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May 2021 • Issue #527 AMSTATNEWS The Membership Magazine of the American Statistical Association • http://magazine.amstat.org 2021 COPSS AWARD WINNERS ALSO: ASA, International Community Continue to Decry Georgiou Persecution Birth of an ASA Outreach Group: The Origins of JEDI AMSTATNEWS MAY 2021 • ISSUE #527 Executive Director Ron Wasserstein: [email protected] Associate Executive Director and Director of Operations Stephen Porzio: [email protected] features Senior Advisor for Statistics Communication and Media Innovation 3 President’s Corner Regina Nuzzo: [email protected] 5 ASA, International Community Continue to Decry Director of Science Policy Georgiou Persecution Steve Pierson: [email protected] Director of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach 8 What a Year! Practical Significance Celebrates Resilient Donna LaLonde: [email protected] Class of 2021 Director of Education 9 Significance Launches Data Economy Series with April Issue Rebecca Nichols: [email protected] 10 CHANCE Highlights: Spring Issue Features Economic Managing Editor Impact of COVID-19, Kullback’s Career, Sharing Data Megan Murphy: [email protected] 11 Forget March Madness! Students Test Probability Skills Editor and Content Strategist with March Randomness Val Nirala: [email protected] 12 My ASA Story: James Cochran Advertising Manager Joyce Narine: [email protected] 14 StatFest Back for 21st Year in 2021 Production Coordinators/Graphic Designers 15 Birth of an ASA Outreach Group: The Origins of JEDI Olivia Brown: [email protected] Megan Ruyle: [email protected] 18 2021 COPSS Award Winners Contributing Staff Members 23 A Story of COVID-19, Mentoring, and West Virginia Kim Gilliam Amstat News welcomes news items and letters from readers on matters of interest to the association and the profession. Address correspondence to Managing Editor, Amstat News, American Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA, or email amstat@ columns amstat.org. Items must be received by the first day of the preceding month to ensure appearance in the next issue (for example, June 1 for the July issue). Material can be sent as a Microsoft Word document, PDF, or within an email. Articles will be edited for space. Accompanying artwork will be accepted 25 STATtr@k in graphics file formats only (.jpg, etc.), minimum 300 dpi. No material in On the Data Frontline: Biostatisticians WordPerfect will be accepted. Amstat News (ISSN 0163-9617) is published monthly by the American in the Hospital Research Setting Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314- 1943 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional STATtr@k is a column in Amstat News and a website geared toward people mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Amstat News, 732 who are in a statistics program, recently graduated from a statistics program, North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA. Send Canadian or recently entered the job world. To read more articles like this one, visit the address changes to APC, PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, website at http://stattrak.amstat.org. If you have suggestions for future arti- ON L4B 4R6. Annual subscriptions are $50 per year for nonmembers. Amstat cles, or would like to submit an article, please email Megan Murphy, Amstat News is the member publication of the ASA. For annual membership rates, News managing editor, at [email protected]. see www.amstat.org/join or contact ASA Member Services at (888) 231-3473. American Statistical Association 732 North Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314–1943 USA 28 STATS4GOOD (703) 684–1221 Education Advocacy: Bending the ‘Moral Arc ASA GENERAL: [email protected] of the Universe’ with Data for Good ADDRESS CHANGES: [email protected] AMSTAT EDITORIAL: [email protected] This column is written for those interested in learning about ADVERTISING: [email protected] the world of Data for Good, where statistical analysis is WEBSITE: http://magazine.amstat.org dedicated to good causes that benefit our lives, our Printed in USA © 2021 communities, and our world. If you would like to American Statistical Association know more or have ideas for articles, contact David Corliss at [email protected]. ® 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. w Ruixiao Lu Celebrating Vice President, Head of Statistics, Clinical Data Management and Data Science, Quantum Leap Healthcare ASIAN PACIFIC ASA Treasurer (2020–2022) AMERICAN What inspired you to become a statistician? I am interested in how data can help us better understand the HERITAGE MONTH world, make good decisions, and help each other. What is the best career advice you’ve received? Own your career. Speak up. Don’t give up easily. Claire Bowen What are the most important qualities for a Lead Data Scientist, Privacy and Data Security, leader to have? Urban Institute Integrity. Empathy. Accountability. Courage. ASA Chair, Committee on Career Development When traveling is possible again, where would you like to visit? What is the best career advice you’ve received? Many places, including JSM and other confer- Pursue what you love. This phrase sounds cliché, but many of ences, plus the ASA headquarters! I’ve missed us justify making decisions that we ultimately don’t want to the in-person interactions with my fellow do because it is what society says is successful. We define statisticians, data scientists, and physician col- our own success. leagues. I also would like to visit China, where some of my family members are living. What are the most important qualities for a leader to have? departments What is your favorite Empathy and the willingness to way to relax? “serve” others education Reading with Pumpkin (my older cat) 30 on my lap. When traveling is possible again, where would you like to visit? Ireland Registration Open for USCOTS 2021 What is your favorite way to relax? Jing Cao Running with my dogs or knitting Southern Methodist University ASA Chair, Committee on Professional Ethics What inspired you to become a statistician? The perspective of using logical-statistical skills and working with people from diverse research fields. It is never boring. What is the best career advice you’ve received? Cultivate curiosity; be a life-long learner Ji Zhu What are the most important qualities for a Professor, University of Michigan leader to have? Being able to motivate and bring people together; being organized ASA Council of Sections and getting things done on time When traveling is possible again, What inspired you to become a statistician? The opportunity to work with real data and make where would you like to visit? Machu Picchu meaningful conclusions about real-life problems What is your favorite way What is the best career advice you’ve to relax? received? I have been teaching myself piano for three Don’t be intimidated by people who are smarter than years—very enjoyable and relaxing. you. Anybody can do good research and make unique contributions! What are the most important qualities for a leader to have? Integrity and good communication skills In celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, When traveling is possible again, where would we are paying tribute to the contributions of some of you like to visit? I’d like to go to Beijing to visit my parents. They are almost 80 our Asian- and Pacific Islander–American members. years old and I haven’t seen them in more than a year. These individuals have been chosen because of their What is your favorite way to relax? meaningful leadership and commitment to the ASA. Playing badminton with my 10-year-old daughter THE AMERICAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION APPposter.indd 1 4/15/21 11:28 AM Look inside this issue Biostatistics for a poster celebrating Asian/ Professor Wins Pacific American Heritage Month! Nathan Mantel Award—Page 31 WSDS 2021 UPDATE The Women in Statistics and Data Science Conference is going virtual. This conference, now taking place October 6–8, 2021, celebrates and recognizes the contributions of women member news in statistics and data science. It will bring together 31 People News leaders from academia, government, and industry; Awards and Deadlines professional statisticians and data scientists; and 34 Committee News graduate students and postdocs. Join us from • Chapter • 36 Section anywhere. Early registration opens May 27. ww2. Professional Opportunities amstat.org/meetings/wsds/2021/registration.cfm 37 SIGN UP FOR ISI SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/AmstatNews Registration for the virtual 2021 ISI Short Courses Programme, organized in cooperation with the ISI Join the ASA Community Associations, is now open. The courses will take http://community.amstat.org place from May 6 to July 1. For information, visit Like us on Facebook https://bit.ly/3tekEio. www.facebook.com/AmstatNews Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/AmstatNews Subscribe to our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/AmstatVideos 2 amstat news may 2021 president's corner Using Our Superpowers to Contribute to the Public Good like to think of we statisticians as Jedi mas- tweaking.