerns only study section devoted to sta- on you! Add and point out any the review of resubmissions. It is tistical methodology, hence every additional improvements. It can likely that one, if not two, of the application reviewed by BMRD be useful to highlight revisions main reviewers will not have been will be assessed by statisticians and to the proposal, itself, by using a reviewers for your original submis- every funded grant reviewed by different font or italics. The more sion. While they will see the origi- BMRD is a statistical grant. The you can convince reviewers you nal critiques and your response to percentiling system means that the have responded thoroughly and them, they are expected to use their more grant applications reviewed thoughtfully to the previous cri- expertise to assess the strengths tique, the greater your chance of by BMRD, the more that will and weaknesses of the new appli- be in the fundable range. In the success on your resubmission. cation, including the possibility of Note that you will only have recent past, BMRD has not been identifying different strengths and one opportunity to resubmit reviewing as many applications as your grant. If you wish to apply weaknesses than were noted for the most other study sections, leading for NIH funding for this line of original submission. observers to question the need for research after that, you will have it. So, I hope this article will be to make substantial modifica- Conclusions helpful to you in putting together tions to the aims of your grant Writing a grant application an NIH grant application and application so it can be consid- sounds like a lot of work, and it is. requesting in your cover letter that ered as a new proposal. However, even if your grant is not it be reviewed by BMRD. n

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MASTER’S NOTEBOOK Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted Jean V. Adams, U.S. Geological Survey - Great Lakes Science Center and Great Lakes Fishery Commission

can’t not write,” a friend once told me. She a group that goes bowling every Friday? Go with was a full-time student and had never them. Have a question for a colleague down the earned a dollar from writing. Nonetheless, hall? Ask her in person. Is there a brown bag group she“I was a writer in the truest sense of the word. I that eats in the break room? Eat with them. Think wondered what it felt like to be an artist filled with of it as an optimization problem. You want to maxi- such passion. mize your daily face time. Although math was always my favorite subject Unless you are gregarious by nature, these sug- in high school, I studied zoology in college, hoping gestions may take you a bit out of your comfort for a job that would let me spend time outdoors. zone. That makes it all the more important. And I ended up working in a laboratory processing it’s okay to experience some discomfort. You will samples collected by field biologists. Each biologist get better with practice. And let me tell you a secret. had a particular focus. Each was an expert in his or Connecting with the people around you will do her chosen field. Their passion was evident, but not wonders for your career. It will open doors; it will contagious. I wondered what it must feel like to be bring you joy. It will reward you with an intangible a scientist driven by such focus. quality that no one verbalizes, but everyone perceives. Then, I met the statistician who worked with Find your passion. Connect with people. That’s these biologists. Everything about his job appealed my recipe for a long and happy career. n to me. He spent time on a variety of projects, rather than focusing on just one. He tried to answer ques- tions by searching for patterns in data. He used math as part of his job. He even spent time out in the field with the biologists. It sounded like a per- Biopharmaceutical fect fit for me. I went back to school for a master’s degree in statistics and everything fell into place. I Symposium to Offer had discovered my passion. Tutorials, Short Courses Have you found your passion yet? If not, keep looking. It’s in you, somewhere, itching to The 20th anniversary meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Applied grow. Really. Statistics Symposium (BASS XX) will be held November 4–7 at the Double Tree (by Hilton) Hotel in downtown People Orlando, Florida. Humans. They’re a strange bunch. Incredibly var- At least 16 one-hour tutorials on diverse topics pertinent to ied and unbelievably complicated. Like it or not, the research, clinical development, and regulation of pharmaceu- these creatures will play a huge role in your life and ticals will be presented by speakers from academia, the pharma- in your career. Anything you can do to understand ceutical industry, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). them better, do it. In school? Take a psychology Two parallel one-day short courses will be presented November course. On the job? Take a management course on 6–7, and the keynote address will take place on November 5, with personality types or communication skills. Been a reception following. The FDA biometrics session will be the there done that? Please. Don’t make me laugh. morning of November 6. When it comes to human nature, there’s always BASS is a nonprofit entity, sponsored by the department room to learn more. of biostatistics at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Connect with the people around you. Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern Consciously put yourself in situations in which you University. Its purpose is to raise funds for graduate fellowships will interact with the members of your community, in biostatistics. be it at school or work. Is someone approaching you To date, 50 graduate students have been supported by funds in the hallway? Look him in the eye and say hello. raised by BASS. Is your room or office located at the far end of the For more information, visit www.bassconference.org, contact building, near a remote entrance? Make a habit of the BASS registrar at [email protected], or contact entering the building at the main entrance. Is there Karl E. Peace at (912) 478-7905 or [email protected].

march 2013 amstat news 31 columns

STATtr@k Turn Off the TV and Volunteer at the ASA Janet Buckingham, Southwest Research Institute

in your career as a statistician? Council, and Professional Issues Volunteer opportunities within and Visibility Council. the ASA are just as diverse as the Committees typically con- reality and game shows on TV. sist of six to nine members, Based on my experience, I will each serving three-year rotating share insights and tips to help terms. There are different levels you surf to the right channel of commitment and service for of volunteerism. each committee, and it is a great way to help the ASA in an area Odds Are in Your Favor of interest to you. All committee Join a Chapter. This is a great members are appointed by the place to start volunteering if you ASA president-elect. One of the most active committees I happen to be near one of the 72 I suggest you look through served on was the Advisory Committee on ASA chapters located around the committees listed on the Continuing Education. This committee helps the country. This is how I first ASA website (www.amstat.org/ organize the Continuing Education courses became involved in the ASA. I committees/committeelist.cfm), at JSM and interfaces with the ASA Center joined the San Antonio Chapter read their charge of activities and for Statistical Education. Needless to say, and quickly began helping to goals, and click the link to vol- this committee is always active. We all had develop our local newsletter (this unteer or recommend a colleague for service on a committee if you plenty to keep us busy while we looked for is a great way to meet the chapter officers and other chapter mem- find one of interest to you. Be ways to improve the courses and help the bers). I met several local statisti- sure to indicate the experience presenters provide a good experience for cians who gave talks on the work you have that would be relevant ASA members. they were doing. to the committee or any other The ASA is full of talented people who Chapter dues are typically very comments about why you would are eager to help you find the right place low, $1.00 or free for students. like to serve. Perhaps you have an inter- for your skills and talent. Everyone has Chapters have a variety of activi- ties you can easily pursue—help est in an education area, career something to give, everyone has something with chapter meetings, become development, ASA membership, to share, and everyone has something to a webmaster or Council of law and justice statistics, or pro- learn. So, turn off the TV, get off the couch, Chapters traveling course coor- fessional ethics. All of these areas and volunteer! dinator, judge a science fair, or are important to the ASA as a mentor at a school. Two projects profession. So, dial in to the ASA sponsored by the ASA that your website and see what committees chapter can become involved in spark your interest. he concept of volunteer- include the Poster Competition Search for a Section. Just like ing is in vogue again. and Project Competition for searching for contestants on the People volunteer or give grades K–12 (www.amstat.org/ Next Food Network Star, looking Tback in all sorts of ways—United for a section could be as simple as education/posterprojects) and the Way, Boy/Girl Scouts, helping U.S. Census at School Program defining your favorite ingredient. the disadvantaged/homeless/ for grades 4–12 (www.amstat.org/ What are your statistical interests? hungry, church organizations, censusatschool). With 25 ASA sections covering and other community service Look for an ASA Committee. more than 20 sub-disciplines, you areas. But have you ever thought There are more than 50 commit- are sure to find a section that fits about how you can volunteer for tees within the ASA that cover a the recipe. a professional organization, such broad range of activities. Most are Any ASA member can join a as the ASA? organized within four councils section; they are not related to Are you a student or young of the ASA—Awards Council, a particular geographic region. professional just getting started Education Council, Membership Most sections hold business

