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January 2020 • Issue #511 AMSTATNEWS The Membership Magazine of the American Statistical Association • http://magazine.amstat.org

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After Two Busy Decades, SPAAC Wants to Be Busier ALSO: Twelve Years of ASA Science Policy: Highlighting the Scope and Breadth

International Prize in Statistics Nominations to Open Soon

AMSTATNEWS JANUARY 2020 • ISSUE #511 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 Highlights of the November 2019 ASA Board Director of Science Policy of Directors Meeting Steve Pierson: [email protected]

Director of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach 7 Formal Privacy: Making an Impact at Large Donna LaLonde: [email protected] Organizations

Director of Education 10 Nominations Sought for ASA President-Elect Rebecca Nichols: [email protected] 10 ASA Seeks New Science Managing Editor Policy Fellow Megan Murphy: [email protected] 11 International Prize in Statistics Editor and Content Strategist Nominations to Open Soon Val Nirala: [email protected] 12 NERDS Workshop Fills Void Production Coordinators/Graphic Designers Olivia Brown: [email protected] 13 Triage Judges Needed Megan Ruyle: [email protected] for COMAP Modeling Contest Advertising Manager Claudine Donovan: [email protected] 14 20 Years of Statistics Advocacy: After Two Busy Decades, SPAAC Page 11 Contributing Staff Members Wants to Be Busier

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@ 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. columns Articles will be edited for space. Accompanying artwork will be accepted in graphics file formats only (.jpg, etc.), minimum 300 dpi. No material in 16 SCIENCE POLICY WordPerfect will be accepted. Amstat News (ISSN 0163-9617) is published monthly by the American Twelve Years of ASA Science Policy: Highlighting Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314- the Scope and Breadth 1943 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Amstat News, 732 This column is written to inform ASA members about what the ASA is doing North Washington Street, Alexandria VA 22314-1943 USA. Send Canadian to promote the inclusion of statistics in policymaking and the funding of sta- address changes to APC, PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, tistics research. To suggest science policy topics for the ASA to address, con- ON L4B 4R6. Annual subscriptions are $50 per year for nonmembers. Amstat tact ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson at [email protected]. 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. American Statistical Association 22 STATS4GOOD 732 North Washington Street Data for Good: The Year in Review Alexandria, VA 22314–1943 USA (703) 684–1221 This column is written for those interested in learning about the world of Data ASA GENERAL: [email protected] for Good, where statistical analysis is dedicated to good causes that benefit ADDRESS CHANGES: [email protected] our lives, our communities, and our world. If you would like to know more or AMSTAT EDITORIAL: [email protected] have ideas for articles, contact David Corliss at [email protected]. ADVERTISING: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://magazine.amstat.org 24 STATtr@k Printed in USA © 2020 American Statistical Association What Supports the Big Tent for Statistics and Data Science? 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 The American Statistical Association is the world’s largest managing editor, at [email protected]. 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. departments

29 meetings ASA Day Contest ASA to Cosponsor AI in Clinical Drug Development Symposium in May Winners History Quiz Contest Question 1: What library is used to archive ASA historical materials? Answer: Iowa State University Parks Library Winner: Karl Broman

Question 2: What ASA president served as president (chancellor) of the University of Rochester and served as an adviser to US presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan? Answer: W. Allen Wallis Winner: Steve Wang

Haiku Contest Winston Richards (left) awards the Winston A. Richards Student Entry First Place: Doha Akad Prize in Statistics to Ariel Stewart. Ariel had the best II and III performance in statistics. Page 33 As a bird far flies As stars are above the skies Statistics applies member news Non-Student Entry First Place: Larry Lesser* 30 Awards and Deadlines So much more than math 33 People News

ASA illuminates 35 Section • Chapter • Committee News like Nightingale’s lamp 38 Calendar of Events

Non-Student Entry Second Place (Tie): Anne Milley 43 Professional Opportunities Many shades of gray Statistics leads the way to understand much more Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/AmstatNews Non-Student Entry Second Place (Tie): Barry Nussbaum Join the ASA Community One eighty years old http://community.amstat.org

Helping a profession grow Like us on Facebook ASA still bold www.facebook.com/AmstatNews Follow us on Instagram *Larry Lesser has previously published statistics poetry (e.g., www.instagram.com/AmstatNews April 2018 Amstat News) and has several more statistics poems (including a haiku) in this month’s issue of Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. 2 amstat news january 2020 president's corner

Take Advantage of the ASA’s Data Challenge Opportunities

ne might expect the first column of an ASA president to describe the ASA initiatives for the coming year. I am going to deviateO from this practice and write about our initiatives in the February issue of Amstat News. Instead, I will focus on ASA data challenge opportunities in this first article. Many readers might be familiar with the Kaggle competitions (www.kaggle.com/competitions), the KDD Cup (www.kdd.org/kdd-cup), and—of course—the famous $1 million Netflix prize (www.netflixprize.com). However, did you know the ASA has a history of issuing data challenges that pre-date all of these? The Statistical Computing and Statistical Graphics sections have held a Data Exposition competition with entries being presented and judged at the Joint Statistical ThisIsStatistics has an annual Fall Data Challenge for high-school and Meetings (https://bit.ly/2RKVcRP) since 1983. college students and a spring competition, Statsketball, which uses Some of these data sets (such as the airline on-time statistics to make predictions about the NCAA Basketball Tournament. performance data from Data Expo 2009) continue to be used to demonstrate and teach statistical machine learning concepts, which illustrates the in the spring of 2020. Participants at the work- importance and impact of these challenges. shop will share ideas, which will result in trans- The ASA also has an annual Fall Data Challenge disciplinary collaborations impacting our world. for high-school and college students hosted at Another data challenge opportunity will be https://thisisstatistics.org. This challenge typically announced in mid-January. This challenge will focuses on a call to address real problems affect- be issued as part of the Women in Data Science Wendy Martinez ing our society. For example, the 2019 Fall Data (WiDS) Conference being held March 2. The Challenge used data from the US Department of WiDS conference is a global event during which Housing and Urban Development (HUD) relating data scientists from around the world come to Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle. There together virtually and locally to inspire data sci- is also a spring competition—Statsketball—to entists, regardless of gender (www.widsconference. keep the excitement going throughout the school org). Regional events can be organized, and there year. This contest uses statistics to make predic- has been one in the DC-MD-VA area for the past tions about the NCAA Basketball Tournament. several years. We are issuing a data challenge as Then there is the Statistical Impact Competition part of the WiDS 2020 DC-MD-VA regional (https://bit.ly/2rCay0b), which was part of 2019 event, but we are still working on what data set ASA President Karen Kafadar’s impact initiative will be used. The plan is to issue the challenge in and JSM theme—Statistics: Making an Impact. January, and contestants will present results at the The goal of this challenge was to use data to illus- DC-MD-VA WiDS 2020. So, stay tuned to ASA trate areas that have been and could be impact- communication channels for details and think ed by the field of statistics. Submissions for the about organizing a WiDS event in your region! competition have been received and will form the Now, back to the longtime data challenges held foundation of an Innovation Workshop to be held at the Joint Statistical Meetings, because now is

january 2020 amstat news 3 Three ASA sections work together to

sponsor a now annual Data Challenge constrained by them. They are just to get the ideas flowing. Expo at JSM. The contest is open to • Is there a long-term trend with respect to temperature? Are there any outliers or anom- anyone and challenges participants alies in space or time? • Is there a spatial pattern with respect to tem- to analyze a data set using statistical perature changes? • Are there different geographic regions/clusters that behave differently (e.g., increases, no and visualization tools and methods. increases at all, or decreases)? • Can you construct a spatio-temporal model that predicts temperatures in 2030 (i.e., some slight extrapolation)? What else might affect the time to consider entering. Three ASA sections the temperatures 10 years from now? (Computing, Government, and Graphics) came together to sponsor a now-annual Data Challenge Contestants will present their results in a speed Expo. The contest is open to anyone who is inter- poster session at JSM and must submit their ested in participating, including college students abstracts to the JSM online system. Note that judg- and professionals from the private or public sec- ing takes place at JSM and is based on the results tor. This contest challenges participants to analyze presented there. Presenters are responsible for their a data set using statistical and visualization tools own JSM registration and travel costs, as well as any and methods. other costs associated with JSM attendance. Group The data set for the Data Challenge Expo 2020 submissions are acceptable. To enter, contestants is the Global Historical Climatology Network must do the following by February 4: (GHCN). Public use data files and documentation • Submit an abstract for a speed poster ses- are available at https://bit.ly/2P7rAME. Contestants sion via the JSM 2020 website (https:// must use some portion of the GHCN data, but are bit.ly/2E6ocew). Specify the Statistical strongly encouraged to combine other data sources Computing Section as the main sponsor. in their analysis such as IPUMS (https://ipums.org), You may include the Government Statistics NASA’s EarthData (https://earthdata.nasa.gov), the Section and Statistical Graphics Section as European Data Portal (https://data.europa.eu), or additional sponsors. the National Agricultural Statistics Service (https:// • Forward the JSM abstract submission email bit.ly/2LDPCww). to me at [email protected]. There are two GHCN data sets containing cli- I would like to end this first column by thank- mate data from land surface stations placed around ing the outgoing ASA Board members—Lisa the world and ranging in time from 175 years ago LaVange (2018 ASA President), David Williamson to the past hour. One data set (GHCN Monthly) (vice president), Amarjot Kaur (treasurer), James contains monthly mean temperatures that can be Lepkowski (Council of Sections representative), used for climate monitoring. However, the data set Cynthia Bocci (international representative), and that would perhaps be more useful for entries in Julia Sharp (Council of Chapters representative)— the competition is the GHCN Daily database. For for their service to our profession. Also, of course, I instance, these data could be used for understand- want to welcome our newest board members—Rob ing changes in various growing seasons, assessing Santos (2021 ASA President), Dionne Price (vice the frequency of heavy rainfall and other weath- president), Ruixiao Lu (treasurer), Rebecca Hubbard er patterns, and describing the frequency of heat (Council of Sections representative), Alexandra waves (see “An Overview of the Global Historical Schmidt (international representative), and Ji-Hyun Climatology Network-Daily Database” in the Lee (Council of Chapters representative). And to all Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology at of our members, thank you for letting us serve you. https://bit.ly/2E49SmL). Here are some questions to think about for an analysis; however, contestants should not feel

4 amstat news january 2020 Highlights of the November 2019 ASA Board of Directors Meeting

SA President Karen Kafadar convened the 2019 Board of Directors final ASA Board meeting of 2019 at the ASA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, Karen Kafadar, President NovemberA 22–23. The 2019 Board of Directors Wendy Martinez, President-elect were joined by the incoming 2020 board members. The highlights of the board meeting follow. Lisa LaVange, Past President Discussion Items David Williamson, 3rd-Year Vice President • As it does annually, the board discussed Katherine Monti, 2nd-Year Vice President the status of committees in the Education Richard De Veaux, 1st-Year Vice President Council and the Professional Issues and Visibility Council. These councils serve as the Julia Sharp, 3rd-Year Council of Chapters connection between their committees and the Representative board. The board expressed gratitude for the Don Jang, 2nd-Year Council of Chapters great work these committees do on behalf of the profession and the association. Representative Anamaria Kazanis, 1st-Year Council of • The board welcomed two former US chief statisticians, Katherine Wallman and Hermann Chapters Representative Habermann. They briefed the board on the Jim Lepkowski, 3rd-Year Council of citizenship data collection being carried out by Sections Representative the Census Bureau using administrative data per Executive Order 13880. Katherine Halvorsen, 2nd-Year Council of Sections Representative Action Items Mark Glickman, 1st-Year Council of • The board changed the names of three Sections Representative committees: Cynthia Bocci, International • The ASA/MAA Joint Committee on Representative Undergraduate Statistics will become the ASA/MAA Joint Committee on Scott Evans, Publications Representative Undergraduate Statistics Education (and, Amarjot Kaur, Treasurer perhaps, further be changed to ASA/ MAA Joint Committee on Undergraduate Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director and Statistics and Data Science Education, Board Secretary pending MAA approval). The size of this committee was reduced at the suggestion of the committee. scientists and journal editors. The task force will be appointed by Kafadar with advice • The ASA/NCTM Joint Committee on from the ASA Board and make its recommen- Curriculum in Statistics and Probability dations to the board by November 2020. will become the ASA/NCTM Joint Committee on K–12 Education in • As it does each year, the board reviewed the Statistics and Probability. A change to the ASA’s strategic plan and how it is being imple- charge of the committee was made as well. mented by the association. While no action to change the plan was taken, several suggestions • The ASA LGBT Concerns Committee for improved implementation will be followed will become the ASA LGBTQ+ Advocacy up on by staff and board leadership. Committee. • The board appointed initial members to the • The board created the ASA Task Force on ASA Review Board, which is the body respon- Statistical Significance and Reproducibility. Its sible for carrying out the policies for viola- charge is to develop thoughtful principles and tions of the ASA Activities Conduct Policy. practices the ASA can endorse and share with Board members Katherine Monti, Dionne

january 2020 amstat news 5 Price, and Ron Wasserstein are the initial members of this review board. 2020 Board of Directors Reported Items Wendy Martinez, President • Associate Executive Director and Director Rob Santos, President-elect of Operations Steve Porzio summarized the Karen Kafadar, Past President ASA’s financial activity through September 30, 2019. He said the ASA’s financial health Katherine Monti, 3rd-Year Vice is very good, with net assets over $21 million. President He predicts a positive annual net revenue at Richard De Veaux, 2nd-Year Vice year’s end, but that depends on market activity the rest of the year. President Dionne Price, 1st-Year Vice President • ASA Treasurer Amarjot Kaur reported on the ASA’s investments. She noted the ASA’s Don Jang, 3rd-Year Council of portfolio had gained over nearly $3 million in Chapters Representative value in the three quarters of 2019. Anamaria Kazanis, 2nd-Year Council • Amanda Malloy, ASA director of develop- of Chapters Representative ment, summarized the results of ASA Giving Day. We raised more than $80,000 from 300+ Ji-Hyun Lee, 1st-Year Council of donors. The number of donors on ASA Giving Chapters Representative Day was much higher than last year, which, Katherine Halvorsen, 3rd-Year Council Malloy noted, is exactly the goal of Giving Day. Malloy also noted there are more than 90 of Sections Representative members in the Helen Walker Society (HWS). Mark Glickman, 2nd-Year Council of HWS members are those who have given at Sections Representative least $1,000 to the ASA in the past year. Rebecca Hubbard, 1st-Year Council of • The board received progress reports on the Sections Representative strategic initiatives launched by Kafadar. In addition, ASA President-elect Wendy Alexandra Schmidt, International Martinez updated the board on planned Representative activities for 2020. Scott Evans, Publications • The Council of Chapters Governing Representative Board (COCGB) and Council of Sections Governing Board (COSGB) reported on their Ruixiao Lu, Treasurer recent activities. The COCGB was actively Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director supportive of Giving Day, has launched its and Board Secretary new reporting mechanism, continues to monitor chapter health, and continues to improve the traveling course program. The COSGB • The board heard an update from Andreas reported on the continued growth in the Georgiou, the former president of ELSTAT— number of interest groups and changes in pro- the Hellenic Statistical Authority—on the cedures to financially support new sections. status of his continued trials and tribulations It also made suggestions on ways the website in the Greek court system. After meeting with could be easier to navigate for section use. Georgiou, the board approved another statement of support for him. • Mark Glickman, co-chair of the ad hoc Advisory Committee on Data Science, updat- • Steve Snapinn, chair of the Publications ed the board on the progress of that commit- Committee, and Scott Evans, publications tee, noting recommendations will be coming representative to the Board of Directors, to the April 2020 board meeting. Tian Zheng, reported on discussions of the CHANCE chair of the Section of Statistical Learning and Magazine Task Force. The board is consider- Data Science (now the largest section of the ing a recommendation from the task force ASA), updated the board on activities of the to rebrand CHANCE as a data science– section and shared her perspective on what is focused publication. going on in various data science communities. The board will next meet April 3–4 at the ASA Glickman and Zheng then answered ques- n tions from the board. headquarters.

