About the ASA

The American Statistical Association (ASA) is a scientific and educational society founded in 1839 with the following mission: To promote excellence in the application of statistical science across the wealth of human endeavor.

ASA Fellows | Awards | Research Fellowships/Grants

About Amstat.org

Information on the history of this web site , finding your way around, and how to suggest a link.

Statisticians in History

A collection of biographies on some of the most widely recognized statisticians in our history.

ASA Presidential Papers

The complete collection of ASA Presidential Papers.

History of the ASA

What do Florence Nightingale, Alexander Graham Bell, Herman Hollerith, Andrew Carnegie, and Martin Van Buren have in common?

They were all members of the American Statistical Association (ASA), the second oldest professional association in the country which in 1999 celebrated its 160th anniversary. Founded in Boston one wintry morning in 1839, the association continues a tradition of promoting excellence in statistics in its application to the frontiers of science, from biological to socio-economic to the physical sciences.

The ASA founding fathers demonstrated early a commitment to statistical science in service to public welfare. Present at the organizing meeting held in the rooms of the American Education Society, Number 15 Cornhill, Boston, Massachusetts, on November 27, 1839, were William Cogswell, teacher, fund-raiser for the ministry, and genealogist; Richard Fletcher, lawyer and U.S. Congressman; John Dix Fisher, physician and pioneer in medical reform; Oliver Peabody, lawyer, clergyman, poet, and editor; and Lemuel Shattuck, statistician, genealogist, publisher, and author of perhaps the most significant single document in the history of public health to that date.

Thus was born the American Statistical Association, chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and by 1841 an energetic society with a roster of 109 members including the U.S. President, Martin Van Buren. Other early members included Florence Nightingale, Andrew Carnegie, Herman Hollerith, and Alexander Graham Bell.

It is that proud heritage that directs the organization, now almost 18,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and overseas. In government, academia, and the private sector, ASA members apply their expertise to diverse and vital areas that include:

• research in medical areas such as AIDS
• environmental risk assessment
• the development of new therapeutic drugs
• the exploration of space
• quality assurance in industry
• the examination of social issues such as the homeless and the poor
• analytic research on current business problems and economic forecasting
• the setting of standards for statistics used at all levels of government
• the promotion and development of statistical education for the public and the profession
• and the expansion of methods and the use of computers and graphics to advance the science of statistics

More History: The First 160 Years

The ASA Seal

The seal first appeared in 1902 on the cover of JASA. Thirty-five years later (1937) the seal was accepted by the Board. The significance of the symbols used in the seal is as follows: The Pillar in the middle represents orderliness. The Eagle represents spirit, intellect, and since it is a Bald Eagle it represents America. The Snakes represent Mercury slamming the Caduceus between the quarreling snakes to create peace. The snakes are separate and appeared at the same time that the analysis of variance was published in 1902.

ASA Vision Statement

"To be a world leader in promoting statistical practice, applications, and research; publishing statistical journals; improving statistical education; and advancing the statistics profession."

For more information on our strategic plan and policies, see the following:

• Vision, Mission and History
• Constitution of the American Statistical Association
• By-Laws  

Strategic Plan for ASA

The Strategic Plan focuses beyond the immediate or short-term concerns of running an organization and emphasizes where the organization would like to be in five to ten years.

ASA Activities & Organizations

ASA activities are largely organized around Chapters , Committees and Sections. Chapters and Sections are gathered into, respectively, the Council of Sections and the Council of Chapters. The ASA Staff helps coordinate member activities, with oversight from the Board of Directors.

For newsworthy information about the American Statistical Association, visit our Press Rooms.

Organizational Roster - Linked to database; please send us corrections.

Note: The above roster lists officers of Chapters, Sections, and Committees. For other pages about these groups, use the following links:

• Chapters | Committees | Sections
  
  
• Council of Sections | Council of Chapters
  
  
• ASA Board of Directors | ASA Leadership Biographies


• Membership Directory
  
  
• ASA Staff List
  
  
• Directions to the ASA Office
  
  
• Careers at ASA

ASA Membership

Members can join Sections , participate in their local Chapter , and vote in elections, in addition to receiving Amstat News and selected publications . In addition, members have access to theMembers Only area of Amstat Online. Members may be eligible for certain Awards or Fellowships .

• Becoming a Member
• ASA - A Smart Investment in Your Career
• Corporate Supporters & Institutional Members
• School Members

ASA Archives Policy

ASA Archives Policy and Guidelines

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