Comments for Amstat News

Comment on The ASA and Big Data by David Madigan

David Madigan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:10:38 +0000

ASA does have a big data journal! Statistical Analysis and Data Mining

Comment on The ASA and Big Data by Thomas Speidel

Thomas Speidel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:28:47 +0000

Great article. I think it is safe to say that for the most part statisticians have been snobbing big data/data science the same way we snobbed data mining a decade or more ago. But while data mining remained low on people’s and company’s radar, big data is now everywhere and it’s here to stay. It’s clear that this attitude is not constructive and will just reinforce the image problem statisticians have had in many fields.

I am quite happy to see that efforts are being taken to involve us in big data because I totally agree with the authors in that we have a lot to contribute.

I would add a fourth reason behind the disconnect between statisticians and big data: commercial interests. A lot of the discourse around big data is biased towards software solutions aimed at storing and managing massive amount of data. Some of the commercial focus is also aimed at one stop analysis packages that are supposed to make it easier for the end user to engage in data analysis. Statisticians who are used to sampling and a limited number of software packages naturally are not too interested in automated solutions.

The fact that big data or data science is not well defined does not make it a reason for us not to be involved. ML folks have been much more involved than us in this field and are clearly contributing the overall methodological direction of everything that is data science. Statisticians have just as much to contribute (think of how applicable statistical genetic methodologies could be towards big data): is there something we can learn from other fields? Can we contribute more work on developing methods that specifically address big data challenges? Can we write more papers that compare the advantages and disadvantages of, say, logistic regression vs. classification trees in the context of big data?

Comment on 2013 Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference by 2013 Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference (October 15–17) | Científicos.pe

2013 Nonclinical Biostatistics Conference (October 15–17) | Científicos.pe — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:16:23 +0000

[...] Fuente: AMSTATNEWS [...]

Comment on Staff Spotlight by bikini wax

bikini wax — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 02:15:06 +0000

Some professionals are able to register as a Bikini Wax as more of a discomfort than pain
after having three or four.

Comment on Congress Finalizes FY13 Budgets by Steve Pierson

Steve Pierson — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:45:45 +0000

Morris, fortunately, the Senate did not agree to the House’s elimination of the ACS or making it voluntary so the ACS remains as it was last year. You can expect similar amendments to the FY14 spending bills this year. For more on this, see this blog entry from one month ago: http://community.amstat.org/Blogs/BlogViewer/?BlogKey=6d475267-efb2-4082-a3f7-f501b7511b47. A more recent blog entry discusses briefly what the Canadians found in the conversion of their mandatory long-form Census to a voluntary survey: http://community.amstat.org/Blogs/BlogViewer/?BlogKey=6d475267-efb2-4082-a3f7-f501b7511b47.

While the ACS seems to have dodged a bullet for FY13, the threat remains and the Census Bureau has to deal with a major cut to its budget.

Comment on Congress Finalizes FY13 Budgets by Morris Olitsky

Morris Olitsky — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:14:28 +0000

Hello,
What happened to the American Community Survey? Will it continue? Thank you.

Comment on WSS Members Serve as Expert Judges on Science Fair Circuit by Susan Ellenberg

Susan Ellenberg — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:49:25 +0000

So nice to see this article! Lee Abramson and Glenn White have been judging these fairs since we initiated this as a yearly WSS activity in the mid-1980s, so special kudos to them!

Comment on The ASA and Big Data by RP

RP — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:58:30 +0000

Great news! Did you consider creating a new journal (just ASA or ASA + another association) entirely devoted to Big Data? Or at least a section in a major statistics journal? Or, maybe, a section in a popular magazine like Significance? These could help bring some attention to us.

Comment on Finding the Balance by Marx Arellano

Marx Arellano — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:41:51 +0000

Dear Amy
It’s great you’ve founded this balance. Congratulations!
One of the best creative generating techniques is to blend two or more elements of diferents species and get a new hability that none of the originals have. (When you blend fire and a man, you get a “fireman”, whose is capable of bring the fire into control again; tread and wax blend into a candle, which allow a flame that is self feeded, self controled and long lasting source of ligth.)
What is this new hability you have that none of the “police makers”, “statisticians” nor “survey makers” have?
Which field would provide a better development opportunities for you?
Have a nice day!

Comment on Stats for Scientists Proposal Draws ASA’s Attention by Margaret Nemeth

Margaret Nemeth — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:20:41 +0000

I find it refreshing that Schlotter has recognized the need for statistics education within the field of chemistry. I provided statistical support for chemists (process, formulation, analytical) within industry for many years and most chemists never were exposed to statistics during their college education. I agree with Ben that current chemistry professors do not have the skill base to teach statistics. However, this can be remedied if chemistry departments partner with statistics departments and the ASA.