6 amstat news january 2020 COMMITTEE ON PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY Formal Privacy: Making an Impact at Large Organizations A JSM 2019 Session Summary

ith the growing amount of data collected More recently, the Census Bureau conducted every day, data confidentiality is increas- a reconstruction attack of the 2010 Census and ingly at risk. Many of the traditional re-identified data from 17% of the US popula- Wapproaches to statistical disclosure control are no tion. The Census Bureau began to look for new longer deemed sufficient to protect the confidenti- approaches and has adopted differential privacy ality of the data. Formal privacy guarantees are for the 2020 Census and Economic Census. The provable privacy guarantees that typically hold, bureau is also working toward a similar solution for regardless of assumed knowledge and attack strategy the American Community Survey, though no final of a malicious user. The formal privacy guarantees decisions have been made. are especially important for large producers of sta- Garfinkel noted that, despite its size, the decen- tistics, such as national statistical agencies or large nial census is the easiest to make differentially pri- MORE ONLINE private companies. These organizations are increas- vate. There are only six variables per person: age, To access the ingly designing and engineering systems with sex, race, ethnicity, relationship to householder, and presentations from improved disclosure limitation systems, with strong location. There are no weights since it is a census. JSM, visit https://bit. consideration for formal privacy. The Disclosure Avoidance System (DAS) devel- ly/36UvJt8. To learn more about this, the Committee on oped by the bureau allows it to enforce global The ASA Privacy Privacy and Confidentiality (https://bit.ly/2RWbNlL) confidentiality protections that rely on injections and Confidentiality organized a Joint Statistical Meetings topic-contributed of formally private noise. The advantages of noise Committee is session, Formal Privacy: Making an Impact at Large injection with formal privacy are transparency, sponsoring a Organizations. The session brought together four tunable privacy guarantees (privacy guarantees do webinar on Privacy experts from large organizations who have devel- not depend on external data), protection against Day, January 28. The oped, proposed, and implemented formal privacy accurate database reconstruction, and protection of speaker is Michael Hawes, senior models or variants of differential privacy. The pre- individual data. The challenges are that the entire advisor for data sentations described challenges, discussed how the country must be processed at once for best accuracy access and privacy challenges were met, and provided an outlook for and every use of confidential data must be tallied at the US Census future implementation of formal privacy. in the privacy-loss budget. To do this, the Census Bureau. Details Lars Vilhuber of Cornell University, a member Bureau created new differential privacy algorithms will be provided at https://bit. of the Committee on Privacy and Confidentiality, and processing systems (the aforementioned DAS) ly/2RWbNlL. organized the session. The committee’s co-chair, that produce accurate statistics for large populations Aleksandra Slavkovic of The Pennsylvania State (e.g., states and counties), constructed protected University, moderated the panel. microdata that can be used for any tabulation with- Simson Garfinkel of the US Census Bureau gave out additional privacy loss, and fit the system into a talk titled “Deploying Differential Privacy for the the decennial census production system. 2020 Census of Population and Housing.” The 2020 The basic approach to creating a differentially decennial census requires an actual enumeration. The private decennial census is to treat the entire cen- data is collected under a pledge of confidentiality. sus as a set of queries on histograms. The selected The 2010 Census data released to the public queries measure six geolevels (nation, state, coun- used a disclosure avoidance technique called house- ty, tract, block group, block) and allow thousands hold swapping. Swapping was limited to households of queries per geounit, resulting in billions of within a state and of the same size. However, the queries overall. Each histogram therefore has bil- swapping rate is confidential. lions of cells.

january 2020 amstat news 7 The Census Bureau first created a block-by- and the data (statistics/analytics or machine learn- block algorithm designed to independently protect ing). Mironov said, “Statistics is old school and each block by measuring queries for each block, machine learning is where industry is heading.” privatizing queries, and then converting results This raises an important question for our statistics back to microdata. It also developed a top-down community: Why such a perception of statistics? mechanism by first generating a national histogram The goal for distributed data analytics is to without geographic identifiers and then allocating learn about the data from distributed sources, counts to each geography from the “top down.” such as individual devices (or other distributed This approach is easy to parallelize, and each geo- data or databases setting). Mironov described unit can have its own strategy selection. Using high the use of the RAPPOR (randomized aggregable dimensional matrix mechanism, there is parallel privacy-preserving ordinal response) algorithm in composition at each geolevel and reduced variance the Google Chrome browser. It has inspired new for many aggregate regions. theory and applications. The main challenges are The Census Bureau then tested both algorithms that the absolute error increases with the square on the 1940 census data, available at IPUMS. It root of N and there is privacy loss over time. turns out the advantages of the “top down” mecha- He then went on to describe the development nism outweigh the disadvantages when compared of a new software stack called Cobalt as part of to the “block-by-block” mechanism on various the new Fuchsia operating system, still within the measures, and the Census Bureau has opted to context of statistical analysis of distributed data implement the “top-down” algorithm. Various runs (distributed analytics). It is also based on ran- of the 1940 data through the DAS, covering vari- domized response. The main challenge is who is ous values of the privacy parameter epsilon, were anonymizing the data. The anonymization meth- released to the public and are available to research- odology must be transparent. There are various ers (see https://bit.ly/2Ei1sbH). options enforced by organizational methods. Garfinkel also noted several organizational chal- Turning to data analytics on centrally stored lenges. For one, all uses of confidential data need data, which, according to Mironov, is the “standard to be tracked and accounted for. Ideally, all desired setting” in the differential privacy world. Examples queries (tables) should be known in advance, togeth- include privacy integrated queries (PINQ), an er with their desired accuracy. Furthermore, the early implementation of a data analysis platform verification of correct implementation is a check. designed to provide unconditional privacy guaran- Finally, traditional tabulations rely on data quality tees for the records of the underlying data sets. The checks, but under differential privacy, these must be main challenges and risks are mission creep and conducted without looking at the confidential raw expense of implementing the platform over time, data! The largest policy challenge, however, is the forcing the analysts to make choices. choice and allocation of the privacy budget. There are two main approaches to differential- Finally, the data user concerns are even more ly private machine learning (in the context of cen- challenging, as is the determination of the right trally stored data): a family of algorithms called value of epsilon. See Disclosure Avoidance and private aggregation of teacher ensembles (PATE) the 2020 Census (https://bit.ly/38Eb2TZ) for and the differentially private stochastic gradient more information about differential privacy and descent (DP-SGD) method. PATE uses a col- the 2020 Census. lection of hundreds of models to train a student Ilya Mironov, recently at Google and now at model. DP-SGD trains each gradient using differ- Facebook, gave a talk titled “Differential Privacy ential privacy. According to Mironov, DP-SGD is in the Industry: Challenges and Successes.” A dif- a better ﬁt for standard machine learning pipeline. ferential privacy framework measures the privacy Mironov also said, “Right now, machine guarantees provided by an algorithm. In this con- learning is more of an art than a science, which text, he described modalities of privacy, as prac- requires adjustments to models to train the mod- ticed at Google. To frame the discussion, he pro- els for privacy.” Again, this is a sentiment familiar vided a cross-classification of various algorithms to the statistics community and often heard when by where the data are stored (distributed or cen- describing data analysis with real data versus pure trally) and by what use is made of the algorithm mathematical modeling.

8 amstat news january 2020 Juan M. Lavista Ferres of Microsoft gave a tool for opening these data sets while preserving the talked titled, “Differential Privacy in Windows privacy of the individuals.” 10, and Why Many DP Implementations Fail.” Shiva Kasiviswanathan of Amazon stated that Introduced in 2015, Windows 10 is a series of differential privacy provides provable protection personal computer operating systems produced and allows clear quantification of privacy losses; by Microsoft. Microsoft collects metrics in an however, there are challenges with implementing anonymous way as part of telemetry, a service that differential privacy at Amazon. Some are technol- contains technical data about how the Windows ogy-oriented, while others are based on human and 10 devices and its related software are working cultural factors: and sends this data periodically to Microsoft to fix issues that occur. Users have the option to opt • Different teams own different services, so dif- out from telemetry. There are 100s of millions of ferential privacy products have to be negoti- devices that don’t opt out. The problem, as Ferres ated across teams showed, is that the information from opt-out • The teams do not have proper differentially machines is not missing at random. private data cleaning and exploration tools In telemetry, data is systematically collected many times across the lifetime of a device, which • Software developers want code they can start results in a privacy leakage problem. The solution with, not technical papers is to discretize the numbers into buckets—that is • Explaining the legal implications of differen- to represent or approximate (a quantity or series) tial privacy is challenging using a discrete quantity or quantities. To address this challenge, Microsoft developed a solution that There is a large body of research that has been could provide them with the signal without affect- developed to design algorithms and tools to achieve ing the privacy of the individuals. Using a new differential privacy, understand the privacy-utility approach to the local differential privacy (LDP) tradeoffs in different data access setups, and inte- model, differential privacy is adapted for repeated grate differential privacy with machine learning and collection of counter data and happens before the statistical inference. Amazon is working to address data is transmitted. Windows 10 includes an API privacy challenges, especially by building differen- allowing developers to leverage a built-in differential tial privacy tools that are accessible to developers privacy solution. (both within and outside of Amazon). Turning to implementation challenges, Ferres Kasiviswanathan mentioned the autoDP pack- stated that many differential privacy projects fail age maintained by Yu Xiang on GitHub. It imple- because customers do not understand the solution. ments Rényi DP (which goes back to Mironov) and Ninety percent of developers surveyed had never is particularly useful when the data set is accessed heard of DP. Once introduced to it, they then think by a sequence of randomized mechanisms. This it is a magic box that can solve all their problems. approach weighs the tradeoffs through a privacy A common frustration is that they can query global calibrator that numerically calibrates noise to pri- models, but not the individual data. The data is not vacy requirements. They are working to integrate accessible in a raw format. this with the Apache MXNet, a fast and scalable Ferres also explained that he is passionate about training and inference framework with an easy-to- DP because it can provide data-driven input use, concise API for machine learning. to health issues such as Sudden Infant Death Kasiviswanathan briefly described other privacy Syndrome (SIDS). The current approach for access- projects at Amazon, such participant roles and anal- ing data for research at the US Centers for Disease ysis of false discovery rates. Control and Prevention requires writing scripts, Aleksandra Slavkovic of The Pennsylvania State submitting them to a trusted curator, seeking University moderated the discussion at the end of approval, and finally being able to run the script. the session. There was a focus on topics including This process takes three months and $900 for each achieving higher accuracy in large aggregations (e.g., script. Juan says, “Research doesn’t work if every large cities), defining federated learning (combining query takes three months to run.” He concluded traditional and differential privacy methods), and by noting, “Differential privacy can be an amazing how the privacy-loss budget will be set. n

january 2020 amstat news 9 ASA Seeks New Science Policy Fellow he ASA is accepting applications for its science Send the ASA policy fellowship for fall 2020. A one- to two- year position, the fellow will be based at the your picks! ASAT headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia; however, they will spend the bulk of their time in Washington, DC, advocating for statistics and experiencing first- hand how federal science policy is formed. Applications are due by March 31, but the ASA will consider particularly high-quality applications until the position is filled. The fellowship was created to elevate the profile of Nominations statistics in policymaking and advocate on behalf of the profession. Amy Nussbaum was the ASA’s inaugural science policy fellow, and Daniel Elchert is the Sought for ASA second and current fellow. Recently, Elchert spearheaded the ASA’s involvement with the social media company Reddit by orga- President-Elect nizing Ask Me Anything (AMA) digital town hall MORE ONLINE events to highlight statistical perspectives on issues of ominations are being sought for ASA Learn more about the day, starting with the decennial census (https://bit. president-elect and vice president the ASA Science ly/2LH8k6i). Policy Fellowship at candidates for the 2021 election year. Through Capitol Hill meetings, media outreach, https://bit.ly/38nlqj0 NYes, the 2020 elections have yet to be held, grassroots organizing, and coalition building, he has and view a video of but the Committee on Nominations needs former fellow Amy helped lead the ASA’s advocacy for evidence-based time to evaluate recommendations to propose Nussbaum discussing her policymaking and championed principal federal statis- the best possible slate of candidates for these experience at https://bit. tical agencies such as the Economic Research Service ly/2P9QgUQ. Questions critical positions. in the United States Department of Agriculture and about this opportunity As a member of the ASA, you recognize the the National Center for Education Statistics in the may be directed to ASA importance of leadership in our diverse, com- Department of Education. Director of Science Policy plex, and multidisciplinary field. You and all Steve Pierson at pierson@ Elchert is also leading the ASA’s State of the US fellow ASA members deserve visionary leaders amstat.org. Data Infrastructure article series by interfacing with who can ensure our discipline has a voice at former federal statistical agency leaders to create the table when appropriate, whether it be in thought pieces highlighting statistical agencies as academe; research firms; federal, state, or local key to our country’s capacity to make policy deci- government; or nonprofit organizations. This sions informed by data and evidence (https://bit. is why we need your input. ly/2PwSqgf). As part of this effort, Elchert led the cre- For this election cycle, the president-elect ation and building of the LinkedIn group Count on will be selected from government and the Stats (https://bit.ly/2qDU5If), a growing community vice president will be selected from academe. of professionals with an interest and stake in the work Think about your colleagues and associates of the federal statistical agencies. who are members of the ASA and would Finally, Elchert also served as co-author of the make good candidates for these positions. ASA’s first survey of master’s graduates, providing Think about members who have helped run insight about graduates’ degree satisfaction and related a conference or are active in your section or job market demands (https://bit.ly/358sa25). chapter. Then, nominate your choices for the Nussbaum represented the ASA at meetings from 2022 president-elect and vice president by the National Academies to Capitol Hill and even emailing [email protected]. introduced her own member of Congress to climate Supply as much information about your nomi- scientists. Among the many projects she worked nee as possible to assist the committee in research- on were the documents “Guidance on Statistical ing each candidate thoroughly and discretely. Evidence in Legislation,” “Recommendations to The deadline for nominations is February Funding Agencies for Supporting Reproducible 1, 2020. Research,” and “Guidance for Service on Federal Advisory Boards and Committees.” n

10 amstat news january 2020 International Prize in Statistics Nominations to Open Soon he International Prize in Statistics—one of the highest honors in statistics—is awarded every 1 8 -W two years to an individual or team “for major C - 12 Tachievements using statistics to advance science, tech- 43 /a jm / nology, and human welfare.” sm b Nominations for the 2021 International Prize in Statistics will open in early 2020. Here are some points to consider when choosing a nominee for the prize: • The prize will be awarded for a single work or body of work, rather than for more diffuse reasons such as “lifetime achievement.” Not only Help solve should powerful and original ideas be recognized by the prize, but also contributions that lead to breakthroughs in other disciplines or works with real-world important practical effects on the world. • Generally, the prize will be awarded to individu- problems als, but in some cases, groups of individuals working on similar ideas—or even teams of indi- MORE ONLINE viduals or organizations—could be recognized. Learn more about the Learn to make data-driven • The recipient(s) must be living at the time of International Prize in Statistics at https:// decisions with a Master of selection for the award. bit.ly/2Prds0V. Visit Applied Statistics, offered • The 2021 prize will be announced in October https://bit.ly/359CNSz 2020 and presented at the ISI World Statistics to download the online through Penn State nomination form. Congress in July 2021 in The Hague. World Campus. A strong Email the form and A nomination packet consists of the following: related materials foundation in data analysis to nominations@statprize. • Name, address, phone number, and email address org by August 15. can help advance your of nominator (person making the nomination) • Name, address, and email address of the candidate (person being nominated) Not ready to commit to a degree? Start with our • Nomination statement (maximum of 1,200 words) addressing why the candidate should 12-credit graduate receive this award (The statement should explain the contributions of the candidate in terms under- standable to a non-specialist. The nomination A world of possibilities. Online. statement should also indicate what the relationship is between the nominator and the candidate.) • Copy of the candidate’s CV, listing publications, honors, service contributions, etc. • Up to four letters of support (The committee reserves the right to contact the nominator and writers of the support letters to seek additional information and insight.) Unsuccessful nominations are carried over for one selection cycle (two years). For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2Prds0V. n worldcampus.psu.edu/amstat

january 2020 amstat news 11 NERDS Workshop Fills Void

Yongqiang Tang, Bingming Yi, Xinming Hao, Ming-Hui Chen, and Daoyuan John Loewy, Honghong Zhou, Jian Zhu, and L.J. Wei talk Shi stop for a smile October 11 during the workshop. animatedly during the NERDS Workshop.

