ASA Headlines

ASA Announces New Journal Editors

The American Statistical Association (ASA) has announced the appointment of two new editors and two new co-editors for three of its professional journals: the Journal of the American Statistical Association Theory and Methods section; the Journal of the American Statistical Association and The American Statistician Reviews sections; and Statistics in Biopharmaceutical Research. Read the ASA press release.

New ASA, ICSA Award Honors Boston Bombing Victim

The ASA and the International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA) have established an award in the memory of Lingzi Lu, the first-year Boston University master's degree statistics student killed in the Boston Marathon bombing. The Lingzi Lu Memorial Award will honor the life and accomplishments of Lingzi, an ambitious, talented and vibrant student with tremendous potential. It will be presented to an individual in a master's program in statistics or who has recently completed his or her degree. The award will support the recipient's studies and provide support for travel to the ASA's annual Conference on Statistical Practice. Learn more about this award or make a contribution.

ASA Honors 59 New Fellows

The ASA today announced 59 members are being honored as 2013 ASA Fellows. Honorees are being recognized for outstanding professional contributions to and leadership in the field of statistical science. The new fellows are from 21 states and six countries. The fellows will be awarded certificates at a ceremony August 6 at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Read the ASA press release.

ASA Member Wins Prestigious Shaw Prize

David L. Donoho, ASA member and Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of the Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, was named the recipient of the 2013 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences.

The Shaw Prizes honor individuals who have achieved a significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or applications and whose work has resulted in a positive and profound impact on mankind. Read more...

Sen. Hagan Introduces Statistics2013 Resolution

The American Statistical Association (ASA) today praised Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) for the introduction of a resolution designating this year as the International Year of Statistics. Hagan introduced the resolution in the Senate May 21. The measure was referred to the chamber's Judiciary Committee for further consideration. "ASA and its more than 18,000 members are extremely grateful to Sen. Hagan for introducing this special Senate resolution," said ASA President Marie Davidian. Read the ASA press release.

ASA Member Nominated to Head Census Bureau

President Barack Obama last Thursday nominated ASA member John H. Thompson, president and CEO of the National Opinion Research Center, to be the next director of the U.S. Census Bureau. As its leader, Thompson will be responsible for preparing the agency for the 2020 Decennial Census. "Everybody is faced with issues of doing more with less and doing it faster," Thompson said. "The environment we're in right now is changing dynamically, and there are a lot of exciting things going on. We just have to make sure we take advantage of that."

Thompson is an excellent candidate to lead the agency as it prepares for 2020, and the ASA applauds his nomination. Thompson held several senior management positions at the Census, including associate director for the 2000 Census and chief of the decennial management division. He is an ASA Fellow (2000) and chaired the ASA Social Statistics Section in 2011. If confirmed by the Senate, Thompson will replace another ASA member, Robert M. Groves, who left the post last August. Read the Washington Post article here.

Statistical Analysis and Data Mining Special Issue

The latest special issue of Statistical Analysis and Data Mining is out! The "Best of CIDU 2011" can be found here. ASA Members can take advantage of Wiley's International Year of Statistics Free Journal Trial Offer here.

Call for Nominations: Editor of CHANCE Magazine

Nominations and applications are being sought for the next editor of CHANCE magazine. Working with the editorial board and the ASA's magazine staff, the editor will provide direction and vision for the magazine, which has been published by the ASA for more than 20 years. The editor's term will be from 2014 to 2016.

Along with a curriculum vitae and the names of two references, applicants should provide a statement of vision for CHANCE. Nominations and applications should be submitted by June 24 to Megan Murphy, ASA communications manager, at megan@amstat.org.

Morganstein Elected 110th ASA President

David Morganstein, MA, a senior statistician at Westat, was elected the 110th president of the American Statistical Association. Morganstein will begin serving a year as the ASA president-elect January 1 and will become ASA president January 1, 2015.


ASA members also elected Jeri Metzger Mulrow, a program director and senior mathematical statistician with the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics at the National Science Foundation, as an ASA vice president. She will begin her term January 1.

ASA members also elected three new representatives to the Board of Directors for terms starting January 1:

• Cynthia R. Long, director of research and professor at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, was elected as the Council of Sections Governing Board representative.
• Dan Jeske, professor and statistics department chairman and director of the Statistical Consulting Collaboratory at the University of California, Riverside, was elected as the Council of Chapters Governing Board representative.
• Ming-Yen Cheng, professor in the Department of Mathematics at National Taiwan University, was elected International Representative to the Board.

Lastly, new officers were elected for each of the ASA's 25 sections. Read the ASA press release. The complete ASA election results are available here.

INGenIOuS Project to Think Strategically About Future Mathematics and Statistics Professionals

The increasingly complex scientific and social problems faced by the nation demand innovative solutions and require a workforce that is trained to meet these challenges. To best position mathematics and statistics departments and students to meet 21st century needs, the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the American Statistical Association (ASA), in partnership with the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematicians (SIAM), are bringing together thought leaders to develop strategies for future investments in training at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Via the INGenIOuS project, we plan to establish a community of stakeholders from academic institutions, professional societies, government agencies, and industry to think strategically about enhancing recruitment, retention, and job placement in the mathematics and statistics communities. The INGenIOuS project, which is pending funding from the National Science Foundation, will be facilitated in collaboration with a team from Knowinnovation. With a series of online activities, including live virtual panels and forum discussions, the project will culminate in the publication of six white papers and a 3-day workshop at the ASA headquarters in the Washington, D.C., area this July. Those interested in participating can sign up at www.ingeniousmathstat.org.

Nate Silver is Featured Speaker for JSM 2013

Celebrated statistician Nate Silver, the founder of the award-winning FiveThirtyEight.com political website, will be the President's Invited Address speaker at the 2013 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM 2013) August 5 in Montréal, announces American Statistical Association (ASA) President Marie Davidian. Learn more.

Interested in Becoming an Accredited Professional Statistician™?

The American Statistical Association has recently expanded the benefits of becoming an Accredited Professional Statistician™. ASA Accreditation is a portfolio-based credential available to only ASA members. It is completely voluntary and intended for those who think such a credential would be meaningful in their professional lives.

Learn more, View extra benefits, or Request an Application

Winner of Free ASA Membership

Congratulations to Orlando Pichardo, winner of the March drawing for FREE ASA membership.

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