Jeffrey Morris, JSM Program Committee Chair

Planning for the 2016 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM) program started last July, so most technical sessions have already been organized. The advanced planning required to organize such an expansive meeting as JSM precludes scheduling sessions on contemporary topics of emerging interest as the year progresses. As a result, we have set aside two invited session slots for late-breaking topics, for which anyone can submit a proposal.

A late-breaking session must cover one or more technical, scientific, or policy-related topics that have arisen during the one-year period prior to JSM 2016. Proposals for late-breaking sessions should be emailed to JSM 2016 program chair, Jeffrey S. Morris, at jefmorris@mdanderson.org with a copy to the ASA meetings department at meetings@amstat.org by April 15. The proposal must include the following:

• Session description—including a title, summary of statistical and scientific content, and explanation of the subject’s timeliness and significance—and comments about the intended target audience
• Format of the session (e.g., a chair and four panelists, 2–3 speakers and a discussant, etc.)
• Names, affiliations, and contact information for the session organizer, chair, and all participants (speakers, panelists, discussants)
• A title for each presentation in the session
• Web links to relevant technical reports or news reports, if applicable

Organizers should make sure the participants agree to participate before the proposal is submitted. The JSM participation guidelines state that a speaker can give a main presentation and participate in a late-breaking session at the same meeting, so previous commitment to a regular session does not preclude participation.

Two late-breaking sessions will be selected from the proposals received by the deadline (subject to approval by the ASA Committee on Meetings). Proposals will be judged on statistical and scientific quality, timeliness, significance and impact, potential audience appeal, and completeness.