he New England Rare Disease Statistics (NERDS) Workshop, the first of its kind in NERDS Organizing Committee the nation, attracted more than 160 attend- Yang Song, Vertex (Co-Chair) Tees from all over the country on October 11, 2019. This sold-out event filled a void for statisticians Sammi Tang, Servier (Co-Chair) working to bring cures for rare diseases. Kun Chen, University of Connecticut The last 10–15 years have seen an emergence of drug development efforts in the rare disease space. Charlie Cao, Biogen Contributing factors include increased public aware- Roee Gutman, Brown University ness, encouraging drug regulation changes, scientific advancements in cellular/molecular biology and Mike Hale, Takeda genetics, development of innovative trial designs, an Daniel Meyer, Pfizer influx of capital investment, and availability of scientific talent through decades of cultivation. As a result, Jeffrey Palmer, Pfizer a number of regulators, academicians, and industry John Zhong, REGENXBIO statisticians now work to bring these orphan drugs to patients, facing unique technical issues and challenges. Recognizing the need for a conference like Li of Vertex, Chenkun Wang of Vertex, Rima Izem NERDS, Ouhong Wang, vice president and head of Children’s National, Ming-Hui Chen of the of biostatistics at Vertex, proposed the conference University of Connecticut, Qing Liu of Quantitative so statisticians across the rare disease drug develop- and Regulatory Medical Science, LLC, Balram ment spectrum would have a forum to exchange Gundapaneni of Pfizer, Feng Tai of Agios, and Peng ideas, share experiences, and network. Sun of Biogen. In addition to several actual case stud- The one-day workshop included detailed pre- ies, topics discussed included treatment effects in rare sentations and discussions. Vertex’s incoming CEO, diseases, trial designs, pediatric trials, historical control, Reshma Kewalramani, kicked off the event by deliv- comparative effectiveness, and matching methods. ering the keynote speech, “Tyranny of Numbers.” Attendees’ feedback was overwhelmingly posi- The scientific program featured speakers including tive, and there are plans to continue the workshop. L.J. Wei of Harvard University, Robert Beckman of For more information, visit the workshop website at Georgetown University, Jingjing Ye of FDA, Ziliang https://nerds.nestat.org. n

12 amstat news january 2020 Triage Judges Needed for COMAP Modeling Contest

judges are needed to assist in the initial review of One Team Will Receive submissions. In mid-February, triage judges will receive the judging guidelines, initial allocation of ASA Data Insights Award papers to review, and examples. Also, there will be a web training session February 22 at 1 p.m. ET. n 2016, the Consortium for Mathematics The MCM is open to both high-school stu- and Its Applications (COMAP) added a data dents and college undergraduates. In 2020, more insights problem, Problem C, to its annual than 5,000 teams are anticipated to participate in MathematicalI Contest in Modeling (MCM, Problem C. https://bit.ly/36F2XNe). In this new modeling If you are interested in serving as a Problem C challenge, teams are presented with a modeling triage judge, contact Dave Olwell at dholwell@ problem and data set. me.com. Judging must be completed by March 22, The American Statistical Association will des- and judges are compensated $10 per paper scored. ignate one outstanding team as the winner of the For more information about Problem C, contact ASA Data Insights Award, and qualified triage Stacey Hancock at [email protected]. n

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january 2020 amstat news 13 AS O

After Two Busy Decades, SPAAC Wants to Be Busier

Steve Pierson, ASA Director of Science Policy

he ASA’s work to increase the visibility of statisticians in policy and more broadly goes back to at least Tthe Scientific and Public Affairs Advisory Committee’s (SPAAC) creation nearly 25 years ago. SPAAC serves as a sounding board for a variety of policy issues the ASA may consider acting upon.

14 amstat news january 2020 Activities of SPAAC have included discussing statistical perspectives on current issues and whether What Has SPAAC Been Up To? the ASA should sign onto letters circulating in the The Scientific and Public Affairs Advisory Committee scientific community or send its own letter. The committee works closely with the ASA director of creation can be traced to a 1987 document recommending science policy and science policy fellow, who are and outlining the creation of an ASA Office of Scientific the ASA staff liaisons to the committee. and Public Affairs (OSPA), which led to the ASA hiring an The committee’s activities have covered an array OSPA director, Marilyn Humm. She served in that position of issues over the years. A regular activity has been from 1988 to 1998. In the minutes of the December 1991 to organize sessions for the Joint Statistical Meetings, ASA board meeting, the board approved an advisory which have covered topics such as statistics and the committee to OSPA and its charge was approved at the supreme court, statistical measurement on public pol- December 1995 board meeting. The early activity of the icy, election integrity, and accuracy of election polls. advisory committee seemed to focus on public affairs and The committee also hosts an annual JSM poster com- included the creation of the ASA media experts list. Today, petition highlighting the contributions statisticians make to society, from health care and the economy to the committee is much more active. Take a look at some of national security and the environment. what it has accomplished in the last 20 years: In the 2000s, the committee organized a work- JSM Poster Competition: https://bit.ly/2YGVGtj shop on climate change and was active in election integrity issues. Both efforts Statement on Climate Change: https://bit.ly/2YFLSjB CHARGE OF THE resulted in an ASA board SCIENTIFIC AND Statement on Electoral Integrity: https://bit.ly/2E6lHJe statement. SPAAC also PUBLIC AFFAIRS created several Statistical ADVISORY Statistical Significance: https://bit.ly/2E7zLlV Significance pieces, which COMMITTEE 2009 Congressional Visits: https://bit.ly/2YOW89j serve the same purpose as Consider public the pieces for the JSM poster policy issues (1) which STAT Act: https://bit.ly/38tLY2a competition, and oversaw affect the statistical community or (2) to Office of Financial Research: https://bit.ly/2t4bPNO the 2009 congressional visits. which statisticians can Reaction to How to Lie with Statistics Ban: https://bit. Moving into the next contribute ly/2PFuDuo decade, the committee was Recommend policies instrumental in the writing to the ASA Board of Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking: https:// and introduction of Rep. Directors bit.ly/2PCahCs and https://bit.ly/2r7UiDQ David Loebsack’s bill— Serve as a liaison the Statistical Teaching, between ASA and Statement Regarding Drawing of Voting Districts and Aptitude, and Training Act other statistical Partisan Gerrymandering: https://bit.ly/38E95Hs of 2010 (STAT Act). SPAAC experts, professional and governmental Secret Science Act Letter: https://bit.ly/34diHFm also monitored and support- organizations, and the ed the establishment of the media on these issues Honest Act Letter: https://bit.ly/2Q9QWsz Office of Financial Research The Hill Op-Ed: https://bit.ly/2YGwLGg and led the ASA’s response to the US Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary’s decision to ban the book How to Lie with Statistics from its training sessions. Since the mid-2010s, the committee has been the op-ed in The Hill, “HONEST Act Needs Honest MORE ONLINE ASA’s lead on the work of the federal Commission Engagement of Scientific Community.” Get involved! on Evidence-Based policymaking and the subse- In the last two years, the committee has been Contact any of quent work it set in motion. In 2017 and 2018, especially involved in responding to federal calls for the committee under Jerry Reiter’s leadership, the committee led comments on issues covering the US Environmental members with your ideas. https://bit. the development of the joint ASA and American Protection Agency, a citizenship question on the ly/2YBAoNY Mathematical Society statement regarding draw- decennial census, and policy-comment embargo ing of voting districts and partisan gerrymandering. times for the release of federal economic statistics. Also in that period, SPAAC was active in respond- For more about the committee’s work, see the article ing to House bills requiring the EPA to only take about the scope and breadth of ASA science policy regulatory actions based on research for which the activities in this issue. underlying data is openly available. With the com- Looking ahead, the committee is seeking to expand mittee’s leadership, the ASA sent letters to Congress upon its current activities and invites you to contact about the original Secret Science Act and Congress’s Larry Hedges, committee chair, at l-hedges@north Honest Act. The committee’s work also led to an western.edu with your suggestions and comments. n

january 2020 amstat news 15 columns

SCIENCE POLICY Twelve Years of ASA Science Policy: he ASA’s science policy activity has covered a variety of topics since the creation of the ASA’s science policy staff position 12 years Tago. In her September 2019 column, 2019 ASA President Karen Kafadar mentioned several recent ASA science policy and advocacy initiatives, including Count on Stats, protecting a USDA statistical agency, and ensuring the integrity of the decennial census. She also touched upon the ASA’s forensic science reform work, in which she has played a leadership role over the last decade. The responsibilities of the position are to raise the profile of statistics and statisticians in policy- Steve Pierson earned making and to advocate for the interests of statisti- his PhD in physics cians. The execution of these responsibilities can be from the University of grouped into the following nonexclusive categories: Minnesota. He spent eight years in the physics • Statistics improving governance, justice, department of Worcester democracy, and other aspects of society Polytechnic Institute and later became head of • Scientific freedom and human rights government relations at the American Physical • Scientific integrity Society before joining • Science to inform policymaking the ASA as director of science policy. • Evidence-based policymaking • Improving science and its process • Nominations As you read this, it should be clear that the following activities extend beyond the science policy staff, which now includes a science policy fellow. This work has been accomplished with the help of or by members, committees, sections, ad hoc groups, and task forces, sometimes without the input of the ASA science policy staff at all. Statistics Improving Governance, Justice, Democracy, and Other Aspects of Our Society Statistics has the potential to improve broad aspects many organizations working in the area. One of our society and every-day life. As part of the such partnership brought about the ASA play- responsibility to raise the profile of statistics and ing an integral role in the development of the statisticians in policymaking, we have supported the 2008 Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election following activities that do just that: Audits. That document, which the ASA endorsed, encouraged risk-limiting audits (RLAs) to take Election Integrity the place of auditing a fixed percentage of ballots, The controversies clouding the 2000 US presi- no matter the margin and with no scientific justi- dential election led the ASA Scientific and Public fication for the percentage. Affairs Advisory Committee (SPAAC) and vari- Philip Stark laid out the framework for rigorous ous ASA members to investigate ways statistics RLAs in 2008 and went on to pilot them with vari- can help bolster election integrity. Their work led ous California counties. In 2010, the ASA explicitly to various advances, as well as partnerships with endorsed RLAs, recommending they be routinely

16 amstat news january 2020 columns

Highlighting the Scope and Breadth in statute in California, Colorado, Nevada, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. Further, earlier this Congress, Sen. Ron Wyden introduced a bill requiring RLA’s, which the ASA endorsed. Forensic Science Kafadar reviewed in her September 2019 article the ASA’s forensic science work—under the guidance of the ad-hoc Advisory Committee on Statistics in Forensic Science—noting board statements on the importance of statistical research in strengthening forensic science and recommendations for the use MORE ONLINE of statistical statements in expressing the strength For additional of forensic evidence. She also mentioned the information, the National Institute for Standards and Technology online version (NIST) funding of the Center for Statistics and includes numerous Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE). hyperlinked resources. See There are other indications of the central role of https://bit.ly/2tcT0Z0. statisticians in forensic science reform, including Kafadar’s September 2019 congressional testimony, Constantine Gatsonis’s December 2011 testimony, the strong engagement of the NIST Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science with statisticians, and the CHANCE special issue on forensic science. Use of Value-Added Models for Evaluation of Teachers In 2014, the ASA board issued a position statement to better inform the use of value-added models (VAMs) for educational assessment. With technical input and guidance from Sharon Lohr, Daniel McCaffrey, and Walter Stroup, the statement noted the strengths and limitations of VAMs and made recommendations for their use. While it’s hard to measure the impact of the statement, it has been cited extensively in discussions about the use of The ASA has worked to reform the field of forensic VAMs for the evaluation of teachers. science through efforts such as congressional testimony, the Advisory Committee on Statistics in Forensic Statistical Perspective for Federal Calls Science, and a special issue of CHANCE. for Comment The ASA, through its committees, has been active in conducted and reported in all federal and most responding to federal calls for comment. For exam- state-wide election contests. ple, SPAAC has provided statistical perspective on the Though activity by the ASA on election integrity policy comment embargo time for federal economic has slowed in recent years, Stark remains actively statistics, the federal poverty measure, a citizenship involved in advancing RLA theory and methods— question on the decennial census questionnaire, and the latest approaches relying heavily on sequential the proposed US Environmental Protection Agency tests derived from martingale inequalities—in addi- (EPA) transparency rule (as noted below) in the past tion to achieving their wider use. two years. The ASA Privacy and Confidentiality RLAs have been piloted in at least nine US states Committee (P&CC) has also been instrumental in and Denmark. RLAs are required by or mandated the ASA’s responses to calls for comment.

january 2020 amstat news 17 columns

Scientific Freedom and Human Rights Soon after the hiring of the ASA science policy Through the leadership of the ASA Scientific director, an ASA member commented to the current Freedom and Human Rights Committee, the ASA executive director in 2008 that she didn’t think the monitors these issues as they relate to the statistics ASA was addressing the country’s major challenges, profession. The principal activity in this regard over with climate change being one. That conversation the past decade has been advocating for government led to a series of actions by the ASA overseen by the statisticians around the world who have been perse- since-created ASA Advisory Committee on Climate cuted for their professional work. Change Policy and its precursor. For example, the While there are numerous examples, the most committee organized a special issue of CHANCE, prominent have been Graciela Bevacqua of Argentina provided a compelling case for a federally funded and Andreas Georgiou of Greece. This work has interdisciplinary research program around climate, included letters, petitions, meetings, media outreach, and wrote an Amstat News article about the status and a board statement. We posted a policy update on of climate change science that was viewed more the Georgiou case to the ASA website in September. than 23,000 times. The 2008 conversation also led to the creation Scientific Integrity of an inter-societal Climate Science Working Group Scientific integrity is a strong running theme in the (CSWG), an informal assembly of Washington rep- ASA’s science policy work. Indeed, the ASA’s posi- resentatives who meet monthly to share information tions on the late addition of the citizenship ques- related to climate discussions in the federal govern- tion to the 2020 Decennial Census questionnaire ment and coordinate activities. The coordinated and the relocation of the USDA Economic Research activities include the annual Climate Science Day, Service (ERS) are based on maintaining the integ- for which a few dozen scientists of various disci- rity of both agencies’ products. plines form teams of two to three individuals and— The science that should inform regulations is through meetings on Capitol Hill—seek to establish another example of this work. Under the leader- connections with congressional lawmakers and their ship of SPAAC and P&CC, the ASA has been staffs on climate science. vocal about the EPA proposed transparency Another CSWG activity was the 2016 letter to rule to base regulations on research for which Congress signed by 31 scientific societies sharing the underlying data is publicly accessible, start- a consensus view of climate change, which is—in ing with House-passed bills known as the Secret short—that climate change is occurring and green- Science Act and HONEST Act. house gases emitted by human activities are the prima- While the ASA applauded the idea that ry driver. Associations in the CSWG include AAAS, researchers and federal agencies strive to make the American Geophysical Union, the American data available to others—under strict pledges Chemical Society, and the American Meteorological to maintain confidentiality of data provided by Society, as well as three agriculture-related associations. individuals and establishments where necessary— and to encourage reproducible research, the ASA Evidence-Based Policymaking urged a 2018 proposed rule from the EPA not be Evidence-based policymaking is another strong adopted because, among other reasons, it hampers theme throughout the ASA’s science policy work, the use of evidence, introduces potential bias in because it represents a general desire of the ASA rulemaking, and neglects the challenge and com- membership to ensure policymakers consider the plications of protecting confidentiality. In 2017, available evidence in their work. The statistical com- then ASA President Barry Nussbaum and SPAAC munity is also supportive of the closely related data- Chair Jerry Reiter published an op-ed in The Hill, driven decision-making. “HONEST Act Needs Honest Engagement of The ASA’s support of the effectiveness and Scientific Community.” efficiency of the federal statistical agencies could be its own heading because of the ASA’s Science to Inform Policy history of supporting the agencies going back Scientists and scientific associations share a common to its 1839 founding. I categorize this support desire for the science used to inform policymaking to under evidence-based policymaking because, as be robust and represent a balanced view. Recognizing the ASA Board stated in December 2018, “The their expertise ends at the science, scientific associa- federal statistical system forms the foundation of tions generally stop short of recommending action US evidence-based policymaking and data-driv- or endorsing a specific policy approach. The ASA’s en decision-making.” The board endorsement of climate change work fits well within this category of the National Academies’ Principles and Practices encouraging policymakers to use sound science to for a Federal Statistical Agency provides important inform climate-related discussions. parameters for the ASA’s work.