32 amstat news march 2013 columns meetings at JSM every year, All of the outreach groups are column, “You’re never too old or but all are busy throughout the described on the ASA website at too experienced to look for new year working on areas/activities www.amstat.org/outreachgroups. role models. And you’re never to serve their members. How too young to be a role model for can you volunteer in a section? Find, Be a Mentor someone else.” Sections look for ways to grow If you are a student or young their membership—publish a professional, it would be wise Benefits newsletter, maintain a webpage, to seek out someone to be your The weakest link in your career organize best presentation/ mentor. If you want to become development may be you. What poster awards at JSM, develop more involved in the ASA, then can volunteering do for you? It webinar series, organize con- find someone already involved can give you the opportunity to tributed and invited sessions in the ASA who can answer practice important skills used in at JSM, elect officers, and help your questions and guide you the workplace such as teamwork, students with travel awards or through the myriad volunteer project planning, organization, paper competitions. Many sec- opportunities to maximize your and communicating. You devel- tions sponsor short courses or service. Maybe someone within op a network of statisticians with other educational activities. your school or organization is similar interests. What can it do Getting involved with a sec- perfect in this role. for others? They can learn from tion was one of the best ways I You also can be a mentor to your skills and knowledge. All found to volunteer within the others. If you are already involved these opportunities are good for ASA. It has helped me network in the ASA, then seek out young your professional development. with other colleagues throughout statisticians in your chapter, sec- I have made lifelong contacts the country who share the same tions, or committees and help with statisticians I have worked statistical interests. Yearly section them find their niche. ASA Past with on committees, chapters, dues are typically < $10, and you President Nancy Geller wrote in and sections. n can join a new section for the her June 2011 President’s Corner first year free! Connect with an Outreach Group. Outreach groups involve members who have common interests that are not in the tra- ditional chapter or section struc- tures. Currently, the ASA has four outreach groups: (1) Caucus of Academic Representatives, (2) Friends of Australasia, (3) Statistics Without Borders, and (4) Isolated Statisticians. Statistics Without Borders provides pro bono statistical con- sulting and assistance to organi- zations and government agencies in support of these organizations’ not-for-profit efforts to deal with international health issues (e.g., the earthquake impact on Haiti). Isolated Statisticians consists of academic statisticians who dis- cuss statistical issues with one another because they may be the only statistician within their own educational environment. If you happen to be a young professor within a small department, this group may be beneficial to you.

march 2013 amstat news 33 columns

175 An ASA Hall of Fame Stephen M. Stigler, The University of Chicago

member be deceased—no one can complain personally that they were unfairly omitted. The order of the names is haphazard. Twelve served as presidents of the ASA; the num- bers in parentheses are the years of their presidency. Adolphe Quetelet, Belgian, founder of the International Quetelet H. Walker Neyman Statistical Congresses. Played a direct role in starting the Royal Statistical Society, and by agree- ing to be its first foreign mem- ber, he helped the ASA gain international recognition. Frederick Mosteller (1967), founding chair at Harvard and statesman of statistics. George Snedecor (1948), founder of the statistical labora- tory at Iowa State. F. A. Walker Cox Jerzy Neyman, founder of the statistics department at the University of California at Berkeley and pioneer in math- ematical statistics. Joseph Berkson, biostatistician at the Mayo Clinic and iconoclast (and co-founder of the Society for Stomping on Berkson). Introduced “logit” analysis. Raymond Pearl (1939), Mosteller Martin Deming path-breaking biometrician. Studied longevity and nutrition. n the occasion of this others (e.g., Abraham Wald and Francis Amasa Walker International Year of Jimmie Savage) have influenced (1883–1896), director of the Statistics, and in antici- the profession greatly with- 1870 U.S. Census. Brought the pationO of the 175th anniversary out playing a significant role in ASA from a regional discussion of the ASA in 2014, I offer a list the ASA. club to a national professional of 20 past ASA members who The list could have been society. Established JASA and, in were influential in bringing us to extended with no drop in qual- 1896, moved the annual meet- this point in our history. ity. Hard choices were made to ing from Boston. No doubt others’ lists would give a list representative of the William Kruskal (1982), co- differ and many excellent peo- past membership at its finest; inventor of the Kruskal-Wallis ple have been omitted. Some of long service to ASA was not suf- Test, consummate scholar of sta- these (e.g., R. A. Fisher and Karl ficient for inclusion. The only tistics, editor of encyclopedias. Pearson) were never members; rigidly enforced rule was that the

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John Tukey, from his explor- Helen Walker (1944), statistics and biostatistics at The atory and confirmatory data author of an excellent history of University of North Carolina. analysis to statistical graphics to statistical methods published in Albert H. Bowker (1964), his terminology (e.g., jackknife 1929, influential educator who founding chair of the Stanford and software), he helped shape taught at Teachers College of statistics department and, later, modern statistical analysis. Columbia University. chancellor of CUNY and the W. Allen Wallis (1965), ran Edwin B. Wilson (1929), University of California. the Statistical Research Group polymath who published on Margaret Martin (1980), at Columbia University during binomial confidence intervals in helped develop the Current WWII, editor of JASA from 1927. Served as co-president of Population Survey. Helped 1950–1960, founder of The MIT in 1921 before founding direct several federal statistical University of Chicago Statistics the Harvard program in vital offices, from the Bureau of the Department, undersecretary of statistics and served as secretary Budget to the National Academy state 1985–1989, co-inventor of of the National Academy of of Sciences. the Kruskal-Wallis Test. Sciences for 50 years. Paul Meier, biostatistician Herman Hollerith, devised William G. Cochran (1953), and co-inventor of the Kaplan- the punch card system that revo- influential author of books on Meier estimator of survival lutionized the tabulation of the the design of experiments and curves; that paper (in JASA) has U.S. Census in 1890 and led to sampling; important educator at been the most-cited paper the creation of IBM Corp. Iowa State, The Johns Hopkins in statistics. University, and Harvard. W. Edwards Deming, a tire- Harold Hotelling, founder less educator outside the acad- Gertrude Cox (1956), of the programs at Columbia and emy, he brought sampling to founded the statistics depart- The University of North Carolina, government, quality assurance to ment at North Carolina State pioneer in multivariate analysis industry, and statistical methods University. Played a key role and resource economics. n to the military. in starting the departments of

