Nilupa Gunaratna
Statistics Without Borders (SWB) is planning an active role at this year’s Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), sponsoring, co-sponsoring, or hosting more than 30 sessions and events. An outreach group of the American Statistical Association, SWB provides pro bono statistical consulting internationally to organizations and government agencies that do not have the resources for statistical services. JSM is an ideal opportunity to learn more about SWB and get involved.
Newcomers are welcome to the SWB business meeting, where they will meet the group and hear about current activities and consulting projects. For those who are already SWB members, the business meeting allows for face-to-face interaction, discussion of new and upcoming volunteer opportunities on projects or committees, feedback on the past year’s activities, and input on plans for the coming year.
The SWB business meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. August 6 in the Palais des congrès de Montréal, Room 524c. For those who are not able to attend the business meeting or who want to know more, SWB will have an informational table staffed by volunteers during the meetings. If you can’t make it to Montréal this August, SWB will make arrangements for you to dial into the business meeting by telephone.
In addition to the business meeting, SWB is the primary sponsor of an invited panel on science diplomacy and survey methodology in North Korea (August 7 at 2 p.m.). This will be an exciting event, bringing together professional statisticians from SWB, the chancellor of the first and only private university in North Korea, and a pioneer of science diplomacy for the U.S. government who served as the first senior advisor of science and technology to the U.S. Secretary of State.
Two topic-contributed panels—one on public health and environmental surveys in developing countries (August 4 at 2 p.m.) and the other on the contributions and challenges of statistical practice in developing countries (August 5 at 8:30 a.m.)—will feature recent SWB projects. We also are sponsoring a contributed oral poster session and co-sponsoring 26 other sessions and events. Please check the JSM program for details.
SWB has nearly 1000 volunteer members, hailing from all continents and including statisticians from academia, industry, and government; students from universities and high schools; and retirees.
Survival Analysis SWB projects?
1. U5 (five year mortality rate) of Afghan refugees in Pakistan refugee camps before and after humanitarian aid was an SWB project for the International Rescue Committee. It was reported at JSM San Diego 2012 “Survival Function Estimation from Current Status Data.”
2. Breast implant reliability analysis for UK National Health Service showed problems with one manufacturer and potential problems with another.
3. UN Guidelines for consumer protection imply some need(s) for product and system safety and reliability information.
Life data is not necessary for survival analysis. Birth and death counts may be statistically sufficient for nonparametric survival analysis. Are there any SWB projects that would benefit from survival analyses? Does the opportunity for survival analysis without life data suggest any SWB projects? I’d like to help.