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Advocating for the Profession: The ASA Wants Your Recommendations Going Forward What issues would you identify as opportunities for ASA previously board-approved action or the board must science policy work? Are there policy issues in which more be consulted on the specific issue. statistical perspective or input would benefit the process The ensuing actions the ASA could take include and/or product? What’s happening in your community responding to calls for comments, writing a letter, issuing (geographical or otherwise) about which the ASA’s input a board statement, requesting more information, meeting could be instrumental? How can the ASA raise the profile with key officials, and issuing a whitepaper. of statisticians to inform evidence-based policymaking? In addition to SPAAC, other ASA committees and sec- If you have responses to any of these questions, the ASA tions help ensure ASA science policy and advocacy work wants to hear from you! I cannot emphasize enough the engages broad and relevant expertise across the association. importance of ASA members providing input and engag- For health policy issues, the ASA Health Policy Statistics ing in ASA science policy work. Section is the group to be consulted, whereas issues relat- Advocacy for the ASA means supporting the profession ing to climate change are relevant to the ASA Advisory of statistics, encouraging the engagement of statisticians, Committee on Climate Change Policy. Other frequently providing the perspectives of the ASA as it relates to issues consulted committees include the Advisory Committee on on which we have expertise, or urging a particular course Forensic Science, Privacy and Confidentiality Committee, as it relates to the ASA perspective. Committee on Funded Research, and Scientific Freedom To recommend a topic for ASA advocacy, you can email and Human Rights Committee. me at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can contact Besides suggesting topics for ASA science policy work, the ASA executive director, a board member, a mem- you can also get involved by serving on a committee, rais- ber of the ASA Scientific and Public Affairs Committee ing ASA advocacy issues with your elected officials, or (SPAAC), or another relevant ASA committee member being a science policy fellow with the ASA or through the with your request. After receiving a request, the ASA will AAAS program. You could also seek out a federal advisory respond through the following actions: committee matching your expertise and ask to be nomi- 1. Assess whether the topic meets the criteria provided nated by the ASA. by the board in 2017. To keep abreast of ASA science policy work, you can read the science policy section of Member News—emailed 2. Consider the likelihood of success, which includes monthly to ASA members—monitor the news and high- asking whether we can leverage concern in our broader community. lights section of the ASA science and policy homepage, follow @ASA_SciPol on Twitter, connect with me on 3. If a topic meets the board criteria and appears to be LinkedIn, and watch for updates in Amstat News. a relevant issue the ASA can influence, we will assess For more information, visit the ASA advocacy and whether it is in accordance with a board statement or policy webpage at https://bit.ly/2LNV684.

The ASA’s work in support of the federal statis- evidence-based policymaking work is represented tical agencies has several components: (i) ensuring by the following activities: the integrity of their data and products, as noted above; (ii) maintaining objective, credible, and Count on Stats timely data through sufficient agency indepen- Count on Stats (CoS) is a public relations cam- dence via control over their publications, budget, paign in its third year meant to build public and information technology; (iii) providing suf- confidence and trust in government statistics. ficient resources to do their jobs effectively and Through CoS, we have advocated for a rigorous efficiently; and (iv) building trust and confidence 2020 census, highlighted the value and neces- in government statistics. sity of the ERS, distributed weekly social media Beyond census citizenship and ERS work features, and provided general agency support mentioned under the Scientific Integrity section though congressional outreach by ASA staff. This and the ASA’s support of the federal statistical advocacy contributed to outcomes such as height- agencies’ budgets and tracking thereof, the ASA ened media attention on statistical agencies,

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The ASA was an active partner in advocating for the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics in 2018 and helped saved it from meddling by politicians.

including publications in The Washington Post, Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency The Des Moines Register, and The Kansas City Star. and the White House Office of Management and In spring 2019, we launched the CoS LinkedIn Budget (OMB) Statistical Policy Directive No. 1: group, which is freely available to any person with Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical a LinkedIn account and serves as a networking and Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units. This resource group for anyone with an interest in fed- work has ranged from helping to ensure the IRS eral statistics. One prominent feature of the CoS Statistics of Income (SOI) Division maintained LinkedIn group is the ongoing State of the US control of their IT and helping to bolster the con- Data Infrastructure series, which is a monthly cam- trol of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics over paign to assess the challenges facing principal fed- its publications, IT, and budget to keeping the ERS eral statistical agencies. Katherine Wallman wrote in the USDA research mission and advocating to the inaugural post, “The State of the US Data restore Senate confirmation of the heads of the Infrastructure.” Former National Center for Health Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Statistics (NCHS) Director Charlie Rothwell Education Statistics. assessed the state of NCHS infrastructure, and former ERS Administrator Katherine Smith Evans Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRIS) wrote about the state of ERS infrastructure. More The ASA was an active partner in advocating for are underway. the PRIS in 2018. In addition to disconcerting meddling by the governor on the PRIS advisory Independence of the Federal Statistical board, there was a proposal to consolidate it into Agencies another government department, remove its inde- The ASA has been an active advocate for the independence protections, and outsource its statistical pendence of the statistical agencies so their data research. PRIS was saved in a last-minute move by is widely viewed as objective, in accordance with the Puerto Rico legislature, but concerns remain.

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Commission on Evidence-Based Statistics Improving the Science Policymaking (CEP) The ASA Committee on Funded Research (CFR) has The ASA has been supportive of the CEP from been active in highlighting the role statisticians and its beginning, including board endorsement statistics can play, especially in improving federally of the CEP recommendations, and remains so funded research. In 2017, they issued two guides— through enactments of its recommendations. one for nonstatisticians to improve the science in their funding proposals and one for statisticians to serve Improving Science and the Scientific effectively on funding review panels. The CFR also Process urged a meeting of an ASA group with the leader- Statisticians firmly believe more engagement of ship of the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR), statisticians throughout the research process will which oversees the consideration of proposals for more improve both the science and scientific progress. than $20 billion in NIH extramural research funding. The ASA’s work here has largely been through That meeting led to a 2016 article in the CSR publi- the federal research funding agencies that help set cation Peer Review Notes, “Statisticians Share Insights research funding policy and carry it out. One com- for Applicants and Reviewers.” ponent of this work is supporting the budgets for a Another ASA visit to NIH to discuss data few federal research funding agencies. science, led by former ASA president Marie Highlighting the Role of Statistics Davidian—who also led the CSR visit—eventually led to a group headed by Nancy Reid publishing a The ASA has been active in highlighting how more piece in PLOS Computational Biology, “Ten Simple engagement of statisticians and statistics could Rules for Effective Statistical Practice,” that has improve the science. In a 2012 guest editorial in been viewed more than 235,000 times. Science advocated by the ASA, Marie Davidian and Thomas Louis answered the question posed P-Values in the title of their piece, “Why Statistics?” While the ASA science policy office has not played In 2014, three groups made the case for how a role in the ASA’s recent p-value work, I include statistics could contribute to three presidential it as likely the ASA’s most influential work in bet- initiatives. The three whitepapers were the follow- tering science. The messages of the 2016 state- ing: “Discovery with Data: Leveraging Statistics ment—viewed more than 360,000 times and with Computer Science to Transform Science and cited more than 2,400 times as of November Society,” “Statistical Research and Training Under 2019—quickly rippled throughout the scientific the BRAIN Initiative,” and “Statistical Science: community, sparking wide discussion about the Contributions to the Administration’s Research use of the p-value. These discussions escalated to Priority on Climate Change.” As an example research entities, federal agencies, and journals of the impact of these whitepapers, there were (including The New England Journal of Medicine). reports that the BRAIN whitepaper was circu- lated widely at the National Institutes of Health Reproducibility and Rigor of Science (NIH) and one of the BRAIN funding opportu- The rising profile for statistics over the last 10 years nity announcements (FOA) noted the whitepaper has been helped by the rise of big data, data science, as having inspired ideas in the FOA. and the concerns for reproducibility in science. In 2015, the board issued a Statement on the Statisticians have played a lead role in these dis- Role of Statistics in Data Science, saying statis- cussions through the p-value discussions and more tics—along with computing and database man- broadly. In early 2017, an ASA-organized group agement—is foundational to data science. The provided recommendations to funding agencies for aim of the statement, which has been viewed supporting reproducible research. nearly 15,000 times, was to help “reinforce the relationship of statistics to data science and fur- Nominations for Federal Committees/ ther foster mutually collaborative relationships Boards, Awards, and Other Honors among all key contributors in data science.” As The ASA is active in supporting nominations to one part of the broader effort in this regard, federal statistical advisory committees and boards Amstat News has been running Q&As with repre- because of the valuable role statisticians can play on sentatives of new master’s and doctoral programs such committees in informing policy and because it in data science and analytics to “highlight the helps raise the profile of the profession. The ASA’s programs that are cross-disciplinary and engage nominations more broadly have been enhanced statisticians.” Collectively, the pieces have been through the creation of the External Nominations viewed 45,000 times. and Awards Committee. n

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STATS4GOOD Data for Good: The Year in Review

ata for Good was wonderful to be involved in during 2019. The year was Get Involved full of new resources, networking Plans for JSM 2020 are well underway! Dopportunities, and shared enthusiasm that comes With this year’s theme of Everyone Counts: from so many important projects making an Data for the Public Good, D4G will be at impact for the greater good. The beginning of center stage. JSM offers unsurpassed the new year provides the opportunity to look both backward at what the D4G community has opportunities to network with coworkers accomplished and forward to the opportunities and meet new friends. You can keep up and challenges ahead. to date with developments by visiting the Data for Good has seen rapid growth in so JSM 2020 website at https://bit.ly/38zaxLd. many areas—projects, volunteers, new organiza- One great opportunity is the 2020 Data tions, student activities, and visibility both within Challenge Expo. Teams develop their and outside the world of statistics. From tradition- own projects, all working with the same al leaders such as Statistics Without Borders and DataKind to new groups and even international data set, and present their results at JSM. growth (e.g., Data for Good Canada, https://data Awards are given for top entries from forgood.ca), new opportunities are all around. students and professional researchers. This One ASA resource launched this year that can year’s theme is climate change, using data make an impact is the Leader HUB (https://bit. from the Global Historical Climatology ly/2PgKDnS). This website provides a central loca- Network. You can find details on the data tion for a wealth of information. Links helpful for expo website at https://bit.ly/2qQ3a0Q. Data for Good projects include the chapter visita- Abstracts will be accepted until February tion program for guest speakers, strategic initia- 4. More information and resources tive grant applications, information for student With a PhD groups, and a template for presentations. ASA are available from the ASA Advisory in statistical Committee on Climate Change Policy astrophysics, David strategic initiative funding can reach the larger Corliss leads a data community via events and hackathons. (https://bit.ly/2rFWvqq). science team at Fiat The Joint Statistical Meetings in Denver fea- Chrysler. He is the tured many paper and poster presentations, as founder of Peace- Work, a volunteer well as networking opportunities. Visit the online Good is more than papers and presentations. Direct cooperative of program at https://bit.ly/2tcbed8 to access presenta- service to individuals is an important channel. statisticians and data tions and other materials. With tremendous growth, there have also been scientists providing One special event at JSM each year is the a few growing pains. Having more volunteers has analytic support for announcement of the Karl E. Peace Award for led to the need for more people who can lead proj- charitable groups Outstanding Statistical Contributions for the ects. Design of experiments, project organization and applying statistical methods Betterment of Society. The 2019 recipient is and management, and communication skills— in issue-driven Joseph Gastwirth for his foundational work in especially with nonstatisticians—are in demand. advocacy. legal statistics, which is vital in statistical work for As we look forward to 2020, these leadership skills justice, civil rights, and fighting discrimination. will be important areas for development. Also at JSM, I was glad to attend the meeting of One challenge all statisticians face today results the ASA LGBTQ+ Advocacy Committee as an ally. from the increasingly political and polarized envi- Groups such as this one make such a difference in ronment in America—a development with con- under-represented and marginalized communities. siderable impact on statistical use and practice. Both Gastwirth’s groundbreaking work in legal Statistical science and methods have been in the statistics and advocacy groups remind us Data for news a great deal in the past year, and not always

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Joseph L. Gastwirth, with 2019 ASA President Karen Kafadar, accepts the 2019 Karl E. Peace Award for Outstanding Statistical Contributions for the Betterment of Society at JSM in Denver. in a good way. For many of us, dealing with politi- In 1903, H. G. Wells wrote in Mankind in the cal controversy is now a substantial and growing Making (using words now often much reduced), part of our work. Data for Good advocacy is “The time may not be very remote when it will be often at the center of these politicized conflicts— understood that for complete initiation as an effi- involved in some of the most controversial ques- cient citizen … it is as necessary to be able to com- tions of the day—including climate change and pute, to think in averages and maxima and minima, environmental issues, immigration policy, and the as it is now to be able to read and write.” That day is census. Examples of direct challenges to statistics here. As the impact of Data for Good on public pol- in policy and advocacy include dismissing out of icy continues to grow, an ability to work and clearly hand sound scientific analysis, uprooting and frag- communicate with lay persons and professional sci- menting the USDA analytics group, government entists is needed to achieve the greater good. data going dark or just not being collected, and As 2019 draws to a close, I would like to express a growing false equivalency between science fact my deep appreciation for the staff at Amstat News, and fiction. We can meet challenges based more especially Megan Murphy for her patience and many in politics than science by focusing on the science good thoughts about how this column can highlight itself—solid, objective, and well-documented— distinguished projects, address issues and challenges, while remaining aloof to political questions. Our and grow to better serve the Data for Good com- statistical results must not be subject to partisan munity. I especially want to thank you, our readers, influence, even in the midst of controversy; they for your interest, comments and suggestions shared must be a solid foundation of science amidst the at events, and (most of all) the good you do for so storms of politicized debate. many using statistics to better our world. n

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STATtr@k What Supports the Big Tent for Statistics and Data Science?

he ASA is the big tent for statistics and data science, but it isn’t always clear how that tent is held up. New members, and even Tsome not-so-new members, of the ASA understand- ably have confusion about how the ASA is organized. While the ASA website has all the pieces of information (https://bit.ly/2PDGM3c), it can be daunting to figure out how the pieces fit together. I’ve heard questions such as the following: • “Why does the ASA have three presidents?” • “How can I be elected to an ASA committee?” • “What’s the difference between a chapter and a section?”

Katherine Monti, These and other questions reflecting a knowledge 2017 ASA President Barry D. Nussbaum speaks dur- an ASA Fellow and gap about our association were the inspiration for ing a mini-conference at the University of Alabama at vice president, this article Birmingham in November 2017. The event was hosted was previously the So, what are the poles holding up the big tent of by the Alabama Chapter of the ASA. Council of Chapters statistics and data science? And how can you help Representative hold up this oh-so-impressive tent? Read on! to the ASA Board. Chapters She has served Let’s start with chapters (https://bit.ly/2rFZYVY), the ASA in other ASA Organizational Structure which offer an easy entry into becoming active in capacities as well, including chairing The Big Picture the ASA for many statisticians and data scientists. the Committee on The ASA is governed by a board of directors, and Chapters are geographically defined units of the Fellows, Advisory supporting the work of the board are a number of ASA, designed to organize local meetings, provide Committee committees, each with a particular focus. The ASA networking and professional development opportu- on Continuing also has chapters and student chapters, which are nities, and support local community initiatives. Education, and The larger chapters organize multiple meetings Biopharmaceutical location-defined groups of statisticians, and sec- Section. Additionally, tions, which are groups of statisticians who join and activities per year, while smaller chapters may she was active in together around topic areas. Additionally, the ASA meet only once a year. The calendars depend on the Boston Chapter, has four affiliated “outreach groups,” statisticians the interest and enthusiasm of the local members. including serving as having a common interest that does not fit with- Chapters largely organize themselves, run their own president. in the chapter or section structure. These various election of officers, and manage their own programs. groups form poles of our big tent. Various resources to help chapters are avail- The board members, committee members, and able. If your chapter would like to have an out- chapter and section officers are all volunteers, with- side speaker come give a talk or a short course, the out whom the ASA would dissolve. However, this Council of Chapters Traveling Courses (https://bit. army of hundreds of dedicated volunteers relies ly/2LOqWRU) provide such an opportunity at a few heavily on the ASA’s professional staff for essential chapters each year. Additionally, the Committee on support. The staff helps the volunteers run confer- Membership Recruitment and Retention (https://bit. ences large and small, facilitates the production of ly/2PevIdC) developed a speaker’s bureau, a list of statistical journals, addresses numerous topics of speakers who are willing to travel short distances to interest to statisticians, provides an array of oppor- give talks at chapters or other groups. Interested in tunities for statisticians to exchange ideas, supports giving a talk to a school group or college group pro- our strategic plan, and sees that the business of the moting interest in statistics? There is online material organization gets done. The office staff serves as the available to help with such a presentation: vital center pole of our big tent. • What Is Statistics? – https://bit.ly/35hcvxG

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STATtr@k Your Questions Answered Does the ASA do anything else? Additionally, there are three a larger proportion of time for Oh yes. For starters, check out joint committees with other a short duration of each year or the ASA’s efforts to advocate for organizations addressing in spurts throughout the year. If members and scientific issues in different aspects of education: you are worried about the time Congress and elsewhere: https:// the Mathematics Association of commitment, feel free to ask in bit.ly/2Ep5jDK. For details about America, American Mathematical advance. Hundreds of volunteers all the activities and resources Association of Two-Year Colleges, manage to incorporate ASA the ASA has to offer, set aside and National Council of Teachers efforts into their schedules, so some time to cruise around of Mathematics. don’t dismiss the opportunity too quickly. www.amstat.org. Am I too inexperienced (or too old) What other societies are affiliated to start participating? Is volunteering worth it? with the ASA? No! If you are a student, get Volunteering for the ASA can Casualty Actuarial Society involved in a student chapter if become a rewarding part of there is one or your local chapter. your career, but more than that, The Caucus for Women in You can start joining sections of volunteering allows you to Statistics interest and get involved early. network with other professionals, International Biometric Society Too old? You have wisdom to have new experiences, and (ENAR and WNAR) share, so share it. If you are mid- make new friends. Volunteer International Chinese Statistical or late-career, or even if you are activities may help you develop Association retired, you can start contributing leadership skills that translate into even if you didn’t volunteer the workplace. Some workplace International Indian Statistical earlier in your career. institutions may even expect Association service to a statistical organization How much time will it take if I Institute of Mathematical Statistics as a necessary factor in promotion. volunteer? And you may be nominated to International Society for Bayesian That depends on which activities be an ASA Fellow someday, at Analysis you get involved with. For which point it is best to have International Statistical Institute example, the president of a small some ASA involvement on your Korean International Statistical chapter has less to coordinate CV. Importantly, most volunteers Society than the president of a large get enormous satisfaction from chapter. Some volunteer their efforts and new professional Royal Statistical Society positions take at most a few relationships. So, yes, volunteering Statistical Society of Canada hours a month, while some take can definitely be worth it!

