Wendy Martinez

It may seem unbelievable as we approach the end of this challenging year that I write about being grateful for 2020. But, I am. We faced challenges, big and small, and responded as a community with humility and understanding. Although I will not be able to recognize by name every individual who contributed or every group that stepped up, I want to use this column to express my gratitude to all of my colleagues around the world.

The many dedicated K–12, college, and university faculty and staff who remain focused on student learning are truly amazing. Reading the tweets that share tips, resources, and humor, I am grateful students are learning, even in these challenging times. So, thank you to our colleagues in the Statistics and Data Science Education Section.

Speaking of our ASA colleagues, I want to give a shout out to Glen Wright Colopy, the creator and host of Pod of Asclepius. His latest project is a series of podcasts on the philosophy of data science, which is the first of what will be an “annual series directed at early-career statisticians and data scientists to provide in-depth understanding of a single topic to augment the formal graduate school curriculum.”

By now, virtual and conference or workshop are almost synonyms, but I know the effort required to move an event from face-to-face to virtual is substantial. The first ASA conference to go from in-person to virtual in 2020 was the Symposium on Data Science and Statistics (SDSS). Naomi Friedman, Dave Hunter, and the SDSS 2020 Program Committee paved the way for all of us. Of course, a conference is nothing without the speakers and attendees. So, I am eternally grateful for the willingness of our colleagues to be flexible and make these events a success.

Some of you might not be aware of the annual Meeting Within a Meeting (MWM), which is held during the Joint Statistical Meetings. MWM is a workshop that provides middle- and high-school math and science teachers with “an opportunity to discuss and apply the data analysis, data science, and statistical concepts embodied in the NCTM Catalyzing Change books and the American Statistical Association’s Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE): A Pre-K–12 Curriculum Framework.” I thank Chris Franklin, Katherine Halvorsen, Kaycie Maddox, Catherine Case, and Rebecca Nichols for ensuring attendees had a valuable experience in a virtual format.

I am grateful for the members of the Committee on Minorities in Statistics and JSM Diversity Mentoring Program, as well as the StatFest teams, who worked together to host successful events. Under perfect conditions, the Diversity Mentoring Program (DMP) and StatFest require dedicated volunteers willing to be sleep deprived. And, suffice it to say, 2020 did not present the best of conditions. The planning committees made do with even less sleep than normal and hosted incredible events. So, thank you to the Committee on Minorities in Statistics and especially Emily Butler, who chaired the DMP working group, and Therri Usher and Michael Thomas, who chaired the StatFest working group.

In 1997, Scott Williams created the website Mathematicians of the African Diaspora. The “MAD Pages”—a compilation of more than 1,000 pages featuring more than 700 biographies—documents the lives of African American mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists, and physicists. It has seen more than 20 million visitors since its creation. After Williams retired in 2008, a team of Black mathematicians formed to continue his legacy by updating the site. Edray Goins of Pomona College, Don King of Northeastern University, Asamoah Nkwanta of Morgan State, and John Weaver of Varsity Software have shouldered this responsibility. I am grateful that the updated site is now available.

Over the last few months, I have had the pleasure of participating in workshops for chapter and section leaders. These workshops, planned by the Council of Chapters and Council of Sections, were, in a word, incredible. I am so grateful to these colleagues and the chapter and section leaders who invest time, energy, and talent to create community and are committed to lifelong learning and professional development.

In October, I participated in a webinar celebrating World Statistics Day. I was joined by colleagues from the US, Palestine, United Kingdom, and Canada. The presentations and lively discussion on the future of federal statistics were informative and important. This event reinforced for me how important our international community is. I am grateful to be a member of a worldwide profession.

One of the hallmarks of our profession is the commitment to quality data collection and analysis. I am grateful for all the efforts to ensure the public is well informed. My colleagues on the ASA Board of Directors have been willing to meet on a weekly basis as a COVID-19 Task Force and, for their commitment to our profession, I am proud to be a member of the ASA.

Of course, I cannot forget to highlight ASA Giving Day—October 2, 2020! The ASA community has “been here since 1839 and—thanks to the generosity of members like you—we will be here long into the future.” Many of our friends, family, and colleagues are facing challenges, but that didn’t stop 259 individuals from raising more than $68,000 to ensure we can continue the programs so essential to the future of our profession.

Giving is not just about making financial donations. There are other ways to help, and holding leadership and service positions in the ASA is just one of them. I want to acknowledge ASA GivesBack—a group of ASA early-career members who promote a culture of philanthropy. Dooti Roy is chair with team members Andrew Dumit, Carlon Zephirin, Emily Dodwell, and Michelle Casey Hsu. One of their 2020 activities was the Visualize Your World Competition for K–12 students. Sign up to be a member.

I feel it’s particularly appropriate to write about gratitude in November because this is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. It is the time of year we try to come together with friends and family to share good food and companionship. Holding celebrations is going to be challenging this year, and many of us will be participating in virtual gatherings. But I hope we all can come together with gratitude for what we have now and with infinite hope for the future.

In closing, I must thank Donna LaLonde for her help writing this column and for everything she does to foster education and outreach for our profession. So, in case you didn’t realize it, this column reflects her gratitude, too!