Celebrate the Significance of Mathematics and Statistics

April is Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month

April marks a time to increase the understanding and appreciation of mathematics and statistics. Why? Because both subjects play a significant role in addressing many real-world problems—climate change, disease, sustainability, the data deluge, internet security, and much more. Research in these and other areas is ongoing, revealing new results and applications every day in fields such as medicine, manufacturing, energy, biotechnology, and business. Mathematics and statistics are important drivers of innovation in our technological world, in which new systems and methodologies continue to become more complex.

“Because of the massive increase in the amount of data available, and because of the important contributions of statistics to making sense of the data, statisticians are in hot demand,” said Ron Wasserstein, the ASA’s executive director. “Jobs in statistics command good pay, have great working conditions, and allow individuals to solve problems that make a difference to the world.”

In the age of Big Data, statistics underlies almost every decision made today, whether it’s the effectiveness of a new drug or treatment or the debut of a mobile device. Statistics is how analysts convert raw data into useful information, from studies of proteins to surveys of galaxies.

Research in statistics and the mathematical sciences is important for its applications and because it trains one in critical thinking and problem solving. From magic squares and Möbius bands to magical card tricks and illusions, mysterious phenomena with elegant “Aha!” explanations have been part of both subjects for centuries.

This month, let’s celebrate mathematics and statistics and the diverse researchers and students in these fields who are contributing so much to furthering discoveries, solving problems, and finding beauty in our world.

Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month is a program of the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM)—a collaborative effort of the American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

If you would like an 11 x 17 printed copy of the poster mailed to you, email the ASA’s communication manager, Megan Murphy.