• ThisIsStatistics – https://thisisstatistics.org Organizationally, the chapters are grouped into three geographic regions, each with two districts. • ThisIsStatistics PowerPoint presentation – The districts are arranged to have roughly the same https://bit.ly/2PfH7tT number of chapters and members, with the map Want some swag to hand out to the students at reviewed periodically and revised as necessary. Some such an event? The staff can help you out. Email chapters serve multiple states, (e.g., the Boston Jack Joyce at [email protected]. Chapter serves all of Massachusetts, as well as Rhode One excellent way to become involved in the Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine), ASA is to join a chapter (dues are minimal) and raise while other states have multiple chapters (e.g., Ohio your hand to volunteer on a local level. Depending has Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus). on where you live, you might be interested in join- The chapters are coordinated by the Council of ing more than one chapter. Another way to get Chapters (COC), which is composed of represen- involved is to join the Speaker’s Bureau and have tatives from each chapter. The COC’s officers are the opportunity to speak at nearby institutions. elected in the ASA’s spring elections according to the

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governance document of the council’s charter (https:// Sections are governed according the Council of bit.ly/38AsAAo), while the chapter’s individual officers Sections (COS) charter (https://bit.ly/2EokA85). are elected according the chapter’s own constitution. Most of the ASA chapters have been around Committees for decades, but student chapters are a relatively There are dozens of committees, all run by vol- new creation, starting in 2014 and exploding to unteers, that accomplish a lot of the “work” of nearly 100 schools now. The student chapters are the ASA. There are so-called “council” and “non- more informally run and are identified with a spe- council” committees, with the Education Council, cific institution. Your school doesn’t have one? Get Membership Council, and Professional Issues and involved and start one yourself—it’s not hard to do! Visibility Council (each chaired by one of the ASA’s See https://bit.ly/2YFvDmz. vice presidents) including 27 committees. There is also an Awards Council, which includes a commit- Sections tee for selecting the recipient(s) of ASA non-Fellow Sections are organized by topic (e.g., biopharmaceu- awards, and a number of non-council committees, ticals, nonparametric statistics, survey sampling, sta- including the ASA Board of Directors, JSM pro- tistical education, marketing), not geography, There gram committees, and committees to manage pub- are 29 sections and eight interest groups. An interest lications. See https://bit.ly/2RJXbWf. group is generally a newly formed entity that can Each committee has a charge from the board mature into a section if there is enough interest as that defines its focus. Sometimes that focus is exhibited by sufficient and sustained participation. directed, but committees have leeway in how See a list of sections and interest groups at https:// they carry out their charge. For example, the bit.ly/2PFTiiE and details at https://bit.ly/2PApVOE. Committee on Minorities in Statistics now runs Sections are the mainstay of the Joint Statistical a significant mentoring program and coordinates Meetings (JSM), the major statistics conference of the annual StatFest for historically under-repre- the year held every summer. Each section is allotted sented undergraduates (https://bit.ly/2spHdWA). between one and four invited sessions in the pro- The Committee of Applied Statisticians developed gram, with the allotment being a function of factors a series of webinars on collaboration skills (avail- such as the membership of the section, attendance able at https://bit.ly/2E9KYCk), and as mentioned at JSM, and the number of submissions received; above, the Committee on Membership Retention some additional slots are competitive, so a section and Recruitment developed the Speaker’s Bureau. may “win” an extra invited session some years. In each case, these efforts reflect not only the charge Besides invited sessions, other opportunities of the committee, but also the imagination, energy, for section involvement at JSM include sponsor- and talents of past and current committee members. ship of topic-contributed sessions, contributed Committee members are appointed, not elected. paper sessions, speed sessions, poster sessions, For those interested in becoming involved in the roundtable discussions, and short courses. ASA for the first time, take a look at the “council” Some sections have JSM-related awards, such as committees, particularly those aforementioned 27 a “best contributed paper” award and/or a “best stu- committees. Those committees are perhaps the dent paper” award. Apart from JSM, some sections ones most accessible to someone relatively new to offer educational webinars at times throughout the participating in the ASA. Most have nine members, year, and some sections even sponsor an additional three of whom are appointed every year for a three- conference apart from JSM. No doubt about it, sec- year term. Although committee members can be tions are a big pole holding up the ASA’s tent. reappointed for a second three-year reappointment It’s easy to join a section: pay the (minimal) dues term, most committees have at least one or two new and voilà, you are a member. You will then receive appointments every year. Anyone interested in serv- the section’s newsletter (for sections that distribute ing on any of those committees is invited to contact one) and other information of interest. If you want the chair (or any other member) of the committee, to become more involved, reach out to the section including the council chair and/or vice chair, to leaders (https://bit.ly/2sigPOG) and, once again, raise express interest. Alternatively, one can register inter- your hand. est at https://bit.ly/35iGbuf. If you are able to go to JSM, attend the section’s Some committees are so active they are happy to mixer. Some sections need other hands on deck at have volunteers who support them without being the meetings, so offer to help. official committee members. If you are interested in Once you become active in the section, you may appointment to a committee, one way is to join as a be interested in running for office. Elections are held “friend” of the committee—nothing like “showing with the general ASA elections in the spring, with up for work” as a friend to get noticed and recom- section members voting for their section leadership. mended for appointment!

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Olivia Brown/ASA The 2019 ASA Board wishes the association a happy 180th birthday for a video taken at JSM in Denver. From left, Ron Wasserstein, Katherine Halvorsen, Amarjot Kaur, Wendy Martinez, James Lepowski, Julia Sharp, Richard De Veaux, Karen Kafadar, Scott Evans, Anamaria Kazanis, Mark Glickman, Lisa LaVange, David Williamson, Don Jang, and Cynthia Bocci.

How do you know which committee might The three-year terms start January 1 of the fol- pique your interest? Look at the committee’s charge lowing year. There is a nominating committee each and search the ASA website to see what the com- year that reviews suggested nominees and selects mittee has been doing. The committee chairs and potential candidates to run for office; two candi- co-chairs are also great sources of information about dates are usually on the ballot for each position. how to become involved. These candidates tend to be long-term members who, through volunteer efforts in chapters or sec- Outreach Groups tions or on committees, have demonstrated their While chapters are organized by geographical effectiveness and willingness to serve. region and sections focus on topics in statistics, Those interested in more information can review outreach groups serve statisticians with common the documents governing the operation of the interests outside of those categories. Currently, board and the ASA—namely the constitution and there are four such groups: the Caucus of Academic bylaws—as well as the strategic plan, all of which can Representatives; International Community of be found at https://bit.ly/38B5gm7. Russian-Speaking Statisticians; Isolated Statisticians; and Statistics Without Borders, See https://bit. ASA Staff ly/2run9m9 for details. The ASA is a busy organization! Keeping the whole show running is the ASA staff, headed by Executive Board of Directors Director Ron Wasserstein. (Perhaps we should call Per the ASA constitution, “the Board of Directors him the ringmaster for this big tent?) Ron and his staff is the policy-making and legislative body of the provide a liaison to each committee, each council, and Association.” Every year, ASA members vote to elect every major activity of the ASA. They help run meet- members to serve three-year terms on the board. The ings; coordinate publications; support communica- person who wins the office of president-elect will tions; organize initiatives; support ASA interests in pub- serve one year in that position, the following year as lic policy; and facilitate activities for chapters, sections, president, and the third year as past president. Each and professional development. They manage member- position has different responsibilities but, at any given ships, facilitate advertising, negotiate contracts, drum time, there is one person serving as president. up contributions, and pay the bills. They make sure In the spring elections, the membership also elects issues are addressed in a timely manner, and they do so a vice president, a representative from the COC, and efficiently, effectively, and professionally. We, the volun- a representative from the COS, each of whom also teers, would undoubtedly flounder in disarray without are elected to serve three-year terms. On a rotating the leadership and assistance provided by the staff. schedule, an international representative and publications representative are also elected to serve three- Central Activities year terms. The board also includes two non-voting Now a bit about some of the central activities, all members: the secretary (ex officio, the ASA executive of which provide different opportunities for mem- director) and an appointed treasurer. ber involvement.

january 2020 amstat news 27 columns

Olivia Brown/ASA JSM is the annual meeting of the ASA, attended by more than 6,500 statisticians every year.

Publications noted above, but sections aren’t alone. The partner While not a separate administrative entity, the ASA’s associations (https://bit.ly/38w4M0F), COC, com- publications are a huge part of the organization. The mittees and interest groups, and others organize ASA publishes or co-publishes 17 journals. Overall, and sponsor sessions at JSM. These groups, as thousands of articles every year are submitted to the well as each section, have a representative on the journals for consideration by the volunteer editors, JSM Planning Committee, which coordinates the associate editors, and a small army of reviewers. selection and timing of the presentations. Other Reviewers (volunteers again) are selected based on important contributors to JSM are the Advisory their expertise in an area. Committee on Continuing Education (which The jointly owned journals have their own man- organizes the short courses) and the ASA staff agement committees, the chair of which serves on (which makes it all work). Kathleen Wert, the the Committee on Publications along with a rep- ASA’s director of meetings, explains more about resentative appointed by the editorial board of each JSM and how to participate in a short video at wholly owned journal, three at-large representatives https://bit.ly/2qIi0Gu. appointed by the president-elect, and the publica- The ASA also sponsors or cosponsors (sometimes tions representative elected to serve on the board of with sections) other conferences and workshops directors. As with other committees, appointments (https://bit.ly/2tdRXYL) and, of course, numerous are for three-year terms, but the journal editors are smaller meetings and workshops are organized and appointed for five-year stints. held at chapter events. As noted above, chapters The ASA also supports three magazines: organize their own meetings. All these meetings Amstat News, the monthly membership magazine; provide even more opportunities for participation. CHANCE; and, in collaboration with the Royal Statistical Society, Significance. CHANCE and ASA Community Significance publish short, applied articles aimed at As a member of the ASA, you can join the online a general audience. ASA Community to share ideas with others in chap- Papers from JSM are published in the proceed- ters, sections, and outreach groups of interest, as well ings, free with your registration but available for as the ASA community at large. The blog provides purchase for those not attending. A long list of an informal way to get help or advice, share news excellent teaching materials, largely but not entirely of interest, post information about an upcoming aimed at K–12 education, are also available—and event, or otherwise interact with other statisticians some of them are free! online. If you have a question to ask or information Check out https://bit.ly/35kgcCA for details about to share, you can post in the relevant community. publications. Start at https://community.amstat.org/home. There is so much going on within the ASA it Meetings is almost dizzying, as is evident on www.amstat. JSM is the annual meeting of the ASA, attended org. My hope is this article will help some of you by more than 6,500 statisticians every year. The navigate more comfortably under the Big Tent of important role of the sections in this meeting was Statistics and Data Science that is the ASA. n

28 amstat news january 2020 meetings

ASA to Cosponsor AI in Clinical Drug Development Symposium in May

he Pfizer/ASA/Columbia University monitoring, and marketing of medicines for the Symposium on Risks and Opportunities of benefit of patients and the health of the community. AI in Clinical Drug Development will be The purpose of this symposium is to provide Theld May 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the a forum for experts from various stakeholders— Columbia University School of Social Work. The including the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory event is jointly sponsored by Pfizer Inc., the agencies, and academia—with the aim of advancing American Statistical Association, and the Statistics the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug devel- Department and Data Science Institute at opment and deployment. Columbia University. While there is much discussion about the poten- Our world increasingly relies on data and com- tial of AI and modern machine learning tools to puting to create knowledge, make critical deci- transform the drug development paradigm, there sions, and better predict the future. Data science is a growing recognition of the paucity of research has emerged to support these data-driven activi- about the inevitable pitfalls and unintended con- ties by integrating and developing ideas, concepts, sequences of the digital revolution in this area of and tools from computer science, engineering, application. As we move toward personalized and information science, statistics, and domain fields. truly evidence-based medicine, the use of AI and Data science now drives fields as diverse as biology, machine learning to optimize drug deployment astronomy, material science, political science, and raises a whole different set of challenges. medicine—not to mention vast tracts of the global This forum is, therefore, expected to serve as a economy, key government activities, and quotidian platform for distinguished statisticians, data scien- social and societal functions. tists, regulators, and other professionals to address The pharmaceutical enterprise has been slower the challenges and opportunities of AI in pharma- to respond, especially to the rapid developments in ceutical medicine; to foster collaboration among AI, but tectonic shifts are underway in approaches to industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and profes- the discovery, development, evaluation, registration, sional associations; and to propose recommendations with policy implications for proper implementation of AI in promoting public health. For more information and to register for the workshop, visit www.amstat.org/aipm2020. n

january 2020 amstat news 29 awards & deadlines

ASA Statistical Computing [email protected] by April 30: and Graphics Award Recent Winners of the • Nomination letter (maxi- The Statistical Computing and Statistical Computing mum of two pages) Statistical Graphics sections and Graphics Award • Supporting letters from invite nominations of indi- Luke Tierney (2019) two individuals (other than viduals or teams for the 2021 nominator) ASA Statistical Computing and Bill Cleveland (2016) Graphics Award, which recog- • The nominee’s most current Robert Gentleman and nizes innovation in computing, CV Ross Ihaka (2010) software, or graphics that has For more information, includ- had a significant impact on sta- ing a list of previous award win- tistical practice or research. The ners, visit https://bit.ly/2PJnaKN. prize carries with it a cash award Questions about the award or of $5,000 plus an allowance of • The nominee’s curriculum vitae nomination process can be sent up to $1,000 for travel to the to [email protected]. n Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), • A minimum of three (and where the award is presented. no more than four) support- ASA/ACM/AMS/IMS/ Nomination packets must ing letters, each no longer MAA/SIAM Science be submitted by email to Jun than two pages Yan, the awards chair for the and Technology Policy two sections, at jun.yan@ Selection Process Fellowship uconn.edu by May 31. Yan will The committee will consist of The ASA/ACM/AMS/IMS/ also answer questions about the the chairs and past chairs of MAA/SIAM 2020-2021 submission process. the Statistical Computing and Science and Technology Policy Statistical Graphics sections, Qualifications Fellowship focuses on data sci- who will meet during JSM ence and related expertise such The prize-winning contribution 2020 to select the recipient(s) will have had significant and lasting as machine learning, data visu- of the award. n impact on statistical computing, alization, and causal inference software, or graphics. Jerome Sacks Award to meet legislative and poli- The nominee should be a cymaking challenges. Fellows member of the ASA. Statistical Nominations are being sought serve one year in a federal Computing and Graphics Award for the 2020 National Institute of agency or on the staff of a sena- Committee members will review Statistical Sciences’ (NISS) Jerome tor, representative, or congres- the nominations and make the Sacks Award for Outstanding sional committee beginning final determination of who, if Cross-Disciplinary Research. September 2020. Learn about anyone, will receive the award. The prize recognizes sustained, the executive and legislative Sitting members of the awards high-quality, cross-disciplinary processes and lend statistical committee or executive commit- research involving the statistical and scientific expertise to pub- tees are ineligible. sciences. An award of $1,000 will lic policy issues. be presented during the National Individuals who are US citi- Nominations Institute of Statistical Sciences’ zens and have a PhD in statistics, Nominations should be submitted reception at the Joint Statistical data science, mathematics, or a as a complete packet, consisting of Meetings (JSM) in Philadelphia, closely related field are encour- the following: Pennsylvania, August 1–6. aged to apply. The ASA seeks • A nomination letter, no lon- To nominate an individual, candidates reflecting the diver- ger than four pages, address- submit the following informa- sity of our society. Applications ing points in the selection tion in one PDF document to are due by February 1, 2020, and criteria

