ASA Headlines

Notice Regarding the "Heartbleed" Security Vulnerability

In response to the recently uncovered and highly publicized OpenSSL vulnerability ("Heartbleed"), we wanted to take a moment to reassure you that our websites and more specifically user information, are not vulnerable to this bug when using our servers.

New CareerCast Jobs Rated Report Ranks Statistician #3 Top Job

We are pleased to report that CareerCast.com has once again listed "statistician" as one of the top jobs in 2014 in the US, coming in at #3 in its "Jobs Rated Report." Read more here.

NIST Issues Call for New Forensic Science Committees

The ASA is urging members of the statistical community to apply for positions on the Organization of Scientific Area Committees, a newly established structure to strengthen forensic science. Statisticians are widely recognized as playing a pivotal role in forensic science reform, so the ASA wants to make sure statisticians are well represented on the more than 23 committees and subcommittees. See this ASA Community blog entry for more information.

Statistics Students Receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

The National Science Foundation announced the 2014 awardees of the Graduate Research Fellowship in early April. There were 11 awards for statistics, biostatistics, and computational statistics. Find out who won and more by reading this ASA Community blog entry.

April is Mathematics Awareness Month

The theme of Mathematics Awareness Month 2014-Mathematics, Magic and Mystery-echoes the title of a 1956 book by renowned math popularizer Martin Gardner. From magic squares and Möbius bands to magical card tricks and illusions, mysterious phenomena with elegant "Aha!" explanations have permeated mathematics for centuries. Such brain-teasing challenges promote creative and rational thinking, attract people to math, and inspire mathematical research. Help spread the word about this project that increases public appreciation for mathematics. To learn more, visit the ASA at 175 blog, World of Statistics blog and the April issue of Amstat News.

ASA Board Adopts VAMs Position Statement

The ASA Board has adopted a position statement to better inform the use of value-added models (VAMs) for educational assessment. The statement, which was adopted by the board of directors during its meeting April 4, notes the strengths and limitations of VAMs and makes several recommendations for their use in high-stakes decisions such as hiring or dismissing teachers. Read the statement or the press release.

Reason #1 to Vote in ASA Elections

If you need a compelling reason to vote in the ASA's ongoing elections, read the latest "ASA at 175" blog entry. In it, Executive Director Ron Wasserstein introduces you to ASA Board members and relates the commitment each makes to you and the entire association membership. By reading this post and additional entries Wasserstein will be posting during the lead-up to the board meeting this week, you'll learn how important their policymaking work is to the ASA's present and future. Remember, your vote matters. Vote now! Learn more about the elections.

New GStat Accreditation Unveiled

The ASA announced March 24 the launch of a new level to its voluntary, individual statistician accreditation program. Called Graduate Statistician, or GStat, the newly unveiled accreditation is designed for individuals who have attained the education requirements for the Professional Statistician (PStat^®) level, but do not yet possess the experience and expertise required for that higher level. Eligibility requirements for GStat include ASA membership, attainment of an advanced degree in statistics-a master's or doctorate-from an accredited university, and adherence to the ASA's Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice. Learn more in this "ASA at 175" blog post or this ASA press release.

Tarran Joins Significance as Editor

Brian Tarran is the new editor of Significance magazine. He will join the publication in mid-June from the United Kingdom-based Market Research Society, where he was the editor of Research Magazine and managed the launch and editorial direction of Impact magazine and www.Research-live.com. His work on Impact won the Launch of the Year Award at the 2013 International Content Marketing Association (CMA) Awards. In his interview, Tarran presented a compelling vision for Significance, which is a joint ASA-Royal Statistical Society public-outreach magazine. Learn more at this "ASA at 175" blog post.

ASA Members Stuart, Rockhold Named to Clinical Trials Panel

The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health biostatistics professor Elizabeth Stuart and GlaxoSmithKlein's Frank Rockhold were two of 10 people selected for the newly established Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute's (PCORI) Clinical Trials Advisory Panel. Named from among 231 candidates, the duo was selected for their proficiency in randomized trials and related topics. As panel members, they will provide expertise on the design and implementation of randomized controlled trials. Read more.

Lohr Named 2014 Deming Lecturer

Internationally renowned survey statistician Sharon L. Lohr has been named the 2014 Deming Lecturer. Lohr, who holds a doctorate in statistics and is a vice president at Westat, was selected for the honor by the ASA's Deming Lecture Committee. She will present a lecture August 5 during a special session at the 2014 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM 2014) in Boston. Lohr titled her lecture "Red Beads and Profound Knowledge: Deming and Quality of Education." JSM 2014 will be held August 2-7 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Read more.

