COPSS Awards

Each year, the Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS) recognizes outstanding members of our profession during the Joint Statistical Meetings. Nominations are an important part of the process, and everyone can contribute. We recognize excellence in our mentors, colleagues, and friends, and it is important to single out those who have made exceptional contributions to the profession.

The following three COPSS awards will be presented during JSM 2020, to be held in Philadelphia, August 1–6:

The Presidents’ Award is presented annually to a young member of one of the participating COPSS societies in recognition of outstanding contributions to the statistics profession. It is typically granted to an individual who either i) has not yet reached his or her 41st birthday during the calendar year of the award or ii) will be under age 46 throughout the award calendar year and will have received a terminal statistically related degree no more than 12 years prior to that year. Nominations must be sent by December 15, 2019—preferably by email in PDF format—to Susan Halabi, chair of the COPSS Presidents’ Award Committee.

The Fisher Award and Lectureship, awarded annually, was established in 1963 by COPSS to honor the outstanding contributions of the late Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher and those of a current statistician for aspects of statistics and probability that closely relate to the scientific collection and interpretation of data. The award exists to recognize the importance of statistical methods for scientific investigations. Nominations must be sent by December 15, 2019—preferably by email in PDF format—to Sharon-Lise Normand, chair of the COPSS Fisher Lecture and Award Committee.

The Elizabeth L. Scott Award and Lectureship is presented biennially (even-numbered years) to an individual—male or female—who has helped foster opportunities in statistics for women. The 2020 award winner will deliver the first E. L. Scott Lecture at JSM in Philadelphia. Nominations must be sent by December 15, 2019—preferably by email in PDF format—to Elizaveta Levina, chair of the COPSS Scott Lecture and Award Committee.

Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award

Nominations for the 2020 Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award can be submitted beginning January 2, 2020.

The award honors Jeanne E. Griffith, who died in 2001 after working for more than 25 years in the federal statistical system. It acknowledges supervisors, technical directors, team coordinators, or other members of government statistical staff who have made unique efforts to mentor younger staff. The award includes a plaque and $1,000 honorarium.

Nomination packages can be emailed to Rick Peterson or mailed to The Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award Committee, c/o The American Statistical Association, 732 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1943.

If you have questions about the award, contact Peterson or Bill Mockovak, chair of the award committee.

Waksberg Award

The journal Survey Methodology has established an annual invited paper series in honor of the late Joe Waksberg to recognize his outstanding contributions to survey methodology. Each year, a prominent survey statistician is chosen to write a paper that reviews the development and current state of an important topic in the field of survey methodology. The paper reflects the mixture of theory and practice that characterized Joe Waksberg’s work.

The recipient of the Waksberg Award will receive an honorarium and give the 2021 Waksberg Invited Address at the Statistics Canada Symposium, expected to be held in the autumn of 2021. The paper will be published in a future issue of Survey Methodology (targeted for December 2021).

The author of the 2021 Waksberg paper will be selected by a four-person committee appointed by Survey Methodology and the ASA.

Nominations of individuals to be considered as authors or suggestions for topics should be sent before February 28, 2020, to the committee chair, Bob Fay.