march 2013 amstat news 35 calendarinternational of events year of statistics University of Limpopo to Commemorate Statistics2013 as Host of SASA Maseka Lesaoana, Local Organizing Chair

he South African Statistical Association establish further collaborative work with other insti- (SASA, www.sastat.org.za) recently tutions of higher learning and industry. The faculty announced that the University of Limpopo of the university already work in close collaboration Twill host its 2013 national conference, SASA 2013, with colleagues and institutions from several other November 4–8. African countries, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, The 2013 conference marks the association’s Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia. 60th anniversary. The annual conference is an The university’s partnerships extend beyond the important component in the efforts of SASA to African continent, however. It is associated with achieve its mission of facilitating the advancement of James Cochran of Louisiana Tech University, Michael statistical knowledge and promoting applications of Noble of the University of Oxford, UK, Santosh statistical theory in all spheres of life, hence contrib- Kumar of the University of Melbourne, Australia, uting positively to the development of South Africa. Ray Chambers of the University of Wollongong, Hosting this conference, which is the pre- Australia. The university’s long association with mier statistics conference in South Africa, is both Cochran and Kumar have contributed substantially an honor and opportunity for the University of toward increased research output and postgraduate Limpopo. Various highly respected universities and throughput in the University of Limpopo. research councils in South Africa—at times in col- laboration with industry—have taken turns hosting SASA 2013 and Statistics2013 the conference. In addition to participants from SASA 2013 gives the University of Limpopo and all over South Africa, the conference is expected to the South African Statistical Association the perfect attract attendees from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, opportunity to observe the International Year of Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Tanzania, Madagascar, Statistics and increase the public’s awareness of the Swaziland, Lesotho, Kenya, Zambia, and Uganda. powerful and far-reaching effects the statistics disci- pline has on everyone. Three activities SASA is under- A Brief History of the SASA taking include participating in appropriate processes The first president of SASA was Barend de Loor and structures that affect South African society; being (1953–1956), a founding member of the associa- accessible to, and supportive of, the users of statistics tion. The link between SASA and industry and the in the broader community; and actively cooperating global world can be traced to its inception and de with organizations and societies associated with disci- Loor’s positions on both the Statistics Council and plines that are broadly related to statistics. The SASA various advisory committees of the Council for 2013 theme, “The Power of Statistics on Society,” sup- Scientific Industrial Research. ports the objectives of both SASA and Statistics2013. From its inception, SASA established connec- Public promotion of SASA 2013, its plenary tions with the international statistics community, speakers, and several sessions with great potential enjoying long-term relationships with colleagues public appeal will increase the public’s mindfulness and societies in The Netherlands, United Kingdom, of the impact of statistics on all aspects of society; Germany, New Zealand, United States, Spain, however, the conference also will emphasize nurtur- Dubai, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland. ing statistics as a profession among young people. In addition to giving a plenary talk, Cochran will SASA 2013 and the University organize and chair the first SASA doctoral colloqui- of Limpopo—Establishing New um. This colloquium is designed to help students suc- Partnerships cessfully make the transition from student to acade- mician or practitioner with minimal difficulty, as well 2013 marks the first time a historically disadvan- as to encourage doctoral students to take on research taged university will host a SASA conference. The projects with the potential to strongly affect society. conference will enhance the quality of learning For more information about SASA 2013, email for the University of Limpopo’s students and help [email protected]. n

36 amstat news march 2013 education

USCOTS Features Blend of Workshop Opportunities

he United States Conference on Teaching Statistics (USCOTS) will be held May 16–18 at the Embassy Suites Hotel & TConference Center in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. USCOTS ’13 begins on Thursday eve- ning with a reception and opening session featuring a series of five-minute presentations on the confer- ence theme, “Making Change Happen.” This conference is designed to model good teaching in its sessions, social activities, and hall- ways. As with previous USCOTS, it will consist of plenary sessions, hands-on breakout sessions, Beth Chance, Allan Rossman, and Soma Roy of and “poster and beyond” sessions for participants Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo; Todd Swanson and to share and demonstrate their own teaching and Jill VanderStoep of Hope College; and George learning innovations. The conference banquet, Cobb of Mount Holyoke College hosted by SAS on their nearby campus, will feature statistical “edutainment.” This is a fun, interactive • Implementing Discovery Projects in Elementary conference at which you will have the opportunity Statistics by Dianna Spence of North Georgia to meet other statistics teachers from a wide range College and State University of institutions. • Playing Games with a Purpose: A New Approach In keeping with the conference theme, an exten- to Teaching and Learning Statistics by Shonda sive list of pre-conference workshops, as well as a Kuiper of Grinnell College and Rod Sturdivant post-conference grant-writing workshop, will allow of West Point Military Academy statistics educators to delve deeper into ideas for making change happen. There is no registration Mini-Workshops fee to attend any of the workshops, which vary in length between a half day and three days. Workshop • How to Implement a Randomization-Based times have been scheduled to allow participants to Introductory Statistics Course: The CATALST attend up to three, one from each category. Advance Curriculum by Bob delMas of the University of registration is required. Minnesota • Innovation in Online Instruction in Statistics: 1–3-Day Workshops Engaging and Challenging e-Learners by • Teaching with R by Danny Kaplan of Macalester Michelle Everson of the University of Minnesota College, Nick Horton of Smith College, and Randy Pruim of Calvin College • Teaching Statistical Concepts Using Dynamic Visualization and Bootstrapping in JMP by Mia • Identifying and Addressing Difficult Concepts Stephens of SAS Institute, JMP Division for Students in the Introductory Statistics Course by Deborah Rumsey of The Ohio State Post-USCOTS Grant-Writing University and Marjorie Bond of Monmouth Mini-Workshop College • Grant Writing by Lee Zia, Program Director for • Interactive Probability Instruction by Dennis the NSDL, STEP, and TUES programs at the Pearl of The Ohio State University, Kyle Siegrist National Science Foundation of the University of Alabama, and Ivo Dinov of Workshop abstracts and details on availability of the University of California at Los Angeles support for lodging can be found at www.causeweb. • Teaching the Statistical Investigation Process org/uscots/workshop. Details about the conference with Randomization-Based Inference can be found at www.causeweb.org/uscots. n by Nathan Tintle of Dordt College;