30 amstat news january 2020 awards & deadlines

require a candidate statement, Ellis R. Ott Scholarship demonstrated ability, academic biographical sketch, and three achievement, industrial and letters of reference. teaching experience, involvement Visit the website to apply Ott Scholarship in student or professional orga- (https://bit.ly/35lxAXB). Governing Board nizations, faculty recommenda- This project is funded by a Lynne Hare tions, and career objectives. grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Application instructions and Foundation. n J. Stuart Hunter forms should be downloaded Tom Murphy from https://bit.ly/2RVAM8N. ASA Fellow Award Forms are due by April 1. Dean V. Neubauer The designation of ASA For more information, contact Fellow has been a signifi- Robert Perry Lynne B. Hare at 55 Buckskin Path, Plymouth, MA 02360 or cant honor for nearly 100 Susan Schall years. Under ASA bylaws, the [email protected]. n Committee on Fellows can elect Ronald Snee up to one-third of one percent J. Richard Trout of the total association membership as fellows each year. Neil Ullman Individuals are nominated by their ASA-member peers. To be The Statistics Division of the selected, nominees must have an American Society for Quality established reputation and have has $7,500 scholarships avail- made outstanding contribu- able to support students enrolled tions to statistical science. The in, or accepted into enrollment Committee on Fellows evaluates in, a master’s degree or higher each candidate’s contributions program with a concentration to the advancement of statistical in applied statistics and/or qual- science and places due weight ity management. This includes on the following: the theory and application of • Published works statistical inference, statistical decision-making, experimental • Position held with employer design, analysis and interpreta- • ASA activities tion of data, statistical process control, quality control, qual- • Membership and accom- ity assurance, quality improve- plishments in other societies ment, quality management, HAVE YOU • Professional activities and related fields, though the To be eligible for nomina- emphasis is on applications as tion, a person must be a cur- opposed to theory. rent member of the ASA who During the last 23 years, scholarships totaling more than MOVED? has held continuous membership from March 1, 2017, to $345,000 have been awarded to g in t nt February 29, 2020. 60 students. Nominations may be sub- Qualified applicants must n te ess t mitted online until March 1 at have graduated in good academic standing in any field of under- https://goo.gl/SMJvXh. https://bit.ly/34jmKAn. n graduate study and be studying at US or Canadian institutions; online programs are excluded. Scholarship awards are based on

january 2020 amstat news 31 awards & deadlines

Deadlines and Contact Information for Select ASA National Awards, Special Lectureships, and COPSS Awards Program Deadline Nominations Questions Joseph E. Cavanaugh Karl E. Peace Award February 1, 2020 [email protected] [email protected] W. J. Dixon Award for Excellence in February 15, 2020 [email protected] Statistical Consulting Harry V. Roberts Statistical February 15, 2020 [email protected] Advocate of the Year Award Waller Awards February 15, 2020 [email protected] Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Award February 15, 2020 [email protected] W. J. Youden Award in February 15, 2020 [email protected] Interlaboratory Testing Statistics in Physical Engineering February 20, 2020 Ming Li, [email protected] Sciences Award Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship February 23, 2020 [email protected] Edward C. Bryant Scholarship Trust March 1, 2020 [email protected] Fund Causality in Statistics Education March 1, 2020 [email protected] Award Excellence in Statistical Reporting March 1, 2020 [email protected] Award ASA Fellows March 1, 2020 [email protected] Wendy Martinez ASA Mentoring Award March 1, 2020 [email protected] [email protected] Outstanding Statistical Application March 1, 2020 [email protected] Award Statistical Partnerships Among Pamela D. McGovern Academe, Industry, and March 1, 2020 [email protected] [email protected] Government (SPAIG) Award Biopharmaceutical Section March 15, 2020 community.amstat.org/biop/awards/scholarship Scholarship Award Wendy Martinez Founders Award March 15, 2020 [email protected]

Government Statistics Section Kevin Konty April 1, 2020 [email protected] Wray Jackson Smith Scholarship [email protected] Barry W. Johnson Links Lecture Award May 1, 2020 [email protected] [email protected] Health Policy Statistics Section September 15, 2020 [email protected] Achievement Awards Lester R. Curtin Award October 15, 2020 [email protected] Deming Lecturer Award October 15, 2020 [email protected] Lingzi Lu Memorial Award October 15, 2020 [email protected] Monroe. G. Sirken Award in Aaron Maitland Interdisciplinary Survey Methods December 15, 2020 [email protected] [email protected] Research

32 amstat news january 2020 people news

University of Pennsylvania Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Informatics Winston A. Richards 13th Annual UPenn Conference on Statistical Issues in Clinical Trials April 29, 2020 Cluster Randomized Clinical Trials (CRTs): Challenges and Opportunities Website and Registration Opens: January 1, 2020 www.cceb.med.upenn.edu/events/13th-annual-conference-statistical-issues

METHODS Overview: Innovations in Design David Murray, PhD (NIH) and Analysis of Group or Cluster Randomized Trials Using network-and individual- Victor DeGruttola, ScD (Harvard) level information in design and Winston Richards (left) returned to his analysis of clustered trials birthplace of Trinidad in October to award Complexities Caused by the Winston A. Richards Prize in Statistics Luke J. Keele, PhD (University of Noncompliance in Cluster to Ariel Stewart. Ariel had the best II and III Pennsylvania) Randomized Trials performance in statistics. James P. Hughes, PhD (University of Current issues in the design and Washington) analysis of stepped wedge trials On his 75th birthday, Winston A. Richards celebrated at the University of APPLICATIONS the West Indies (UWI) in Trinidad with Lawrence H. Moulton, PhD (Johns Randomization: Beyond the a talk titled, “My Life as a Statistician,” Hopkins University) Closurization Principle and took part in the graduation ceremo- ny, during which he awarded this year’s The ring vaccine trial design Winston A. Richards Prize in Statistics to Ira Longini, PhD (University of for the estimation of vaccine Ariel Stewart. Florida) efficacy and effectiveness during infectious disease outbreaks This award, which comes with a cash prize, was presented October 24, 2019. It Challenges for implementing Deborah J. Donnell, PhD (University is given to a student who has the best II CRTs: from Hawthorne effect to of Washington) and III performance in statistics. measurement bias A professor emeritus at The Practical considerations in Pennsylvania State University, Richards Weili He, PhD (AbbVie) utilizing cluster randomized was born and raised in Chandernagore trials in medical research Settlement, Trinidad, and returns every year to present the prize bearing his name. PANEL DISCUSSANTS For more information about the cere- Karla Hemming, PhD University of Birmingham mony and Richards, visit the UWI website at https://bit.ly/2EjiC8A. n David Murray, PhD National Institutes of Health Michael Proschan, PhD National Institutes of Health US Food and Drug Jeffrey Roberts, MD Administration Alisa Sheilds-Stephens, PhD University of Pennsylvania Ottawa Hospital Research Monica Taljaard, PhD Institute

january 2020 amstat news 33 people news

Obituary 1960, both in statistics. Following his academic work, he was tapped by one of his professors, Ed Bryant, along with Donald Ward King another master’s student, Jim Daley, to co-found Western Statistics, Inc., eventually known as Westat, Inc. Westat Donald Ward King, age 87, passed away peacefully in his became and is still today one of the world’s leading private- sleep Sunday, November 17, 2019, in Madison, South sector statistical survey research organizations. The corpora- Dakota, with family at his side. He was diagnosed a few tion is a half-billion-dollar operation with more than 2,000 weeks before with acute myeloid leukemia. employees in nine regional US offices and six countries Don was born during the Great Depression on July overseas, with three additional subsidiary companies. 18, 1932, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, After Westat, Inc. was acquired, Don served as a high- one of five sons born to James level executive in a series of connected companies, even- Arnold King and Mary Elizabeth tually leaving to start his own company, King Research, (Ward) King. Inc. His company achieved prominence for information Don’s father went to work systems evaluations and return-on-investment studies, for the US Department of especially of federal and state government and nonprofit Agriculture as a statistician for organizations, including public libraries and statewide the Agricultural Statistics Board library systems. In 1992, Don retired from the business (now the National Agricultural world to concentrate on writing, lecturing, and service, Statistics Service (NASS)), mov- working extensively pro bono with Carol Tenopir from ing the family to Iowa, where MORE ONLINE the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Don spent much of his child- Read Don’s full obituary In 2016, the University of Wyoming bestowed on hood. His father and brothers at https://bit.ly/36yLE06. Don an honorary doctoral degree, noting his contribu- were avid hunters and often tions as a world-renowned statistician and information traveled to South Dakota for the pheasant hunting sea- science pioneer. son. Don had many happy memories of these hunting Don was recognized with a long list of additional awards expeditions and always spoke glowingly of the beautiful during his lifetime, including the Distinguished Alumnus South Dakota plains and big skies. His family frequently of the University of Wyoming, Career Achievement Award, returned to Wyoming for family gatherings and vacations. from the Association of Research Libraries; D-Lib Magazine Don contracted polio as a child while his family was as one of the most-cited authors in its publications; “Pioneer living in Ames, Iowa. He was admitted to a Sister Kenny of Science Information” from the Chemical Heritage hospital clinic in Des Moines, Iowa, for treatment. Sister Foundation; Honorary Fellow from the National Federation Kenny clinics used what was, at the time, a controversial of Abstracting and Information Services; Special Recognition and revolutionary approach to polio treatment, opting for from the Special Libraries Association; Distinguished hot packs and gentle movement of paralyzed limbs instead Lecturer by the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST); of the splints, braces, and iron lungs in general use at the and the Watson-Davis Award, Research Award, and Award time for treating the disease. Don responded well to the of Merit (the society’s highest honor) from the American Sister Kenny treatment and, after some months, was able Society for Information Science and Technology. to return home with little residual effect. He went on to Don was preceded in death by his infant daughter, become an accomplished four-sport athlete in high school Amy, and his first wife, Martha (Thompson) King. and a two-sport athlete (basketball and track) in college, as Don is survived by his wife, José-Marie Griffiths, well as a highly skilled jet pilot and flying instructor. and six daughters and their families: Lisa Hopper; Kelly Don enrolled at the University of Wyoming to begin Loudermilk; Sara (Tim) Born; Mary (Hal) Quayle; Erin his undergraduate degree but took a break after two (Sean) O’Donovan; Rhiannon; 14 grandchildren; and years to enlist in the Marines and become a pilot. For three great-grandchildren. the Marines, Don flew the WWII Hellcat planes, but he Don requested that his ashes be distributed at sea, in wanted to fly the more powerful Navy jets. He became recognition of the honor he had serving his country in the highly skilled and accomplished flying Grumman F9F-5 US Marines and Navy. The family is hoping to coordinate and F3D jets on and off Navy aircraft carriers stationed this with the activities of the USS South Dakota (SSN- in the ocean. He was scheduled to be deployed to Korea 790), a nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarine in when one of the many truces took effect and the Navy service with the United States Navy. Don, Griffiths, and assigned him instead as a flight instructor and relocated their daughter, Rhiannon, attended the official commis- him to Beeville, Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico. sioning of the submarine earlier this year in Connecticut. After his military service, Don returned to the University Memories and tributes to Don can be posted at www. of Wyoming, completing his BS in 1959 and his MS in ellsworthfh.com or donald-w-king.forevermissed.com.

34 amstat news january 2020 section • chapter • committee news Cutting-Edge Content, Focused Discussion, Passion Define BBSW

Contributed by Jing Huang or the second year in a row, the Bay Area Supporting Organizations Biotech-Pharma Statistics Workshop (BBSW, ASA Biopharmaceutical Section (https://bit.ly/35wss2U) www.bbsw.org/bbsw-2019) was successful in ASA Bay Area Chapter (www.sfasa.org) providingF statisticians, data scientists, and other colleagues with a venue to connect, learn, and grow. Bay Area Entrepreneurs in Statistics (https://bit.ly/2YIJjNC) This year, two events were added on the day Center for Innovative Study Design at Stanford University before the workshop. One was a short course (https://stan.md/2RNC2uj) taught by Rebecca Hubbard from the University of Pennsylvania, titled “Analysis of Big Healthcare DahShu (www.dahshu.org) Databases.” This course was sponsored by the ASA Council of Chapters through the program of traveling courses and co-hosted by BBSW and the Bay Area to advancing precision health. Next, Marina Sirota Chapter (SFASA), a close strategic partner of BBSW. from the University of California, San Francisco, The other event was the Biotech-Pharma R User provided an overview of computational drug dis- Meetup attended by around 70 people. Experienced covery. Shirley Wu from 23andMe described that R users Alan Dipert, QingHua Song, and Michael company’s data-driven approach and the power of Lawrence shared tips and knowledge about Shiny, billions of data points. R tools for AI, and how to establish a collaborative Day one concluded with a banquet accompa- culture through inner sourcing. nied by a panel discussion on leadership and career The workshop started with opening remarks by development. It was moderated by Whedy Wang Imola Fodor of Genentech and the chair of BBSW of Theravance Biopharma. Panelists were Merrill 2019. She shared the history of BBSW and this year’s Birkner of 23andMe, Mike Crager of Genomic theme: innovation and leadership. Health, Fodor, Jing Huang of Veracyte, Corsee Fodor’s welcome was followed by a keynote address Sanders of Juno Therapeutics, and Richard Simon by Jeff Helterbrand of Genentech, titled “The Future of the National Cancer Institute. of Data Science in Biotech-Pharma.” He began with The second day began with Part II of the innova- an overview of data science development over the last tive design talks. A presentation by Yi Liu of Nektar 60 years in the biotech-pharma industry, then touched provided a perspective on sample size estimation in on the importance of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, adaptive designs by using the return of investment Interoperable, and Reusable) data, and ended with a as the guiding principle. It was followed by another discussion about leadership in the digital era and why invited session on biomarker and machine learning. analytical leaders such as statisticians are critical. Liang Fang of MyoKardia hosted the annual lead- Two invited sessions followed, one on complex ership forum luncheon, during which several biomet- innovative designs and the other on informing rics leaders participated in a discussion about setting personalized health care with real-world evidence leadership goals for the BBSW community. (RWE). In a talk titled “Using Natural History The afternoon session involved a panel discus- Data as a Comparator in an Ultra-Orphan Disease sion on collaboration at the intersection of statistics, Indication,” Peter Slasor of BioMarin discussed tech- bioinformatics, and data science moderated by Tara nical and regulatory challenges BioMarin faced with Maddala, a well-known biotech leader. Panelists from RWE data in getting drug approval. academia and industry shared their perspectives on The afternoon keynote was presented by Steven skills to master in an era driven by data science and Goodman, a world-renowned statistician and pro- the unique advantage of statistical training. It was fol- fessor of medicine at Stanford University. He dis- lowed by the second half of the lightning talks. cussed what type of critical thinking is necessary to Around 300 people attended the workshop and develop truly useful biomarkers and diagnostic tools. more than 20 companies helped sponsor the event. Next up were lightning talks, which focused The secret sauce to BBSW’s success has three key on emerging technologies. Session Chair Ray Lin ingredients: cutting-edge technical content, focused gave an overview, connecting these up-and-coming discussion on leadership strategies, and synergistic pas- technologies and highlighting each one’s relevance sion from all participants. n

