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New Toolkit Will Help Statisticians Promote Profession

1 July 2015 363 views No Comment
Jeffrey A. Myers, ASA Public Relations Coordinator

UncleSam_Statistics

“Build it and they will come.” That’s the message Kevin Costner’s character heard in the movie “Field of Dreams” that persuaded him to build a baseball field and brought the long-deceased players of the 1919 Chicago White Sox back to life on his transformed Iowa cornfield.

Employing that same logic, the ASA built a new resource for its members, only it’s not a sports playing field. Instead, this resource is expressly designed to help statisticians promote their profession to high-school and college students.

It’s called the “This is Statistics Promotional Toolkit,” and it empowers ASA sections and chapters, college statistics departments, and individual members to carry the message about the rewarding career opportunities in statistics to young individuals at a time when they are pondering their future.

The toolkit was created to respond to the many inquiries the ASA has received from members about how they can contribute to the This is Statistics campaign.

Its promotional items are easy-to-implement and effective methods for communicating the key messages about statistics career opportunities with various audiences, including the ASA public awareness campaign’s primary audience of students and its secondary audiences of parents, statistics instructors, and high-school and college counselors.

Whether ASA members actively seek opportunities to talk about statistics careers with students or an opportunity presents itself, they will find the sources in this promotional toolkit valuable. They can use an individual toolkit item or combine items to maximize impact on their audience.

The promotional toolkit includes the following:

  • A PowerPoint presentation—ASA members can use this informative presentation at speaking engagements, such as school career days and talks to groups of students. It lays out the case for why a career in statistics is a great choice by introducing statistics, explaining its impact, and showcasing its wealth of opportunities.
  • Talking Points—If a speaker cannot use the PowerPoint presentation at a speaking opportunity, he or she can use these talking points to convey the same messages as those in the slides.
  • Fact sheets on careers in statistics—There are two-page and one-page handouts that make a strong case for why students should give serious thought to pursuing a career in statistics. Members can use them at events such as a statistics department open house or local career fair.
  • Guide to promoting statistics—This brief guide explains the type of opportunities at which each of the promotional toolkit items can be used and how to make the most impact with each resource.
  • This is Statistics Videos—At this online center, ASA members can download any of the statistician-profile videos produced for the public awareness campaign. This resource enables statisticians to select the video that best fits their presentation and/or audience.
  • By using the promotional toolkit, members will help perpetuate the important message that statistics is the career choice for students of today and tomorrow. And it will deliver well-timed critical insight about the profession to students and those who help them decide a future career.

    Members also can support the ASA’s public awareness campaign by following it on Twitter, liking it on Facebook, and sharing its social media messages with their professional and personal networks.

    Email recommendations for new toolkit items to jeffrey@amstat.org.

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