march 2013 amstat news 37 people news

The National Institute of his 20-and-counting years These awards are co-sponsored Statistical Sciences (NISS) at NISS. n by IISA and Elsevier. For infor- elected Mary Batcher and mation about IISA, visit their The winners of the Islamic website at www.intindstat.org. n Robert Rodriguez to the Countries Society of Statistical board of trustees for three- Sciences (ISOSS) Gold Medal The Bangladesh Statistical year terms beginning July 1. for Outstanding Contributions Association (BSA) recently rec- Karen Kafadar and Fritz to Statistics in Islamic Countries ognized the scientific contribu- Scheuren also were elected are Dato’ Wira, Jamil Bin tions of Bangladeshi statistics for a second three-year term Osman, Saleh Omer Badahdah, professor Shahjahan Khan beginning July 1. and Ayman Bakleezi of by awarding him the Q. M. Qatar University. Tim Hesterberg will Hossain Gold Medal. Kahn The awards were presented at complete the term of long- is professor of statistics in the the biennial Islamic Countries department of mathematics and time trustee Mary Ellen Conference on Statistical computing at the University of Bock, who resigned from the Sciences at the Qatar University, Southern Queensland, Australia, board. The board of trustees which took place December and served as president of Islamic approved the slate at its 2012 19–22, 2012. Countries Society of Statistical annual meeting, which was The keynotes at ISOSS were Sciences from 2005–2011. held November 2–3, 2012, in delivered by Munir Ahmed, Finance Minister Abul Maal Research Triangle Park, Edward Wegman, Ehsan Soofi, Abdul Muhith presented the North Carolina. Mohammad Hanif Mian, award to Khan at an international Batcher is executive direc- Abdelhameed El-Shaarawi, statistics conference organized by tor of quantitative economics Aman Ullah, Shahjahan Khan, the BSA at the Senate Building of and statistics at Ernst & Young and Mohammad Al Saleh. the University of Dhaka. LLP, in Washington, DC. She Conference delegates re-elect- The award was given in rec- is responsible for all aspects of ed Ali S. Hadi of the University ognition of Khan’s outstanding statistical sampling used in tax in Cairo, Egypt, as the ISOSS fundamental research, world- filings, including the technical president. class international professional Read about merits of firm samples, review As with previous ISOSS con- leadership, and organization of of IRS proposed samples, and your colleagues ferences, the electronic version many international conferences, review of samples developed by of the proceedings is accessible and friends in including the Islamic Countries other firms for our audit clients. from the ISOSS website at www. Society of Statistical Sciences. the news. Go Rodriguez is senior director isoss.net. n Kahn is the youngest to to www.amstat. of R&D for SAS Institute, in At its recent International receive the award, which was Cary, North Carolina. He has n org and click on Conference on Statistics, established in 1990. “Statisticians in long been active with the NISS affiliates program, of which SAS Science, and Society in Chennai, Stefano Castruccio, a PhD the News.” is an original member. Rodriguez India, the International Indian candidate in the department of has been with SAS Institute since Statistical Association (IISA) statistics at The University of 1983, after spending six years as announced the winners of its Chicago, won first place in the staff research scientist at General young researcher awards for 2012 Environmental Statistics Motors. He also served as ASA 2012–2013. Student Paper Competition for president in 2012. The Theory and Methods his entry, “Global Space-Time Hesterberg has worked Award went to Sourav Models for Climate Ensembles,” at Google since 2008 as a Chatterjee, associate co-authored with Michael Stein, senior ads quality statisti- professor of mathematics a professor at The University cian. Previously, he was senior at the Courant Institute of of Chicago. The student paper research scientist at Insightful Mathematical Sciences of New competition/travel award, spon- Corp., assistant professor at York University. sored by the American Statistical Franklin and Marshall College, The Applications Award Association, gives students the and operations research analyst went to Sudipto Banerjee, opportunity to attend and pres- at Pacific Gas & Electric Co. professor of biostatistics in the ent their paper at the annual Joint During its reception and din- school of public health at the Statistical Meetings in August. ner, the board also recognized University of Minnesota. Castruccio’s paper, which Alan Karr, director of NISS, for develops a statistical model for analyzing climate models, is part

38 amstat news march 2013 people news

50 technical papers in professional journals. These Obituary included The 99th Hour, a book that dealt with the now timely issue of limits to population growth; Changing Daniel O’Haver Price Characteristics of the Negro Population, a description of Daniel O’Haver Price was born changes in black population characteristics from 1870– on a farm in Palatka, Florida, on 1960; An American Dependency Challenge, the most exten- September 12, 1918, the second sive public welfare study of the 1960s; When a City Closes son of Charles Henry and Lillian Its Schools, a survey of the impact of the 1958 closing of O’Haver Price. He graduated Norfolk’s public schools to avoid integration; and Statistics from Putnam High School in for Sociologists, a standard textbook for several decades. 1935 and earned a BS from Early in his career (1959), Price became a Fellow of the Florida Southern College in American Statistical Association. His master’s thesis, pub- 1939. He taught high-school sci- lished in Social Forces, was the first article in the sociology ence in Bartow, Florida, before literature using factor analysis. He was also a Fellow of going to graduate school in 1940. He earned his MA in the American Association for the Advancement of Science 1942 and PhD in 1948, both from The University of and the American Sociological Association. He was a North Carolina at Chapel Hill. consultant to many government agencies, including the At the end of his active naval duty, Price married Doris U.S. Census Bureau, National Institute of Health, Social Carter on June 23, 1945. He became a full professor in Security Administration, National Science Foundation, 1951 and continued at Chapel Hill from 1957–1966 as Office of Management and Budget, and Office of director of the university’s Institute for Research in Social Economic Opportunity. Science. He was a visiting professor at Harvard University Price’s second wife, Marion Conner Price (1918– (1950) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2010), was a leading Jacksonville actress and television (1957). During 1963–1964, he was a Fellow at the Center pioneer. His first wife, Doris Price (1921–2012), was for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford the mother of his three children: Philip Price (poly- University. He moved to The University of Texas at Austin mer chemist in West Virginia), Karen Price (Boston in 1966; for four of his 12 years there, he was chair of University linguistics consultant), and Gary Price (Texas the sociology department. In 1978, he went to UNC State Comptroller’s Office). Grandchildren are Bradford Greensboro, where he was department head for 10 years. Price of Washington, DC; Megan Price of San Francisco, He retired in 1988 and moved to Jacksonville, where he California; David Price of New York, New York; Aaron married Marion Albinson Conner on June 5, 1988. Price of San Antonio, Texas; and Indigo Dow of Boston, During World War II, Price was an electronics officer Massachusetts. He is survived by a brother, Charles David in the Navy, attached to PT Boat Squadron 17 in the Price of Winter Park. Pacific, with service in Panama, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Three of his grandchildren have shown mathemati- New Guinea, and Mindoro. After the war, as a reservist, cal inclination. Megan has a PhD in biostatistics; David he taught courses in missile technology and consulted with was ranked as the top mathematics student in Texas and the Naval Weapons Laboratory in Dahlgren, Virginia. He is now teaching in New York; and Aaron is at Trinity retired as a Captain from the Navy Reserves in 1978. University and doing mathematical geoscience field work As a social statistician and demographer, Price in Canada. authored or co-authored seven books and more than

of his dissertation, which aims to “The paper by Castruccio This work was motivated by provide geophysicists with statis- and Stein addressed a major the problem of providing fast tical tools for better understand- issue in environmetrics in that it approximations to the output ing climate change. focused on global climate mod- of complex climate models as “Statistical models for global eling,” said Medical University part of RDCEP, the Center for processes are a topic that was of South Carolina Professor Robust Decision Making on largely ignored by statisticians Andrew Lawson, who chaired Climate and Energy Policy, an until about 10 years ago,” says the selection committee. “Hence NSF-supported partnership co-author Stein. “Part of what it scored highly from that established by The University of makes the problem hard is viewpoint. It was also highly Chicago with several universities capturing how most global innovative and received most and national laboratories. n processes look very different at votes overall across relevance and different latitudes.” innovation categories.”

