John Finamore, SRMS Publications Officer

The Survey Research Methods Section (SRMS) webinar series was developed in response to a desire to provide members with the opportunity to obtain information about the latest trends in statistical methodology. The inaugural SRMS webinar occurred in November of 2009, when Mike Brick gave a talk titled, “Dual Frame Theory Applied to Landline and Cell Phone Surveys.” Since that time, SRMS has sponsored 10 additional webinars on the following topics:

• The Psychology of Survey Response (Roger Tourangeau)
• Surveys, Data, and Indicators from the NSF (Nimmi Kannankutty)
• Small-Area Estimation (Partha Lahiri)
• Address-Based Sampling (Michael Link)
• Sampling for Nonstatisticians (Safaa Amer)
• Reconsidering Mail Survey Methods in an Internet World (Don Dillman)
• Nonresponse Bias Analysis (Kristen Olson and Jill Montaquila)
• Modern Methods for Missing Data (Paul Allison)
• The Calibrated Bayes Approach to Sample Survey Inference (Rod Little)
• Paradata to Monitor and Analyze Survey Processes (Frauke Kreuter)

As the section plans its next set of webinars, suggestions for topics and presenters are wanted. If there is a subject you would like to know more about or a colleague you think would make a great presenter, email your suggestions to Marilyn Seastrom, SRMS education officer, at Marilyn.Seastrom@ed.gov or John Finamore, SRMS publications officer, at jfinamor@nsf.gov.

More information about the SRMS webinar series, including registration details and presentation slides from previous webinars, visit the ASA website.

2013 Travel Awards

The section also seeks applicants for the student travel award in doctoral programs in statistics, survey methodology, or allied disciplines. Support is offered for students to attend the 2013 Joint Statistical Meetings, to be held in Montréal, Québec, from August 3–8.

Preference will be given to students presenting a paper or poster at the conference. In addition, applications must be supported by a current member of SRMS. Approximately three awards will be granted to cover conference expenses up to $600. Winners are expected to attend JSM sessions and the SRMS business meeting.

The deadline for applications is December 3. If you have any questions or would like to request an application, contact Jill A. Dever at jdever@rti.org. Previous student travel award winners and JSM 2013 student paper competition winners are not eligible for this award.