Sections
ASA Section List
Click the name of a section below to read a brief description of it. Also available is a link to the section's web site.
Bayesian Statistical Science (est. 1992)
Biometrics (est. 1938)
Biopharmaceutical (est. 1981)
Business and Economic Statistics (est. 1950)
Government Statistics (est. 1988)
Health Policy Statistics (est. 1994)
Mental Health Statistics (est. 2013)
Nonparametric (est. 1999)
Physical and Engineering Sciences (est. 1954)
Quality and Productivity (est. 1989)
Risk Analysis (est. 1994)
Social Statistics (est. 1953)
Statistical Computing (est. 1972)
Statistical Consulting (est. 1991)
Statistical Education (est. 1948)
Statistical Graphics (est. 1985)
Statistics in Imaging (est. 2012)
Statistical Learning and Data Mining (est. 2009)
Statistical Programmers and Analysts (est. 2009)
Statistics and the Environment (est. 1990)
Statistics in Defense and National Security (est. 2004)
Statistics in Epidemiology(est. 1992)
Statistics in Marketing (est. 1991)
Statistics in Sports (est. 1992)
Survey Research Methods (est. 1978)
Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences (est. 1991)
Bayesian Statistical Science (est. 1992)
The broad objectives of the Bayesian section are to encourage research on theory and methods of statistical inference and decisionmaking associated with Bayes' theorem and to encourage the application and proper use of Bayesian procedures in the behavioral, biological, managerial, engineering, environmental, legal, medical, pharmaceutical, physical, and social sciences.
Biometrics (est. 1938)
The principal interests of the Biometrics Section are the development and application of statistical methods; the formulation of mathematical models, whether deterministic or stochastic, to describe and explain underlying mechanisms and modes of action of fundamental processes; and the interpretation of quantitative data in the biological sciences.
Biopharmaceutical (est. 1981)
The special interest of the Biopharmaceutical Section is the application of statistics to the development and use of therapeutic drugs and devices in humans and animals.
Business and Economic Statistics (est. 1950)
This section sponsors activities promoting the advancement of economic statistics.
Government Statistics (est. 1988)
The special interests of this section are in the production and use of statistics by all levels of government and in the practice of statistics in the public sector. These interests include concerns with statistical policy issues, quality and usefulness of government data products, special problems of state and local data, and the role of professional statisticians in public programs.
Health Policy Statistics (est. 1994)
The primary objective of this section is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of health care in the United States and abroad through the systematic use of quantitative statistical methods. HPSS fosters the development of statistical methods specifically designed for health care and policy decisionmaking by organizing and sponsoring conferences and workshops about methodological issues relevant to health care and policy research.
Mental Health Statistics Section (est. 2013)
The Mental Health Statistics Section aims to provide a forum for communication among statisticians interested in mental health research, to facilitate the development and application of sound statistical methods for mental health studies, and to promote career opportunities for statisticians in mental health research.
Nonparametric (est. 1999)
The objective of this section is to provide a forum for Association members with interests in flexible statistical methods that make only minimal assumptions on the underlying population or modeling structure. Focus areas include, but are not limited to, distribution free, nonparametric and semiparametric methods, and methods for high-dimensional and functional data. The section embraces the myriad of methodologies, philosophies and applications that comprise contemporary nonparametric statistics, seeks to promote research, education and training in them and to build cooperative relationships within and outside the ASA with those who have interest in nonparametrics.
Physical and Engineering Sciences (est. 1954)
The objectives of the Section on Physical and Engineering Sciences are to promote application and appropriate use of statistical thinking, practices, and techniques in the physical and engineering sciences; encourage and/or participate in developing (or adapting) statistical practices and techniques suited to the physical and engineering sciences; support the growth and development of section members; and promote the exchange of information among and between statisticians and scientists/engineers concerning statistical problems (solved or unsolved) arising in the physical and engineering sciences.
Quality and Productivity (est. 1989)
The mission of this section is to promote quality and productivity through the development, teaching, and proper application of statistical thinking and tools.