march 2013 amstat news 39 people news

with ideas and eager to plunge into new problems. Obituary His enthusiasm was contagious, and coupled with his insight, encouragement and generosity, colleagues and George Casella students simply blossomed in his company. Submitted by Ed George and Christian Robert George served as executive editor of Statistical George Casella, a leading figure in the field of statis- Science, Theory and Methods editor of the Journal tics, passed away on June 17, 2012, after a nine-year of the American Statistical Society, and editor of the battle with multiple myeloma. He was 61. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B. Having George’s influence on research and education in just completed his four-year term with JRSS B when statistics was broad and profound. During his career, he passed away, George had a clear effect on the he published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed requirements of the papers published in the journal. journals, co-authored nine books, and mentored 48 The size of the volumes over his term decreased by MS and PhD students. His publications included almost half, despite an increase in the number of high-impact contributions to Bayesian analysis, submissions! As an editor, George was known for his clustering, confidence estimation, empirical Bayes, impressive efficiency while maintaining the same high frequentist decision theory, hypothesis testing, model standards he had set for himself. selection, Monte Carlo methods, and ridge regression. For his contributions to statistics, George was Of his books, Statistical Inference (with Roger Berger) elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association, became the introduction of choice to mathematical Institute of Mathematical Statistics, International statistics for vast numbers of graduate students; this Statistics Institute, and American Association for is certainly the book that had the most impact on the the Advancement for Science. An ISI Highly Cited community at large. Researcher, he was elected a foreign member of the In 1996, George joined a legendary figure of Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, selected as a statistics, Erich Lehmann, then at the University of Medallion Lecturer for the IMS, and chosen as a California at Berkeley, to write a thorough revision of recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the classic Theory of Point Estimation, which Erich had Purdue University. written by himself in 1983. This collaboration result- George was born on January 22, 1951, in Bronx, ed in a more modern, broader, and more profound New York, where he attended the Bronx High School book that continues to be a key reference for courses of Science. He earned his BA in math from Fordham in mathematical statistics. (It is notable that the book and his MS and PhD in statistics from Purdue review section of CHANCE 26(1) was dedicated to University, under the supervision of Leon Gleser. He five of George’s books.) spent a sabbatical year in Granada, Spain, in 2002– During his distinguished career on the faculties 2003, where he built a strong collaboration with his of Rutgers, Cornell, and the University of Florida, friend Elias Moreno. George was a key influence in driving research, teach- George enjoyed life to its fullest. In addition to his ing, and recruitments toward an ever-higher level of herculean contributions to the profession, he ran 13 academic excellence. For instance, during his 19 years full marathons and served as a volunteer firefighter in at Cornell—where he began as an assistant professor the village of Varna during his time at Cornell. While and finished as the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of he passionately loved his work, his family always came Biological Statistics—he participated in the creation first. He is survived by his wife, Anne; his children, of the division of statistics and became one of the Ben and Sarah; his brother, Carl; and a legion of pillars of the statistics community(ies) on the diverse friends in the statistics world. Beyond his significant campus. Located in the historical Ag’ School, George contributions to statistical science, he will be remem- thoroughly enjoyed his many contacts and collabo- bered for his charismatic leadership of departments rations in the other schools, from the mathematics and students, as well as his unique sense of humor and department to the veterinary school. his never-ending optimism. His laughter remains with After joining the University of Florida in us forever. Gainesville in 2000, George became a distinguished Contributions can be made in George’s name professor in the departments of statistics of both the to a fund at Purdue University by sending a check College of Agriculture and the College of Liberal Arts made out to Purdue Foundation with a memo say- and a distinguished member of the Genetics Institute, ing “the George Casella Fund” to Rebecca Doerge, affecting the life and production of those departments Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West with his endless stamina. Lafayette, IN 47907. Wherever he went, George played a key collab- Online donations can be made by going to https:// orative role in stimulating joint research, brimming donate.purdue.edu/DesignateGift.aspx.