january 2020 amstat news 35 section • chapter • committee news

learning, or big data methods with applications in industry and applied science, consider getting more involved in SPES activities. For instance, you might plan a workshop that specifically connects big data or machine learning to industrial statistics and related areas. Or you might organize an invited session at one of our annual meetings: JSM (https://bit.ly/2rNn4Kn); Spring Research Conference (https://bit.ly/2LUiWyX); and Fall Technical Conference (falltechnicalconference.org). There is also the SPES- sponsored Marquardt Memorial Industrial Speakers Program (https://bit.ly/35fxgd3). Clockwise from left: Nai-Wei Chen, Felix Owusu, Benjamin Bortey, Ellen Barnes, Karry Roberts, Mary Coffey, Rob Kushler, Rob Podolsky, David Corliss, and Lance Heilbrun This program provides funding for industrial statisticians to visit universities and discuss Detroit Chapter their work, as well as opportu- The Detroit Chapter kicked off its initial “Numbers and Networking” social event nities in the area, and to pro- for chapter membership October 4. Rob Podolsky, chapter president, organized the mote industrial statistics and get-together based on the ASA chapter mentoring workshop he attended. Podolsky opportunities to the larger sta- said the training advised to start small with community outreach and let the events tistics community. develop over time, with the primary goal being to increase membership participation. Feel free to email SPES Chair Numbers and Networking took place at a brew pub in the Detroit suburbs, pro- Bobby Gramacy at [email protected] viding a change of pace from the usual chapter meetings in a conference room with to discuss your ideas. a presenter. Members were invited to meet their fellow Detroit-area statisticians, Call for SPES Award data scientists, analysts, and programmers. Nominations The chapter provided appetizers, and members purchased their own bever- The SPES Award is bestowed ages. The evening was fun, with members who aren’t regularly at the chapter upon a distinguished individual meetings turning out. Plans include more events in varying locations, depending or individuals for their inno- on membership response. vative use of statistics to solve a high-impact problem in the physical and engineering sciences. In even-numbered years, Physical and Engineering modern methods in learning the award is presented for distin- Sciences and high-performance com- guished work performed during puting in statistical methodol- the previous two years by a col- Bobby Gramacy, SPES Chair, and Ming Li, ogy, with diverse applications SPES Award Committee Chair laborative team of statisticians throughout the applied scienc- and practitioners in an indus- Although the SPES commu- es, particularly the blossoming trial, manufacturing, or research nity has historically focused area of (industrial) information organization. Nominations are on industrial statistics, design, technology. If you are inter- due by February 20, 2020. For quality, and reliability, we are ested in advancing ideas com- more information, visit https:// increasingly pivoting toward bining data science, machine bit.ly/2YKgbWa. n

36 amstat news january 2020 section • chapter • committee news

Teaching Statistics in the GSS Mentoring Roundtable Health Sciences The Teaching Statistics in the Health Sciences Section is accept- Brings Positive Feedback ing nominations for the following two major awards in 2020: Elizabeth Mannshardt, 2019 GSS Chair Outstanding Teaching Award The Government Statistics Section (GSS) hosted a mentoring roundtable at JSM 2019 designed to encourage diverse participation and This award recognizes an out- engage young professionals and students via interaction with more standing statistics educator and advanced-career members of the GSS community. Feedback was over- mentor in the health sciences. whelmingly positive from both mentee participants and GSS mentors. https://bit.ly/36CBgER Young Investigator Award “They were all personable and shared their more human aspects of their stories with us. I walked away This award recognizes a prom- with advice for applying to government positions, a ising “young investigator” for better understanding of the advantages and disadvan- her/his promise as a statistics tages of working in the government, and leadership educator or in conducting sta- Nancy Murray tips.” – Nancy Murray, Emory University tistics education research in the health sciences. A young inves- “The mentors were very informative, particularly in tigator is defined as a current regards to advice on finding careers and securing jobs graduate student or a recent in government.” – Katherine Allen, North Carolina graduate who has received her/ State University his terminal degree no more than seven years ago and who “I had a wonderful time! It was interesting to hear Katherine Allen is in a position with rank below about what the mentees are hoping for with their careers associate professor and does and also to hear about the experiences of the other men- not hold tenure (or equiva- tors. It made me realize that we all come to our place in lent classification). https://bit. life, education, and careers in different ways, bringing ly/2qPfeiN home the point that there is no one “right” way. … The students were great. I was impressed by their reasons The first award carries a for attending the session and how carefully they listened $250 cash prize, while the sec- Wendy Martinez and participated in the session.” – Wendy Martinez, ond carries a $500 cash prize. Bureau of Labor Statistics The deadline for nominations is May 15, 2020. Any “I know I found that I learn as much, if not more, by inquiries and all award nomi- being a mentor and by participating in the session. nations should be submitted to … I hope we succeeded in honoring Steven Spielberg’s [email protected]. Information quote: “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is will also be posted on the sec- Stephanie Shipp not creating them in your own image but giving them tion blog, which can be found the opportunity to create themselves.” – Stephanie at https://bit.ly/2rLTSTT. n Shipp, University of Virginia “It was fun being a participant at the mentoring roundtable. We indeed had a very open conversation.” – Barry Nussbaum, US Environmental Protection Agency (retired) Barry Nussbaum To participate in the GSS mentoring roundtable at JSM 2020, visit the GSS Professional Development Mentoring page at https://bit. ly/2PmSPDb or contact 2019 GSS Chair Elizabeth Mannshardt at [email protected]. n

january 2020 amstat news 37 calendar of events

The following events are the latest additions to the ASA’s online calendar of events. An- nouncements are accepted from education and not-for-profit organizations only. To view the complete list of statistics meetings and workshops, visit www.amstat.org/dateline.

* Indicates events sponsored by the ASA or one of its sections, chapters, or committees

›› Indicates events posted since the previous issue

2020 May March 5–7—SIAM Conference on Mathematics of Data Science 24–27—SIAM Conference on (MDS20), Cincinatti, Ohio Uncertainty Quantification For more information, contact (UQ20), Garching, Germany Adrianne Ali, 3600 Market St., For details, visit https://bit.ly/35yvwfi Philadelphia, PA 19104; (215) 382- or contact Jade Daniels, 3600 9800; [email protected]. Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104; (215) 382-9800; [email protected]. »8–10—The 8th Workshop on Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Atlanta, April Georgia For details, visit https://bit.ly/2LYkbxi or contact Yichuan Zhao, 1342, 25 »*29—13th Annual UPenn Park Place, Atlanta, GA 30303; (404) Conference on Statistical 413-6446; [email protected]. Issues in Clinical Trials: Cluster Randomized Clinical Trials: Opportunities and Challenges, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania For more information, contact Jonas Ellenberg, 423 Guardian Drive, Suite 617, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (215) 573-3904; jellenbe@pennmedicine. upenn.edu.

38 amstat news january 2020 calendar of events

»*18—Pfizer/ASA/Columbia *3–6—2020 Symposium on University Symposium on Risks Data Science & Statistics, and Opportunities Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of AI in Clinical Drug For more information, visit https://bit. Development, New York, NY ly/2qXcekt or contact ASA Meetings, For more information, contact 732 N. Washington St., Alexandria, Stephen Porzio, 732 N. Washington VA 22314; (703) 684-1221; meetings@ St., Alexandria, VA 22314; (703) 684- amstat.org. 1221; [email protected]. »15–18/2020—10th International Workshop June on Applied Probability (IWAP2020), Thessaloniki, »1–5—NSF-CBMS Regional Greece Research Conference: Parallel For more information, visit https:// Time Integration, Michigan bit.ly/36F6ew0 or contact George Technological University, Tsaklidis, Aristotle University of Houghton, Michigan Thessaloniki, University Campus, For details, visit https://bit.ly/2PU3XGi 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece; or contact Benjamin Ong, Michigan +302310997964; tsaklidi@math. Tech University, Houghton, MI auth.gr. 49931; [email protected].

january 2020 amstat news 39 calendar of events

21–23—The Fifth Workshop on Higher-Order Asymptotics and Post-Selection Inference (WHOA-PSI), St. Louis, Missouri For details, visit https://bit. ly/2PoXnbX or contact Todd Kuffner, 1 Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1146, Saint Louis, MO 63130; [email protected].

22–26—International Statistical Ecology Conference (ISEC2020), Sydney, Australia For more information, visit isec2020.org or contact David Warton, School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney, International 2052, Australia; +61405781724; [email protected].

24–27—5th International Workshop on Functional and Operatorial Statistics (IWFOS 2020), Brno, Czech Republic For details, visit iwfos2020.sci. muni.cz or contact David Kraus, Kotlárská 2, Brno, International 611 37, Czech Republic; david. [email protected].

25–27—Open Problems in Parametric Likelihood-Based Inference, St. Louis, Missouri For details, visit https://bit. ly/2M0uSzj or contact Todd Kuffner, 1 Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1146, Saint Louis, MO 63130; [email protected].

40 amstat news january 2020 calendar of events

58801-10560; P.Filzmoser@ July tuwien.ac.at.

5–10—International Biometric Conference (IBC), Seoul, South August Korea For more information, visit https:// bit.ly/2M1nAvj or contact Kristina *1–6—2020 Joint Statistical Wolford, 1120 20th St. NW, Suite Meetings, Philadelphia, 750, Washington, DC 20036; (202) Pennsylvania For more information, con- 712-9049; conference@ tact ASA Meetings, 732 North biometricsociety.org. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314; (703) 684-1221; 6–10—International Conference [email protected]. on Robust Statistics (ICORS 2020), Vienna, Austria For details, contact Peter Filzmoser, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, Vienna, International 1040, Austria; 43-1-

january 2020 amstat news 41 calendar of events

6–8—26th ISSAT International Prasad Karantha, VI Floor, Conference on Reliability and November Health Science Library Building, Quality in Design, Miami, Florida Manipal Academy of Higher For more information, visit »4–6—Big Data Meets Survey Education, Manipal, International https://bit.ly/36J08dQ or contact Science (BigSurv20), Utrecht, 576104, India; +91 9980100886; Conference Secretary, PO Box 281, The Netherlands [email protected]. Edison, NJ 08818; rqd@issat For more information, visit https:// conferences.org. bit.ly/34oxsWg or contact Peter 17–19—International Lugtig, Padualaan 14, Utrecht, Conference on Linear Algebra International 3584CH, The and Its Applications (ICLAA October Netherlands; +31 30 2537761; info@ 2020), MAHE, Manipal, India bigsurv20.org. For more information, visit »9–11—International https://bit.ly/2S1izXd or Conference on Advances in contact Manjunatha Interdisciplinary Statistics and December Prasad Karantha, Combinatorics (AISC-2020), VI Floor, Health Greensboro, North Carolina Science Library 15–17—28th Building, Manipal For details, visit https://bit.ly/38LyNtq International or contact Sat Gupta, Department Academy of Workshop on Higher Education, of Mathematics and Statistics, 317 Matrices and College Ave., 116 Petty Building, Manipal, Statistics (IWMS International Greensboro, NC 27455; (336) 554- 2020), MAHE, 4608; [email protected]. 576104, India; Manipal, India +919980100886; For details, visit https://bit. [email protected]. n ly/34ugdCK or contact Manjunatha

42 amstat news january 2020 professional opportunities

Professional Opportunity listings may not exceed 65 words, plus equal opportunity information. The deadline for their receipt is the 20th of the month two months prior to when the ad is to be published (e.g., May 20 for the July issue). Ads will be published in the next available issue following receipt. Listings are shown alphabetically by state, followed by international listings. Vacancy California listings may include the institutional name and address or be identified by number, n The USC Marshall School of as desired. Business, Data Sciences and Operations Professional Opportunities vacancies also will be published on the ASA’s website Department invites applications for (www.amstat.org). Vacancy listings will appear on the website for the entire calendar a non-tenure track (teaching) posi- month. Ads may not be placed for publication in the magazine only; all ads will be tion. Candidates should have a PhD published both electronically and in print. in operations management, statistics, These listings and additional information about the 65-word ads can be found at information systems or a related discipline, or be assured of its completion ww2.amstat.org/ads. by fall 2020. Apply online https://bit. Employers are expected to acknowledge all responses resulting from publication of ly/2YRyf0y. EOE their ads. Personnel advertising is accepted with the understanding that the adver- tiser does not discriminate among applicants on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, n Assistant, associate, full regular/in color, national origin, handicap, or sexual orientation. residence professor the appointee cho- sen for this position will be responsible Also, look for job ads on the ASA website at https://jobs.amstat.org/jobseekers. for independent research, collaborative research, teaching, mentoring, and service. University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences is seeking to fill one or two open rank faculty positions in the regular and/or in-residence series. As an assistant, associate, or full significant curriculum change and Kansas regular/in residence professor of bio- development. Submit applications n statistics. https://bit.ly/2qW4qzq. EOE Department of Mathematics, directly to www.mathjobs.org . Georgia University of Kansas invites applica- Florida State University, a Research University tions for a non-tenure track Visiting of the University System of Georgia, Assistant Professor position in statis- n The Health Informatics Institute at is an EEO/AA Employer and does not tics to begin August 18, 2020. PhD the University of South Florida invites discriminate against applicants due to or ABD in math, statistics or related applications for an open-rank research race, ethnicity, gender, veteran status, field. For a complete announcement faculty position in biostatistics. The or on the basis of disability or any other and to apply online, go to https://bit. Institute is NIH-funded as a statistics federal, state or local protected class. ly/38GwU1c. At least four recom- and data coordinating center for several mendation letters should be submitted large clinical research networks (www. Indiana electronically to https://bit.ly/2PPucxQ. hii.usf.edu). Preferred areas of inter- n Faculty positions (rank commensu- Initial review began December 2, est include longitudinal data analysis, rate with experience/qualifications), 2019. KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified clinical trials, and big data of analytics. Department of Biostatistics/Indiana applicants will receive consideration Apply to position 22377 or 22378 at University School of Medicine, for employment without regard to [email protected]. EOE Indianapolis, IN. Duties: statisti- race, color, religion, sex (including Georgia cal research, teaching, collaborative pregnancy), age, national origin, dis- research. PhD in biostatistics, statistics ability, genetic information or pro- n The Department of Mathematics and or related field, excellent communica- tected Veteran status. Statistics at Georgia State University tion skills required; Practical experience invites applications for a senior (associ- preferred. Competitive salary/excellent Maryland ate or full professor) faculty position benefits. Submit CV, research/teaching n The Emmes Company in Rockville, in Applied Statistics and Data Science statements, 3 references to: https://bit. MD, a full-service Contract Research with an anticipated start date of August ly/34sWUd7. Indiana University is an Organization, has openings for PhD- 2020. The candidate will develop and EEO/AA employer, M/F/D/V. level statisticians to serve on and lead lead the Department’s applied statistics multi-disciplinary project teams support- program. The successful applicant will ing clinical research with great public guide the department faculty through health impact across a range of disease