Vote Now-Set the Course for the ASA

The ASA elections of the next president-elect, four Board members and new section leaders begin this Friday. That day, you will receive an email from ASA Executive Director Ron Wasserstein with election information and a link to your customized ballot. Click on the ballot link to cast your votes and help set the future course of your association. Postcards with voting information will be mailed to members for whom the ASA does not have email addresses. Candidate biographies can be found here. Cast your ballot before 11:59 p.m. (PDST) May 3. Your vote matters. Learn more about the elections.

COPSS Commissions New Book

Past, Present, and Future of Statistical Science, commissioned by the Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS) to celebrate its 50th anniversary and the International Year of Statistics, will be published in April by Taylor & Francis/CRC Press. Through the contributions of a distinguished group of 50 statisticians, the book showcases the breadth and vibrancy of statistics, describes current challenges and new opportunities, highlights the exciting future of statistical science, and provides guidance for future statisticians. Contributors are past COPSS award honorees. Click here for the table of contents. An open-access version will be available at www.copss.org.

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ASA Currently Accepting Applications for 2014 Lester R. Curtin Award

Applications are being accepted for the 2014 Lester R. (Randy) Curtin Award. Awardees receive support for travel to the ASA's annual Conference on Statistical Practice. Additional information can be found here.

Statistical Analysis and Data Mining Special Issue

The special issue of Statistical Analysis and Data Mining is out, featuring papers from JSM 2012. And starting in 2014, Statistical Analysis and Data Mining makes the move to online only!

Winner of Free ASA Membership

Congratulations to David Jiang, winner of the February drawing for FREE ASA membership.

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Other Recent Headlines

NSF Seeking Science Medal Nominations

The National Science Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2014 National Medal of Science. Established in 1959, it is the nation's premier honor for American scientists and engineers. Conferred by the U.S. president, the medal has been awarded to nearly 500 pioneering individuals. Several ASA members-including John Tukey (1973), Calyampudi Radhakrishna (C.R.) Rao (2002), Brad Efron (2007), and S.R. Srinivasa Varadhan (2011)-were honored with the medal. To nominate an exceptional colleague, submit a nomination form and three letters of support by April 11. Contact nms@nsf.gov or (703) 292-8040 with questions. Get the nomination form and learn more.

Evans Is New CHANCE Executive Editor

Scott R. Evans, a senior research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, is the new executive editor of CHANCE magazine. Evans' term began with the New Year and runs through 2016. He replaces Sam Behseta, a professor of statistics at California State University, Fullerton, who had led the magazine since 2011. Evans previously was an editor for CHANCE, is highly active in professional service, particularly in the ASA, and is an ASA Fellow. Read more.

Forbes Honors Two Young Statisticians

ASA members Genevera Allen, Rice University assistant professor of statistics, and Daniela Witten, an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Washington, were named to Forbes magazine's third annual 30 Under 30-a tally of the brightest stars in various fields under the age of 30. Both were honored in the Science and Health Care category. Allen was selected for assembling fMRI brain scan data to find brain areas that are turned on, yielding information about how we think. Witten, who was honored for the third consecutive year, uses statistical machine learning methods to analyze large data sets from DNA sequencing and other fields. Read more.

New ASA Journal Launched

Statistics and Public Policy, a new journal recently launched by the ASA, offers federal and state government decisionmakers, lawmakers at all government levels, policy analysts, statisticians and statistically trained professionals in other fields a fresh take on major public policy issues. The open-access publication–produced in electronic form only–features papers that apply effective statistical methodology to problems in the public policy and political science arenas. Go to amstat.tandfonline.com to access the inaugural issue. Read more.

Learn How to Celebrate ASA's 175th

If you're seeking information about why and how you can celebrate the ASA's landmark 175th anniversary, look no further than the ASA at 175 blogs on the 175th anniversary website authored by Executive Director Ron Wasserstein. In the blog series-current and future-Wasserstein highlights aspects of the 175th celebration and looks broadly at the ASA and its activities. Current entries review professional recognition, how the ASA acts strategically, and the ASA's Big Tent for Statistics philosophy. You are invited to contribute a post to this blog. To do so, contact Wasserstein at ron@amstat.org.

Risk-Limiting Audits Endorsed by Presidential Commission

The Presidential Commission on Election Administration’s report, issued this week, endorses risk-limiting audits (see page 66) — a method invented and piloted by ASA member Philip Stark and endorsed by the ASA Board in 2010. President Obama established the commission following the 2012 elections and charged it with making recommendations to increase efficient administration of federal elections and improve voter experience. In the report, the commission states: “The commission endorses both risk-limiting audits that ensure the correct winner has been determined according to a sample of votes cast and performance audits that evaluate whether the voting technology performs as promised and expected.”