40 amstat news march 2013 section • chapter • committee news

Survey Research Methods sectionnews The Survey Research Methods Section (SRMS) publications officer, John Finamore, shares the Biometrics ways the section publicizes its activities, including the most recent newsletter, available at www.amstat. The Biometrics section is seeking volunteers to chair org/sections/srms/newsJan13.pdf. a session at this year’s Joint Statistical Meetings, to The most prominent SRMS publication tool be held from August 3–8 in Montréal, Québec, is the SRMS website at www.amstat.org/sections/ Canada. If you are interested, contact the section srms, which includes the most up-to-date infor- program chair, Wei Sun, at [email protected]. mation about the SRMS-sponsored competi- Sun, along with section education chair, Donglin tions and awards, including the Waksberg Award, Zeng, also has organized six continuing education SRMS Student Travel Award, the Student Paper courses and six invited sessions. To read about the Competition, and the E.C. Bryant Scholarship courses and sessions, visit the section news depart- Award. In addition, the website includes pro- ment online at http://magazine.amstat.org/?cat=17. ceedings of the SRMS-sponsored Joint Statistical Statistics and the Environment Meetings sessions from 1978–2011 (the 2012 pro- ceedings will be posted later this year). Statistics and the Environment (ENVR) chair, Other outreach tools are Amstat News and the Petrutza Caragea, plans for a productive 2013. To ASA Twitter and Facebook social networking sites. start the year, the winners of the 2013 JSM Student For details, view the section news department Paper Award competition are the following: online at http://magazine.amstat.org/?cat=17. n First Place - Stefano Castruccio of The University of Chicago for “Global Space-Time Models for Climate Ensembles” Second Place (tie) - Libo Sun of Colorado State University for “Penalized Importance chapternews Sampling for Parameter Estimation in Stochastic Differential Equations in Two Chronic Wasting Cleveland Disease Epidemics” and Stacey Alexeeff of Harvard University for “Bias Analysis for the Use of Spatially Jerry Moreno Predicted Air Pollution Exposures in Linear Models The 27th seminar in a series called Tools for To view of Air Pollution Health Effects” Regaining the Competitive Edge, hosted by the section news in The section seeks nominations for the 2013 ASA Cleveland Chapter, will take place May 31 in its entirety, visit ENVR Distinguished Achievement Medal and 2013 Cleveland, Ohio. Marepalli Rao will instruct the http://magazine. ENVR Young Investigator Award. Nominations for one-day seminar, titled “An Arboretum of Graphics.” amstat.org. both awards must be submitted electronically as The seminar’s format will differ this year in that a PDF (preferred) or Word document to Marcia it will be a hands-on workshop in which participants Gumpertz at [email protected] by March 30. are encouraged to bring their laptops. Participants Along with sponsoring awards, the section is will download the free R software and achieve a good sponsoring five invited sessions at this year’s JSM degree of mastery in producing a variety of graphs in Montréal. Before JSM, however, there is Spatial that will enhance their research or presentations. Statistics 2013: Revealing Intricacies in Spatial and Many examples will be given from the health profes- Spatio-Temporal Data with Statistics. This confer- sions and industry. The R software has an advantage ence will take place June 4–7 in Columbus, Ohio. over most statistical packages in that it gives the user See www.spatialstatisticsconference.com for details. absolute control on forming graphics. Also, the 23rd Annual Conference of the Rao holds faculty positions in the division of International Environmetrics Society will take place biostatistics and epidemiology and the depart- in Anchorage, Alaska, from June 10–14. See http:// ment of biomedical engineering at the University ties2013.com for more information. of Cincinnati. He is a Fellow of the ASA, Institute To provide ENVR members with better access of Mathematical Statistics, International Statistical to information, Section Publications Officer Kate Institute, and AAAS. Calder is setting up an ENVR microsite that will be More information and a registration form can hosted by the ASA Community. be found at www.bio.ri.ccf.org/ASA/cspring.html. For more about the ENVR section, visit http:// Questions should be addressed to Jerry Moreno at magazine.amstat.org/?cat=17. [email protected]. n

march 2013 amstat news 41 calendar of events

»17–18—5th Annual R/Finance: The following events are the latest additions to the ASA’s online Applied Finance with R, calendar of events. Announcements are accepted from education Chicago, Illinois and not-for-profit organizations only. To view the complete list of For details, visit www.rinfinance. statistics meetings and workshops, visit www.amstat.org/dateline. com or contact Dale Rosenthal, 601 S. Morgan St. (MC 168), Chicago, IL 60607; [email protected]. * Indicates events sponsored by the ASA or one of its sections, chapters, or committees 20–8/16—MBI Undergraduate Research Program, Columbus, ›› Indicates events posted since the previous issue Ohio For details, visit www.mbi.osu.edu/ eduprograms/undergrad2013.html »13–17—Visualization of or contact Stella Cornett, 1735 Neil 2013 Climate Data, Boulder, Colorado Ave., Columbus, OH 43210; (614) For details, visit www2.image.ucar. 292-9870; [email protected]. May edu/event/vcd2013 or contact Peter *20–22—36th Annual Midwest 12–17—Workshop on Statistical Guttorp, Box 354322, Seattle, WA Biopharmaceutical Statistics Genomics and Data Integration 98195-4322; [email protected]. Workshop (MBSW), Muncie, for Personalized Medicine, 15–17—Conference on Applied Indiana Ascona, Switzerland Statistics in Ireland (CASI) 2013, For more information, visit www. For details, visit www.cbg.ethz.ch/ Co Kildare, Ireland mbswonline.com or contact Melvin news/ascona2013 or contact Niko For details, visit www.casi.ie or con- Munsaka, One Takeda Pkwy., Beerenwinkel, Mattenstrasse 26, tact Caroline Brophy, Department Deerfield, IL 60015; (224) 554-2846; Basel, International 4058, Switzerland; of Mathematics & Statistics, National [email protected]. [email protected]. University of Ireland Maynooth, 23–24—3rd International 13–17—SAMSI Undergraduate Maynooth, International Co Kildare, Conference: Quantitative and Modeling Workshop, Research Ireland; +35317083914; caroline. Qualitative Methodologies Triangle Park, North Carolina [email protected]. in the Economic and For more information, visit www. »16–18—USCOTS ’13 and Call Administrative Sciences samsi.info/workshop/undergraduate- for Proposals, Raleigh/Cary, (Q.M.E.A.S. 2013), Athens, modeling-workshop-may-13-17-2013 North Carolina Greece or contact Jamie Nunnelly, 19 T. W. For more information, visit For more information, visit users. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle www.causeweb.org/uscots or con- teiath.gr/cfragos/index_files/ Park, NC 27709; (919) 685-9350; tact Jean Scott, OSU – Dept. of Page1327.htm or contact Christos [email protected]. Statistics, Columbus, OH 43210; Frangos, Agiou Spyridonos Street, (614) 688-5913; [email protected]. Athens, International 122 10, Greece; +30 6944162376; [email protected].

Deadlines and Contact Information for ASA National Awards, 26–29—41st Annual Meeting Special Lectureships, and COPSS Awards of the Statistical Society of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta www.amstat.org/awards For details, visit www.ssc.ca or contact Rhonda Rosychuk, 3-524 April 1, 2013 Nominations: Pam Craven, [email protected] Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, ASA Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship Questions: Eleanor Feingold, [email protected] 11405 87 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB April 1, 2013 T6G 1C9, Canada; (780) 492-0318; Nominations: Pam Craven, [email protected] ASA Outstanding Statistical [email protected]. Questions: DuBois Bowman, [email protected] Application Award

April 1, 2013 Nominations: Pam Craven, [email protected] June ASA Edward C. Bryant Scholarship Questions: Tapabrata Maiti, [email protected] »2–4—7th International Total April 1, 2013 Survey Error Workshop (ITSEW Nominations: Pam Craven, [email protected] ASA Excellence in Statistical 2013), Ames, Iowa Questions: Morteza Marzjarani, [email protected] Reporting Award For more information, contact Sarah Nusser, Dept. of Statistics, 1212 April 1, 2013 Nominations: Pam Craven, [email protected] Snedecor Hall, Ames, IA 50011; (515) ASA Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Medal Questions: Paul P. Biemer, [email protected] 294-9773; [email protected].

