David Corliss leads a data science team at Stellantis. He serves on the steering committee for the Conference on Statistical Practice and is the founder of Peace-Work, a volunteer cooperative of statisticians and data scientists providing analytic support for charitable groups and applying statistical methods in issue-driven advocacy.
With the transition to a new administration in Washington, this is a good time to review how new policies and practices are expected to affect our work in Data for Good. Without taking any political positions, a description of how the scientific landscape is changing would be useful for all of us.
The media has given much attention to the pandemic response. The coordinated COVID-19 response will include improvements to pandemic data collection and access to support evidence-based policymaking. The plan to reestablish in-person education at schools also includes a program to collect data needed to inform these decisions. This follows a 2020 recommendation from the Data Foundation, a federal not-for-profit corporation working across the federal landscape to make data more accessible and usable. Of course, school decisions are made locally; we are reminded of one state governor in March 2020 who pleaded with local schools to close even as he acknowledged his state’s constitution did not give him the authority to order it. The data initiative inside the post-pandemic back-to-school plan will support studies by state and local D4G researchers to empower data-driven decisions.
The new administration has also announced an initiative for “advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities.” In a major step forward for Data for Good, the new administration is setting up the Social Equity Data Working Group. This group will advise on best practices, identify where improvement is needed, and recommend actions to address shortcomings. It will work across organizations and agencies to foster a comprehensive and synoptic understanding of racial inequity and ways to address it.
The working group will be co-chaired by the chief statistician of the United States and the US chief technology officer. (As of February 1, both of these offices are vacant. Nancy Potok, the most recent chief statistician, is assisting the new administration’s transition team.) Once established, it is hoped this much-needed organization will also serve as a template for other forms of inequity such as gender and disability.
While not included in the scope of this working group, at least as yet, action has been undertaken to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. The ASA’s Anti-Racism Task Force and the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Outreach Group are active in these areas and can help people and projects in data for social good.
With a strong foundation in data and analytic best practices, the resources and recommendations developed by the Social Equity Data Working Group will support practitioners in all areas of advocacy for social equity. Further, a number of other actions outlined by the new administration as it charts its course both need D4G support to accomplish and will create new resources for us to use.
New initiatives are underway to address the COVID-19 pandemic, fight climate change, develop ethical standards in the sciences, and expand funding for basic science serving the greater good.
The Consortium of Social Science Associations, of which the ASA is a member, provides a wealth of information and other resources to support policy advocacy in the social sciences. Their Washington Update is a great source of information about what is happening and how to get involved.
While these plans will guide federal agencies in the US, their impact is much broader. By establishing policies closer to international standards, global cooperation is strengthened. All these initiatives collectively reflect a strong desire to fully use science and consult with leading experts to support data-driven decision-making. In our vastly interconnected world—and in a new normal of virtual conferences, networking, and sharing new data and methods—opportunities for international collaboration has never been greater.
One group of people deserve special recognition at this time. The United States civil service in the sciences has faced significant challenges in recent years. Yet, they persisted, carrying on their vital—often life-saving—work with courage and vigor. So many of the Data for Good opportunities we see today have been made possible by their quiet, faithful service to the sciences and our country. In an era when the possibility of university tenure becomes distant for many, scientific civil service is an option to consider to create a career using science for the greater good.
Getting Involved
There is still one more opportunity to submit an abstract for JSM. Contributed abstract submissions are open from March 16 to April 14. Contributed abstracts can be for a paper, poster, or speed session. Open for all statistical topics, contributed sessions make a great opportunity for you to share your work in Data for Good. Submitters will want to keep in mind the theme of this year’s conference: Statistics, Data, and the Stories They Tell. You can get all the details from the submissions section of the JSM website.
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