Committee Spotlight: Committee on Women in Statistics

Amstat News is spotlighting ASA committees and their activities. This month, we feature the Committee on Women in Statistics and ask Chair Lucy D’Agostino McGowan and Vice Chair Eunice J. Kim a few questions about the committee’s purpose and goals.

In your own words, what is the purpose of your committee?

We want to empower women and gender minorities in their professional endeavors and provide a space to showcase the work.

Why did you accept the position to chair and co-chair the committee?

Lucy: I greatly admired the work our previous chair, Stephanie Hicks, began and wanted to see it continued. In particular, I wanted to continue her work in increasing child care availability at conferences, expanding member engagement and visibility via our rotating Twitter account, and creating a children’s book highlighting women in statistics.

Eunice: Discussing and bringing up issues that women face in a professional context is an important charge. I am honored to work with people from diverse backgrounds and grow as a coach, leader, and ally, [learning] how to best represent and support one another. I want to take this opportunity to serve the community and be a leading voice.

How often does the committee meet to plan activities?

We meet quarterly as a committee.

What are some upcoming events you are most excited about?

We are thrilled to have a rotating Twitter account, @WomenInStat.

Anyone is welcome to volunteer and curate tweets related to the work they do in statistics and data science. Members of our community and the featured curators have a range of experiences, from novice to expert, and diverse backgrounds.

Would you like to showcase your work? Let your voice be heard.