january 2020 amstat news 43 professional opportunities

areas. Requirements: Solid background Michigan Statistics and a record of peer-reviewed in statistical methods with a PhD in bio- n University of Michigan’s Survey publications. The selected candidate will statistics/statistics/epidemiology, strong Research Center (https://bit.ly/38GwMyK) be expected to have continued indepen- oral and written communication skills, within the Institute for Social Research dent statistical research motivated by and leadership potential. Apply directly invites applications from outstanding biomedical collaborations. Learn more online at www.emmes.com. EOE candidates with a demonstrated interest at: http://bit.ly/biostats-sj . EE/AAE in innovative survey methodology for a Massachusetts position in the Research Professor ranks. Texas n Mclean Hospital/Harvard Medical Candidates will be able to pursue their n The Department of Mathematical School. Biostatistics Faculty position, own research interests, teach courses, and Sciences in the School of Natural assistant professor level in psychiatric mentor students For a full description of Sciences and Mathematics at The biostatistics program. Responsible the position and application instructions University of Texas at Dallas invites for developing collaborations with visit: https://bit.ly/2PUo3jZ Apply to: applications for tenure-system faculty McLean investigators and participating https://bit.ly/38MriCr . EOE positions at the Assistant Professor level. in statistical consultations. Doctoral For a full job description, requirements, degree in biostatistics or a statistics- Tennessee and to apply, go to https://bit.ly/2RZbPcy. related field required; publication n Faculty Positions, Department of The University of Texas at Dallas is an record in methods or applications; 2+ Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research equal opportunity/affirmative action years post-PhD collaborative research Hospital invites applications for three employer (M/F/D/V). experience preferred. Send CV, faculty positions at the Assistant or research interests statement: Garrett Associate Professor level. Candidates Fitzmaurice, Search Chair Email: must have a PhD in Biostatistics or [email protected]. It is the policy of McLean Hospital to affir- matively provide equal opportunity to all qualified applicants for employ- Visiting Assistant Professors ment and existing employees without The Department of Statistics at Texas A&M University seeks two Visiting Assistant Profes regard to their race, religion, color, sors positions for appointment beginning September 1, 2020. These appointments will be national origin, sex, age, ancestry, pro- non-tenure track. Both positions are full time, 9-month appointments. Duties and responsibil tected veteran status, disability, sexual ities include teaching three courses per semester. Based on applicant preferences, the courses orientation, gender identity or expres- may be taught at either the graduate or undergraduate level, and multiple sections of the sion, pregnancy or a condition related same course may be counted separately toward the teaching requirements if undergraduate to pregnancy including, but not lim- service courses are taught. ited to, lactation or the need to express breast milk for a nursing child, or any The successful applicant must have a doctorate in statistics or biostatistics, and previous expe other basis that would be in violation rience in teaching at the undergraduate level is preferred. Interested applicants should send a of any applicable law or regulation. current cv and a two-page teaching statement and summary of teaching experience. To apply, n Boston University Goldman School please visit https://apply.interfolio.com/70336. Review of applicants will begin immediately. of Dental Medicine invites applicants For questions, email inquiries to Dr. Samiran Sinha, Search Committee Chair, at hiring@stat. for a biostatistician faculty position, tamu.edu. Open rank. Responsibilities: teaching, mentoring, data analysis. Requirements: The Texas A&M System is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Em earned PhD (Biostatistics/Statistics), ployer committed to diversity. Texas A&M University, the College of Science and the Depart proficiency with SAS/SPSS/Stata, and ment of Statistics are dedicated to the goal of building an inclusive and culturally diverse fac experience as a course leader/develop- ulty and staff who are committed to teaching and working in an environment of academic ing course(s), grant writing/publica- freedom and equality of opportunity. Texas A&M University has a partner placement program tions, and mentoring. Employment and is responsive to the particular needs of dual career couples. The Department of Statistics begins July 1, 2020. Address materials is interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity of the academic community (CV, teaching statement, cover-letter, 3 through their research, teaching and/or service. professional references) to Dr. Belinda Borrelli, Search Committee Chair. Application Materials Required: Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae, Teaching Statement, Sum Email to Ms. Case ([email protected]). EOE mary of teaching experience, Three professional references with contact information.

44 amstat news january 2020 Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Position(s) Cornell University Cornell University’s School of Operations Re- search and Information Engineering (ORIE) seeks to fill multiple tenured/tenure-track faculty positions for its Ithaca campus. We welcome strong applicants in all areas of operations research and its interface with data science, in particular n Rice University has an opening for Health Science Center at Houston those in resonance with the Cornell College of Engineering Strategic Areas. A separate search in a non-tenure-track assistant teaching (UTHealth). Will work closely w/ related areas is being conducted for our NYC professor position in the statistics depart- multidisciplinary team of biostatisti- campus within the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute. For the NYC position(s), we welcome ment, teaching introductory courses in cians, epidemiologists and clinicians strong applicants whose research aligns with statistics, data science and capstone based at UTHealth. Should have experience one of the Jacobs Institute’s three research hubs (connective media, health technology, and urban courses. Requirements: PhD degree in with NIH-style grants and manuscripts. technology). statistics or related disciplines. Strong Interested candidates should refer to Requisite is a strong interest in the broad mission of the School, exceptional potential for applicants whose primary degree is not the job posting at https://bit.ly/2PMjk3K leadership in research and education, an ability in statistics, biostatistics, econometrics, (Requisition #190000G3) for more and willingness to teach at all levels of the program, and a Ph.D. in operations research, machine learning, data science or a information. EOE mathematics, statistics, or a related field by related area will be considered with evi- the start of the appointment. Salary will be appropriate to qualifications and engineering dence of strong statistical training. Apply Vermont school norms. by January 15, 2020 to link https://bit. n Tenure track assistant profes- Cornell ORIE is a diverse group of highly/2sCk6Iv. EOE quality researchers and educators interested in sor in biostatistics. Department of probability, optimization, statistics, machine Mathematics and Statistics, University learning, simulation, game theory, and a PhD Biostatistician, Assistant/Associate wide array of applications such as health of Vermont. Candidates are required to care, e-commerce, supply chains, scheduling, Professor (tenure-track) to work in have a research focus on infectious dis- manufacturing, transportation systems, financial engineering, service systems and network Division of Clinical and Translational eases. The position involves a second- science. We value mathematical and technical Sciences (DCTS), within Internal depth and innovation, and experience with ary appointment in the UVM Larner applications and practice. Ideal candidates Medicine at The University of Texas College of Medicine and being a junior will have correspondingly broad training and interests. A complete application should include a cover letter, CV, statements of teaching and research interests, statement of diversity, equity, and inclusion, sample publications, at least three reference letters, and, for junior applicants, a doctoral transcript. Applications for the Ithaca positions should be submitted on AJO at https:// academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/14872. For the NYC-based position, applications should be submitted on AJO at https://academicjobs online.org/ajo/jobs/14861. We urge candidates to submit the required material as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. ORIE and the College of Engineering at Cornell embrace diversity and seek candidates who can contribute to a welcoming climate for students of all races and genders. Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches. Visit www.unyherc.org/home to see positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university’s mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY Cornell’s far-flung global presence includes the medical college’s campuses in Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the new Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. We strongly encourage qualified women and minority candidates to apply.

january 2020 amstat news 45 investigator in UVM’s NIH-funded Applications are invited for:- COBRE on translational global infectious disease research. All application Department of Statistics materials must be submitted online at Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor https://bit.ly/34qsSXm. EOE (Ref. 190002AA) The Department of Statistics is now inviting applications for a professoriate position. The Virginia appointment rank will be determined by the qualifi cations and experience of the successful candidate. n The George Mason University Applicants should have (i) a PhD degree in statistics or a related fi eld; and (ii) high-quality Department of Statistics invites applica- research output and a strong teaching track record in all areas of statistics and Risk Management tions for multiple tenure-track/tenured Science. positions beginning fall 2020. Senior Appointment will normally be made on contract basis for up to three years initially commencing candidates with outstanding research, dem- August 2020, which, subject to mutual agreement, may lead to longer-term appointment or substantiation later. Outstanding candidates with substantial experience for Professor rank may onstrated funding, and excellent teaching be considered for substantive appointment forthwith. will be eligible for tenured associate or full Review of applications will commence from January 16, 2020, and will continue until the post professor positions. See https://bit.ly/2YV17Fl is fi lled. for the complete ad and apply with position Further information about the Department is available at http://www.sta.cuhk.edu.hk . number F465AZ at http://jobs.gmu.edu. The Application Procedure review of applications began December 2, Applicants please complete the online application form and upload a cover letter, a full 2019, and will continue until the positions curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, and copies of up to fi ve recent publications preferably by January 15, 2020. Applicants should also provide names, addresses are filled. EOE n and e-mail addresses of three referees to whom the applicants’ consent has been given for their providing references. The University only accepts and considers applications submitted online for the post above. For more information and to apply online, please visit http://career.cuhk.edu.hk.

Instructional Track Faculty Positions Available TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas Statistics

The Department of Statistics at Texas A&M University seeks two Instructional Track Faculty positions for appointment of Instructional Assistant Professor or Instructional Associate Professor. These appointments will be non-tenure track. Both appointments will begin on September 1, 2020. Duties and responsibilities include teaching 2-4 courses in the MS Program for online and on-campus students and 2-3 undergraduate courses. Based on applicant preferences, the courses may be taught at either the graduate or undergraduate level, and multiple sections of the same course may be counted separately toward the teaching requirement if undergraduate service courses are taught. Both positions are full time, 9-month appointments and will participate in the course development for graduate and undergraduates as well as mentoring PhD students and Teaching Assistants. The successful applicants must have a doctorate in statistics or biostatistics, and previous experience in teaching at the undergraduate level is preferred. Interested applicants should send a current cv and a two-page teaching statement and summary of teaching experience. To apply, please visit https://apply.interfolio.com/70328. Review of applicants will begin immediately. For questions, email inquiries to Dr. Samiran Sinha, Search Committee Chair, at [email protected]. The Texas A&M System is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity. Texas A&M University, the College of Science and the Department of Statistics are dedicated to the goal of building an inclusive and culturally diverse faculty and staff who are committed to teaching and working in an environment of academic freedom and equality of opportunity. Texas A&M University has a partner placement program and is responsive to the particular needs of dual career couples. The Department of Statistics is interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity of the academic community through their research, teaching and/or service. Application Materials Required: Cover Letter; Curriculum Vitae; Teaching Statement; Summary of teaching experience; and Three professional references with contact information.

46 amstat news january 2020 AMSTATNEWS ADVERTISING DIRECTORY

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january 2020 amstat news 47 Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics SOCIAL CHATTER Biostatistics Branch

Tenure-Track/Tenure-Eligible Investigator If you could interview one statistician e Biostatistics Branch (BB) in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is recruiting for a tenure-track/tenure eligible position to work on methods development and applications in a highly collaborative and data-rich environment with one-of-a-kind data and or data scientist, who would it be? computational resources.

BB investigators develop novel analytical approaches from cutting-edge scientic challenges faced by epidemiological studies to identify and characterize environmental and genetic determinants of cancer risk, as well as clinical and cancer prevention studies. ese challeng- Himel Mallick es include choosing an ecient study and sampling design, integrative analyses of high-dimensional, time-dependent data such as data George Box– so that I can better derived from electronic medical records, geographical/spatial statistics, biosensors, omic technologies to measure biomarkers, genomics, FOLLOW US understand the thought process as well as designing validation studies and methods to evaluate and correct for measurement error in exposures and clinical outcomes. behind the statement ‘All models e successful applicant will have opportunities to work on a wide range of analytical challenges because of the breadth and depth of our community. are wrong, but some are useful” :) amstat.org program. ey will develop an independently initiated methodological research program that will focus on solving statistical challenges Ryan Carr in cancer epidemiology and/or genetics. I would ALSO pick Box - but only www.facebook. Opportunities to hire postdoctoral fellows and computational support will be provided. Of particular interest are applicants focused on com/AmstatNews because he was so brilliant as to methodological and applications research in high dimensional and integrative data, spatial data analysis, and causal inference. We seek write “All models are wrong, but qualied applicants with all areas of statistical expertise in methods, including but not restricted to semiparametric and survival analysis @AmstatNews some are useful” because – all including competing risks, functional data analyses, Bayesian and non-Bayesian computations, and network theory. models ARE wrong. Applications will be evaluated on demonstrated potential to develop a creative, independent program of statistical research applicable to www.instagram cancer epidemiology and genetics, and to collaborate eectively on epidemiologic studies. e ideal candidate will have the opportunity Tapio Nummi Box is an .com/AmstatNews to build an innovative research program that takes advantage of the highly collaborative and data-rich environment of DCEG. excellent choice, a brilliant applied statistician. Applicants should have a doctorate in biostatistics, statistics or a related eld and knowledge of the basic approaches used in cancer epidemiology. A record of publications demonstrating an ability to conduct independent research on statistical methods is required. Publications documenting collaborative research in epidemiologic, clinical, biomedical or biological sciences are highly desirable. e successful candidate should have strong communication skills to discuss scientic issues with non-statistician colleagues and to write Louis Kiphen W Christensen • @wchristensen scientic papers. Edith Abbott Tough call, but if I had to pick off-hand, I’d want to interview William Gosset. Naturally, the ideal Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, with no discrimination for non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, political aliation, marital status, disability, age, or membership or non-membership in an employee setting would be over drinks at Guinness organization. NIH encourages the application and nomination of qualied women, minorities and individuals with disabilities. NIH provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation during any part of the ap- Caleb King • @ckingstats plication and hiring process, please notify us. e decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. I’d probably go with William Gosset as well. I is position is subject to a background investigation. Salary is commensurate with research experience. get the impression anyone who calls themselves Student is quite the humble man. I’d like to know Interested individuals should send a cover letter; curriculum vitae and bibliography; please include in your CV a description of your what he’d think of his contributions to statistics. mentoring and outreach activities, especially those involving women and persons from racial/ethnic or other groups that are underrepre- sented in biomedical research, a brief summary of research experience, accomplishments and research interests and goals; copies of three publications or preprints; and three letters of reference to: Alex Spiers • Ms. Linda Littlejohn @MrAlexSpiers NEXT MONTH: Do statisticians Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute I would quite like to challenge Fisher about 9609 Medical Center Drive, Suite 7E328, MSC 9775 • Bethesda, MD 20892-9775 have a favorite random statistic? some of his less than palatable views... Email: [email protected] particularly his view that races might differ If so, what is it? “in their innate capacity for intellectual and e review of applications will begin on or about February 29, 2020, but applications will be accepted until the position is lled. emotional development.” Please contact Dr. Paul Albert (phone 240-276-7593 or [email protected]) for questions about the position.

48 amstat news january 2020 DHHS, NIH, and NCI are Equal Opportunity Employers Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics Biostatistics Branch

Tenure-Track/Tenure-Eligible Investigator e Biostatistics Branch (BB) in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is recruiting for a tenure-track/tenure eligible position to work on methods development and applications in a highly collaborative and data-rich environment with one-of-a-kind data and computational resources.

BB investigators develop novel analytical approaches from cutting-edge scientic challenges faced by epidemiological studies to identify and characterize environmental and genetic determinants of cancer risk, as well as clinical and cancer prevention studies. ese challenges include choosing an ecient study and sampling design, integrative analyses of high-dimensional, time-dependent data such as data derived from electronic medical records, geographical/spatial statistics, biosensors, omic technologies to measure biomarkers, genomics, as well as designing validation studies and methods to evaluate and correct for measurement error in exposures and clinical outcomes.

e successful applicant will have opportunities to work on a wide range of analytical challenges because of the breadth and depth of our program. ey will develop an independently initiated methodological research program that will focus on solving statistical challenges in cancer epidemiology and/or genetics.

Opportunities to hire postdoctoral fellows and computational support will be provided. Of particular interest are applicants focused on methodological and applications research in high dimensional and integrative data, spatial data analysis, and causal inference. We seek qualied applicants with all areas of statistical expertise in methods, including but not restricted to semiparametric and survival analysis including competing risks, functional data analyses, Bayesian and non-Bayesian computations, and network theory.

Applications will be evaluated on demonstrated potential to develop a creative, independent program of statistical research applicable to cancer epidemiology and genetics, and to collaborate eectively on epidemiologic studies. e ideal candidate will have the opportunity to build an innovative research program that takes advantage of the highly collaborative and data-rich environment of DCEG.

Applicants should have a doctorate in biostatistics, statistics or a related eld and knowledge of the basic approaches used in cancer epidemiology. A record of publications demonstrating an ability to conduct independent research on statistical methods is required. Publications documenting collaborative research in epidemiologic, clinical, biomedical or biological sciences are highly desirable. e successful candidate should have strong communication skills to discuss scientic issues with non-statistician colleagues and to write scientic papers.

Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, with no discrimination for non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, political aliation, marital status, disability, age, or membership or non-membership in an employee organization. NIH encourages the application and nomination of qualied women, minorities and individuals with disabilities. NIH provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation during any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. e decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. is position is subject to a background investigation. Salary is commensurate with research experience.

Interested individuals should send a cover letter; curriculum vitae and bibliography; please include in your CV a description of your mentoring and outreach activities, especially those involving women and persons from racial/ethnic or other groups that are underrepre- sented in biomedical research, a brief summary of research experience, accomplishments and research interests and goals; copies of three publications or preprints; and three letters of reference to:

Ms. Linda Littlejohn Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute 9609 Medical Center Drive, Suite 7E328, MSC 9775 • Bethesda, MD 20892-9775 Email: [email protected]

e review of applications will begin on or about February 29, 2020, but applications will be accepted until the position is lled. Please contact Dr. Paul Albert (phone 240-276-7593 or [email protected]) for questions about the position.

DHHS, NIH, and NCI are Equal Opportunity Employers Ed Hutchins, Cree Product Engineering Manager

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