Session Proposals Sought for JSM 2019

Rich Levine, JSM 2019 Program Chair

You read that right. JSM 2019 program planning has begun. This call always takes me aback. Here we each are in the throes of preparing for JSM 2018 Vancouver—organizing our alumni gatherings, salivating over the slam-packed conference program, locating the best eateries, stressing because we should have planned the pre-conference trip to Banff earlier—and then some highly organized, energetic, new program chair springs 2019 on us.

I know the dog days of summer are busy, but don’t let this opportunity pass you by. 2019 ASA President Karen Kafadar has set the JSM 2019 theme as “Statistics: Making an Impact.” Take a morning to organize your thoughts on one of the five session types highlighted below. The proposal process is easy—the deadline is September 6. Aim to make an impact in Denver!

Invited Paper and Panel Sessions

The classic invited session format consists of a session of talks, and perhaps commentary, by two to six speakers and discussants or a panel of three to six expert discussants. We are seeking sessions that address a hot topic of broad audience interest by a slate of engaging speakers/panelists. In fact, the most stimulating invited sessions present diverse viewpoints and strategies on a common topic, with speakers coming from different institutions and taking different approaches toward similar problems.

To organize a session, first set a theme and contact potential participants. Once these are determined, the proposal consists of the session title, a brief description/rationale, the list of participants, and tentative titles for the talks (these may be modified later). Proposals are submitted through the JSM online system, which opens July 18. The deadline for submission is September 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

As part of the submission process, you will select up to three sponsors (partner society, ASA section, etc.) in rank order for your proposed session. Once you submit a proposal through the online system, campaign for a sponsor! Most of the 209 invited sessions are allocated to partner societies and ASA sections. Furthermore, the ASA sections will select up to two proposals to enter into a competition for the remaining slots in the invited session program. You may find the contact for your desired sponsor on the program committee roster, which you can find on the JSM website when it goes up at the end of this month. Enlisting a proposal champion at the program committee table is a desired strategy. You must submit your proposal through the online system before contacting a program committee member sponsor representative. Given a meeting of this size and the number of balls the program committee juggles, the online submission ensures your proposal does not fall through the cracks.

As you are probably gathering, given the annual growth of JSM, the competition for an invited session slot is now fierce. Take the time to identify a fresh and important topic and provide an inspiring session description. You may also revise your proposal following a discussion with the program committee sponsor representative until the September 6 deadline. The goal is to make your proposal appealing to other committee members in the event it enters the selection competition. Finally, make sure your session participants follow the strict rules for participation.

Decisions about the invited program will be made by the end of September. Due to the limited number of sessions and increasing attendance, many strong invited session proposals will not be selected. Do not lose hope—you may submit your proposal later as a topic-contributed session.

Memorial Sessions

We will slot five memorial sessions at JSM 2019. Proposals must be submitted through the online invited session system, choosing “memorial session” as the sponsor. To maximize the odds of being selected for inclusion in the invited program, I recommend submitting memorial sessions by September 6 to enter the competition for an invited session. If the session is not selected by a partner organization or ASA section, the session proposal will be entered into the competition for one of the five memorial session slots. That said, I encourage you to contact me if you are planning to submit a memorial session. Final decisions will be made in the fall.

Invited Poster Sessions

We will continue the new tradition of an invited poster session of up to 30 electronic posters during the Opening Mixer. This session is an excellent opportunity for presenters to interact one-on-one with JSM attendees. Email your ideas to the JSM 2019 poster chair.

Introductory Overview Lectures

We are shooting for four Introductory Overview Lectures (IOLs) addressing state-of-the-art, important statistical topics of broad interest to JSM attendees. An IOL may be presented by an individual or a team. That said, I am looking for engaging, experienced lecturers with a facility for imparting potentially subtle ideas and deep concepts to a large audience. Do note that IOL speakers may also present an invited or contributed paper, panel, or poster at JSM. Contact me with suggestions for topics and/or speakers.

Statistics: Making an Impact

On behalf of all program committee members, I thank you in advance for helping JSM 2019 make an impact worthy of the majestic Rocky Mountains that will greet us each day in Denver July 27 to August 1, 2019!