Risk Analysis (est. 1994)
The principal objectives of the Section on Risk Analysis are to study and develop the methodology of risk analysis and risk assessment so as to apply them to various subject matter areas.
Social Statistics (est. 1953)
This section seeks to advance research in social statistics, both in areas that involve the use of methods of statistical inquiry and in those that involve the use of statistical data and the development of statistical measurement.
Statistical Computing (est. 1972)
The principal areas of interest of the Statistical Computing Section include encouraging the application of computer hardware, software, and systems to statistical problems; encouraging the application of statistical techniques in the design, maintenance, and evaluation of computer hardware, software, and systems; encouraging the joint application of statistical techniques and computer technology in other fields; serving as a focal point for computer-oriented activities within the American Statistical Association, including cooperation and liaison with computer-oriented organizations and developers and vendors of statistical software; and encouraging research in statistical computing and communication of the results of this research.
Statistical Consulting (est. 1991)
Statistical consulting is a challenging and rewarding part of statistics. A consultant uses the art and science of statistics to solve a practical problem from many fields, including marketing, product design, manufacturing, medicine, agriculture, or genetics. Good consulting requires a strong technical background in statistics, good people skills, and, for many, good business sense.
Statistical Education (est. 1948)
This section is broadly interested in the effective use of education as a means of improving the quality of existing applications of statistics and increasing the use of statistics in those areas of study where it offers the most efficient procedure for attacking unsolved problems.
Statistical Graphics (est. 1985)
The principal objectives of this section are to foster understanding and proper use of statistical graphics in statistics, other scientific fields, the mass media, and the general public and to encourage the teaching of statistical graphics in universities, colleges, secondary schools, and primary schools, as well as encourage research in statistical graphics.
Statistics in Imaging (est. 2012)
Statistical Learning and Data Mining (est. 2009)
This section encourages the use of statistical learning methods in data mining applications and creates forums for presentation and discussion of research in these fields. Members support and encourage high-quality educational offerings and initiatives.
Section for Statistical Programmers and Analysts (est. 2009)
This section encourages a broad discussion of programming concepts, theories, and techniques used for statistical analysis. Also, discussion of cross-functional activities and pre-analysis (e.g. data management) activities that affect statistical programming work are encouraged.
Statistics and the Environment (est. 1990)
This section is interested in a broad range of statistical issues and activities linked by a common focus on the development and application of statistical methods to environmental research and policy.
Statistics in Defense and National Security (est. 2004)
The purpose of this section is to provide a forum for statisticians working in the areas of defense, military research, national security, homeland security, and counterterrorism.
Statistics in Epidemiology (est. 1992)
This section's aims are to promote sound statistical practice in epidemiology, develop statistical methods appropriate to epidemiologic research, and advance substantive issues in public health.
Statistics in Marketing (est. 1991)
The Statistics in Marketing Section is comprised of statisticians with a distinct interest in marketing statistics. Its purpose is to foster the improvement of statistics in marketing, with particular emphasis on encouragement of the development and application of statistical methods in the analysis of marketing data, improvement of statistics relating to consumer and industrial marketing, procedures followed in the collection and reporting of marketing data, formulation of statistical models to describe the consumer behavior underlying the marketing process, and statistical decision theory, as applied to marketing decision models.
Statistics in Sports (est. 1992)
The principal objectives of this section are to foster statistics and its applications in sports, promote unity and effectiveness of effort among all concerned with statistical problems in sports, and increase the contribution of statistics in sports.
Survey Research Methods (est. 1978)
The mission of the Section on Survey Research Methods is to promote the improvement of survey practice and the understanding of survey methods by encouraging both theoretical and applied research on survey-related topics and by disseminating information on survey methods.
Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences (est. 1991)
This section is devoted to excellence in teaching statistical methods and basic epidemiology and in statistical consulting within the health sciences.
ASA Interest Groups
Transportation Statistics
Established 2003
Statistics Interest Group for Medical Devices and Diagnostics
Established February 2006
Statistics in Business Schools
Established August 2008
Uncertainty Quantification in Complex Systems
Established January 2011