Brian P. Weaver, 2019 Section Chair

I’m humbled to have been selected by all of you to serve the Quality and Productivity Section (Q&P) as the 2019 chair. Q&P is a section for collaboration among statisticians from universities, manufacturing industries, and government agencies.

Q&P has had the good fortune to advance statistics through collaboration. As times have changed, the type of problems the typical Q&P researcher experiences has also evolved. We are now found working in areas such as customer call centers, fraud detection, and finance. As a result, the Q&P statistician has had to expand their statistical toolbox, reaching into the realms of statistical machine learning, parallel computing, uncertainty quantification, and other branches of statistics not traditionally associated with the quality researcher. It is an exciting time to be a section member!

I would like to thank all Q&P officers and volunteers. Many statisticians and other researchers greatly benefit from your contributions. If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or are interested in volunteering, please email me. I would love to meet you in person at one of Q&P’s sponsored events!

Every year, Q&P sponsors three conferences, student awards, and one achievement award.

2019 Quality and Productivity Research Conference (QPRC)

QPRC will be held at American University in Washington, DC, June 10–13, with a short course offered June 10. The theme of the 2019 conference is “Data and Science Bring Quality, Reliance.” We invite you to contribute a talk or poster presentation.

In conjunction with QPRC, the Mary G. and Joseph Natrella Scholarship offers a grant and travel stipend to students pursuing full-time graduate work with demonstrated interest in quality and statistics. More information is available online.

2019 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM)

JSM 2019 will be held from July 27 to August 1 in Denver, Colorado. Q&P will offer up to three JSM travel awards of $400 for students enrolled in a graduate program with a concentration in applied statistics and/or quality management. Student applicants must show a demonstrated interest in quality applications, as evidenced by coursework, research topics, or prior working experience. Applicants either presenting a paper or participating in a poster session will receive extra consideration. Complete information about the award and how to apply is posted online.

As JSM approaches, stay tuned for more information about Q&P-sponsored events, including the Q&P mixer.

2019 Fall Technical Conference (FTC)

The 63rd FTC will be held September 25–27, 2019, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The theme of this year’s conference is “Statistics: Setting the Standard for Success in Quality.” The goal is to engage researchers and practitioners in a dialogue that leads to more effective use of statistics to improve quality and foster innovation. For more information, visit the FTC website.

Gerald J. Hahn Q&P Achievement Award

Q&P continues to sponsor the Gerald J. Hahn Achievement Award. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding and sustained achievement and leadership in developing, promoting, and successfully improving the quality and productivity of products and organizational performance using statistical concepts and methods over a period of 20 or more years. Nominations are due February 28. For more information, visit the website.