Physical and Engineering Sciences News for April

Ananda Sen, SPES JSM Program Chair-elect

The ASA Section on Physical and Engineering Sciences will sponsor three roundtables covering topics from being a Bayesian in a collaborative environment to what it takes to be successful as a statistician in industry.

• Sabyasachi Basu from Boeing will offer his perspectives on a successful transition from academia to industry and vice versa. In the PM roundtable titled “Academia and Industry: Can a Statistician Move Successfully from One to the Other?” Basu will explore what it takes to make such a transition smoothly and effectively, while offering advice borne out of his own experience.
• Stephanie DeHart from DuPont has something to offer to recent and soon-to-be graduate students seeking a career in industry, government, or academia. In an AM roundtable titled “SWING Into a Successful Statistical Career,” DeHart will discuss tips for a successful job search. The roundtable also will provide pointers for facing the challenges of a new career and emerging as a successful statistician.
• Alyson Wilson from North Carolina State University will bring her insights as a Bayesian with extensive experience collaborating on government projects. During an AM roundtable, she will lead a discussion titled “Infusing Bayesian Thinking in Collaborative Projects.” The forum will be amenable to participants sharing their experiences working on collaborations for which the Bayesian paradigm is a natural fit.

Roundtables are a forum to exchange ideas with peers in a small-group setting. They provide a unique opportunity to network with professionals in the statistical community who share a common point of interest, so spread the word to those you think might be interested. Details will be available via the JSM 2015 online program.

Roundtables are fee events and limited to 10 people (including the lead discussant), so register early.

To encourage student participation, SPES will provide scholarships for students to attend one of these roundtables. Interested students should send his/her CV and a brief cover letter expressing interest for a specific roundtable to Ananda Sen at anandas@umich.edu by May 4.