42 amstat news march 2013 calendar of events

*2–5—49th SRCoS Summer 7–8—MedicReS International 599 99 8070; jenny.knapp@ Research Conference, Burns, CME Conference, Istanbul, medicres.org. Tennessee Turkey For details, visit louisville.edu/ For more information, visit www. 16–19—The 2013 Annual sphis/bb/srcos-2013 or contact ic2013.medicres.org or contact Burak WNAR/IMS Meeting, Los Don Edwards, Dept. of Statistics, Akicier, Mariahilferstrasse 123 3, Angeles, California University of South Carolina, Vienna, International 1060, Austria; We are pleased to announce the To view Columbia, TN 29205; (803) 479- +436769783898; burak.akicier@ 2013 Annual WNAR/IMS Meeting, the entire list 4814; [email protected]. medicres.org. which will be on the For more information, visit www.wnar.org or of statistics 3–7—Workshop on 9–12—Joint Statistical contact Kate Crespi, CHS 51-254, Box meetings and Compositional Data Analysis Conference by the International 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772; workshops, visit (CoDaWork 2013), Vorau, Chinese Statistical Association (310) 206-9364; [email protected]. Austria (ICSA) and the International www.amstat. For more information, visit www. Society for Biopharmaceutical 19–21—R, Beyond the Basics, org/dateline. codawork2013.com or contact Peter Statistics (ISBS), Bethesda, Provo, Utah Filzmoser, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, Maryland For more information, visit statistics. Vienna, International 1040, Austria; For details, visit www.icsa.org/2013 byu.edu or contact Amy Royer, 223 +43 1 58801 10733; P.Filzmoser@ or contact Aiyi Liu, 6100 Executive TMCB, Provo, UT 84602; (801) 422- tuwien.ac.at. Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852; (301) 4506; [email protected]. 435-6962; [email protected]. »*4–7—Quality and Productivity 20–22—International Workshop Research Conference, »*9–12—Graybill Conference on ARS’13 on Social Network Niskayuna, New York Modern Survey Statistics, Fort Analysis, Rome, Italy For details, visit www.qprc2013. Collins, Colorado For details, visit www.ars13.unisa. com or contact Martha Gardner, For details, visit www.stat.colostate. it or contact Silvia Nenci, Via Silvio 1 Research Circle, K-1 5A15A, edu/graybillconference/index.html or D’Amico 77, Rome, International Niskayuna, NY 12304; (518) 387- contact Jean Opsomer, Colorado 00145, Italy; +39 06 57335752; 6546; [email protected]. State University, Department of [email protected]. n Statistics, Fort Collins, CO 80523; 4–14—SAMSI Summer (970) 491-3841; jopsomer@ Program: Neuroimaging Data stat.colostate.edu. Analysis, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 10–12—4th Nordic-Baltic For more information, visit www. Biometric Conference, NBBC13, samsi.info/programs/summer- Stockholm, Sweden 2013-program-neuroimaging-data- For more information, visit nbbc13. analysis-june-4-14-2013 or contact org or contact Marie Jansson, Box Jamie Nunnelly, P.O. Box 14006, RTP, 281, Stockholm, International NC 27709; (919) 685-9350; admin@ SE-17177, Sweden; +46 8 52486150; samsi.info. [email protected].

»5–7—WIPFOR13 - Workshop 10–28—SAMSI: Modern Industry & Practices for Statistical and Computational Forecasting, Paris, France Methods for Analysis of Kepler For more information, visit confer- Data, Research Triangle Park, ences-osiris.org/wipfor or contact North Carolina Xavier Brossat, 1 avenue du Général For more information, visit www. De Gaulle, Clamart, International 92 samsi.info/workshop/summer- 141, France; +33147653337; 2013-modern-statistical-and- [email protected]. computational-analysis-kepler-data- june-10-28-2013 or contact Karem 6–8—BISP8: 8th Workshop on Jackson, 19 T. W. Alexander Drive, Bayesian Inference in Stochastic RTP, NC 27709; (919) 685-9350; Processes, Milano, Italy [email protected]. For details, visit www.mi.imati.cnr. it/conferences/BISP8 or contact 13–15—MedicReS World Antonio Pievatolo, Via Bassini 15, Congress on Good Medical Milano, International 20133, Italy; Research, Vienna, Austria [email protected]. For details, contact Jenny Knapp, Mariahilfer Strasse 123/3, Vienna, International 1060, Austria; +43 1

march 2013 amstat news 43 professional opportunities

California n The Quantitative sciences unit in the Professional Opportunity listings may not exceed 65 words, plus equal oppor- department of medicine at Stanford tunity information. The deadline for their receipt is the 20th of the month two University is seeking a PhD-level stat- months prior to when the ad is to be published (e.g., May 20 for the July issue). istician to join their vibrant team of Ads will be published in the next available issue following receipt. academic statisticians. The job entails Listings are shown alphabetically by state, followed by international listings. collaborating with clinical investigators as Vacancy listings may include the institutional name and address or be identi- the lead statistician and overseeing junior fied by number, as desired. statisticians in the design and analysis of Professional Opportunities vacancies also will be published on the ASA’s cutting-edge medical research. Interested website (www.amstat.org). Vacancy listings will appear on the website for the applicants should send statement of pur- entire calendar month. Ads may not be placed for publication in the magazine pose and CV by email to manishad@ only; all ads will be published both electronically and in print. stanford.edu. EOE. Rates: $320 for nonprofit organizations (with proof of nonprofit status), n $475 for all others. Member discounts are not given. For display and online Manager, Commercial Analysis. Amgen advertising rates, go to www.amstat.org/ads. Inc. has an opportunity for a manager, commercial analysis. Reqs: master’s & 2 yrs Listings will be invoiced following publication. All payments should be exp; & exp w/project mgmt; quantitative made to the American Statistical Association. All material should be sent techniques & statistical analysis; SAS pro- to Amstat News, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314- gramming. Job site: Thousand Oaks, CA. 1943; fax (703) 684-2036; email [email protected]. Send résumé to: Ref. #84SVBF, Global Employers are expected to acknowledge all responses resulting from pub- Mobility, Amgen, Inc., One Amgen Center lication of their ads. Personnel advertising is accepted with the understand- Drive, MS: B36-2-C, Thousand Oaks, CA ing that the advertiser does not discriminate among applicants on the basis of 91320. No phone calls or emails pls. Must race, sex, religion, age, color, national origin, handicap, or sexual orientation. be legally authorized to work in the U.S. Also, look for job ads on the ASA website at www.amstat.org/jobweb. w/o sponsorship. EOE.

