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The Section on Bayesian Statistical Science held its traditional meetings
at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Toronto in August 2004, an Executive
Committee Meeting on August 8 (attended by 11 people) and a Business
Meeting/Mixer on August 10 (attended by approximately 100 people).
The budget of the section remains very healthy due to recent success in
continuing education programs. As a result the section has become more
aggressive in supporting student travel (doubling the size of awards - see
below) and in supporting relevant meetings and prizes.
2004 Program Chair Peter Mueller pulled together an excellent program at
the JSM. In addition, 2004 Program Chair-Elect Ming-Hui Chen continued the
section's run of successful continuing education programs. Five short
courses at the 2004 JSM earned the section more than $11,000 dollars.
Travel awards - SBSS has a tradition of supporting student travel to
JSM. In the past this had yielded approximately 10 applicants each
year, each qualified applicant receiving up to $200. As a result of
the recent successful short course programs the SBSS Executive
Committee voted in 2003 to authorize $400 awards. An unanticipated
demand in 2004 (23 student applications and 5 Savage Award finalists)
caused the section to lower the amount awarded and to revise the
program. The new Student Paper Awards provide travel money for up to
10 students (as well as up to 10 Savage Award finalists) with up to
$400 per person. The 10 student winners will be chosen from among
applicants (who supply a paper and recommendation letter) by a review
committee comprised of the Program-Chair elect, the Past-Section-Chair
and two SBSS members chosen by the Past-Section-Chair.
This new program will debut in 2005 and be discussed at the 2005 Board
meeting.
ISBA World Meeting - SBSS was approached by the organizers of the 2004 ISBA
World Meeting in Chile with a request for $5000 in support. SBSS had
previously provided $5000 for the 2000 ISBA World Meeting in Greece. The
Executive Committee agreed to provide the funds subject to the stipulations
that the money be used for student travel (at least 90%) rather than
administrative expenses and that SBSS students receive priority. In
addition, the Executive noted that this money should be built into the
budget over more than one year so as to even expenses.
Awards/Prizes - The SBSS Executive also reviewed the status of Awards
affiliated with SBSS (Mitchell, Savage, Lindley, DeGroot). Briefly, SBSS
is among the Founders of the Lindley and DeGroot prizes awarded by ISBA.
This requires no specific obligation on the part of SBSS. SBSS is a
participant (along with ISBA, NBER and the Savage Foundation) in the Savage
Prize for best Bayesian doctoral dissertation. The prize is overseen by
the Savage Foundation with finalists invited to JSM (and provided travel
support). The Mitchell Prize is jointly run by SBSS, ISBA and the
Mitchell Prize Founders Committee through a committee comprised of one
representative from each. The SBSS seat is vacant and the Chair should
appoint a new member (still unfilled at year's end despite a few attempts).
The Mitchell Prize charter specifies annual awards but this has not always
happened. The Prize and its endowment are in some disarray and discussion
is underway among the organizing groups.
submitted by Hal Stern
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