Colorado n University of Northern Colorado seeks an assistant professor in applied statistics. PhD (or ABD with degree completed by December 2013) in statistics, biostatistics, or related field required. Teaching excel- Assistant Professor of Biostatistics lence, strong research program/potential, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics ability to direct dissertations expected. Begins August 19, 2013. Submit applica- The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia invites tion, vitae, three references by March 1, applications for an Assistant Professor, tenure track, Biostatistics. A PhD in Biostatistics 2013. See www.unco.edu/cebs/asrm for com- is required with one year experience in teaching and research. We are seeking applicants with expertise in spatial statistics, longitudinal data analysis methods, or survival analysis. plete position description and application The successful candidate will teach graduate-level biostatistics courses to students in the procedures. UNC is an AA/EO employer. master and doctoral programs of the College of Public Health and are expected to be ac- tively involved in extramurally funded multidisciplinary research. Massachusetts

The University of Georgia (UGA) is a land-grant research university. Established in 2005, n DePuy Synthes, a member of the College of Public Health is actively developing a regional, national and international the Johnson & Johnson Family reputation in public health education and research. For more information, see http:// of Companies,is recruiting for a www.publichealth.uga.edu/. biostatistician to be located in Raynham, MA, or West Chester, PA. Apply here: The University of Georgia is located in Athens, a progressive, vibrant and diverse commu- nity 60 miles northeast of Atlanta and an hour from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Athens www.Click2Apply.net/nkywgsw. EOE. is renowned for its music, arts and culinary scene, outdoor activities as well as collegiate athletics. n Pfizer’s BioTherapeutics Research is looking for a motivated statistician to Applicants should provide statements detailing research interests, teaching and leadership work in a dynamic environment and con- philosophies, curriculum vitae to: Dr. John E. Vena, University of Georgia, Athens, GA tribute in the design, analysis and statisti- 30602, T: (706) 542-8202, Email: [email protected]. To assure consideration, complete ap- cal leadership for early stage development plications should be received by April 1, 2013. Applications will be entertained until the position is filled. The expected start date is August 12, 2013. studies ranging from pre-clinical to Phase IIb. This individual is also responsible for The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. production of biostatistics deliverables,

44 amstat news march 2013 either personally or by coordinating with research funding. This is a 9-month, Pennsylvania CRO staff or Pfizer colleagues in China. salaried tenure-track appointment. Visit: n Possible teaching-track position. Apply to job 976270 at www.pfizercareers. www.cuny.edu/site/sph.html. Collegial environment emphasizing dis- com. EOE. n The CUNY School of Public Health ciplinary and cross-disciplinary research and teaching. Position emphasizes teach- Missouri (SPH) offers a range of degree programs, including an MPH in epidemiology or ing, program administration, curriculum n The mathematics department of biostatistics and a DPH in epidemiol- development. Joint appointments possible Washington University in St. Louis, MO, ogy. CUNY SPH seeks applications for with other units at CMU. See www.stat. seeks to fill a one-year visiting position for assistant or associate professor to augment cmu.edu (email: [email protected]). Send the 2013–2014 academic year beginning biostatistics teaching quality and engage CV, teaching statement, relevant tran- August 2013. Responsibilities include in independent/collaborative research. scripts, and three recommendation letters teaching three one-semester courses. Preference given to candidates with grow- to: Faculty Search Committee, Statistics, Applicants must have a PhD in statis- ing track record of independent research Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, tics, biostatistics, probability, or related funding. This is a 9-month, salaried ten- PA 15213, USA. Application screening field. For more information, visit http:// ure-track appointment. Visit: www.cuny. begins immediately, continues until posi- wumath.wustl.edu/news/1477. WUSTL is edu/site/sph.html. tions closed. Women and minorities are an affirmative action/equal opportunity encouraged to apply. AA/EOE. employer; applications from women, minorities, veterans are encouraged. Ohio n Possible tenure-track and visiting posi- n The Cleveland Clinic Department of tions. Collegial environment emphasizing Nebraska Quantitative Health Sciences is recruit- disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research ing for faculty and master’s-level positions. and teaching. All areas of statistics wel- n The department of food science and Many areas are being sought, including come. Joint appointments possible with technology, University of Nebraska biostatistics, health economics, health sta- other units in the Pittsburgh area. See - Lincoln is seeking applicants for a tus measures, analysis of population-based www.stat.cmu.edu (email: [email protected]. 9-month, tenure-track food allergy risk registries, diagnostic test assessment, ROC edu). Send CV, research papers, relevant assessment specialist faculty position at the analysis, and psychometrics. Details for all transcripts, and three recommendation rank of assistant professor. The success- positions, as well as application instructions, letters to: Faculty Search Committee, ful candidate will be one of four faculty are on our website: www.lerner.ccf.org/qhs/ Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, involved in the world-renowned Food jobs. Cleveland Clinic is an AA/EOE. Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Application Allergy Research & Resource Program. For screening begins immediately, continues further details and to apply for this posi- tion, visit http://employment.unl.edu, requi- sition number 130008. 130008 EOE.

New Jersey n Pharmaceutical division seeking lead statistician for multiple studies covering varying ophthalmic therapeutic areas. The position will be the driving force in con- ceiving and developing study designs and analysis strategies. This is a highly visible MEMBER role in a growing company where we have an important mission: Helping people see get a better - to live better. Visit www.bausch.com for details. Apply online or email CV to: MEMBER [email protected]. EOE. Share the benefits of ASA membership with your New York colleagues or tell us who they are and let us do the work. n The CUNY School of Public Health (SPH) offers a range of degree programs, It is so easy to participate: including an MPH in epidemiology or Provide us with your colleagues’ names and we will biostatistics and a DPH in epidemiol- do the rest ogy. CUNY SPH seeks applications for Print member applications to distribute to your assistant or associate professor to augment colleagues yourself biostatistics teaching quality and engage Direct your colleagues to the website, so they can in independent/collaborative research. join online today at www.amstat.org/mgm Preference given to candidates w/ a growing track record of independent

march 2013 amstat news 45 until positions closed. Women and minori- ties are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE.

n DePuy Synthes, a member of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, is recruiting for a biostatistician to be located in Raynham, MA, or West Chester, PA. Apply Here: www.Click2Apply.net/nkywgsw. EOE.

South Carolina n Applications are invited for chair of the department of mathematical sciences at Clemson University. Qualifications include rank of full professor/equivalent and proven leadership experience, with administrative experience desirable. An earned doctorate or equivalent is required. Applications must be filed at www. mathjobs.org. Applications received by 2/1/2013 will receive full consideration; later applications may be considered until the position is filled. The position will be available 08/15/2013. EOE.

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46 amstat news march 2013 International n Non-Tenure Track Teaching Position for Business Statistics in the Dept of ISOM. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Excellence in teaching, and PhD required by employ- ment start-date. The successful applicant is expected to play an important role in teaching and developing business statis- tics courses for undergraduate and MBA programs of the business school. Submit CV and three referees to: stat11@ust. hk. jobs.amstat.org/hr/jobdetail.cfm?job_ id=5056282. EOE. n The American University in Cairo. The department of mathematics and actuarial science invites applications for full-time tenure-track positions at an assistant or associate professor level in the field of mathematics or actuarial science, begin- ning September 2013. The candidate is expected to teach and conduct research and play an active role in the department, the school, and university service activities. For more information please visit: www. Click2Apply.net/qd4bv4j. EOE. n

march 2013 amstat news 47 MARCH 2013 • Issue #429

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.

misc. products and services American Association of Public Opinion Research. . .p. 11 John Wiley & Sons ...... p. 6

professional opportunities NORC...... p. 47 U.S. Census Bureau...... p. 46 University of Florida...... p. 47 The University of Georgia ...... p. 44 Westat...... p. 47

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48 amstat news march 2013