ASA Science Policy Supports Data for Good

With a PhD in statistical astrophysics, David Corliss is lead, Industrial Business Analytics, and manager, Data Science Center of Excellence, 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.

Every month in Amstat News, I look forward to reading the My ASA Story Series. It is full of inspiring career journeys and includes how the ASA has played an important role. All of us have a story to tell!

Much of mine could be described as the “road less traveled.” As a student, I was most attracted to a small area of science (astrophysics) and an even smaller specialty (statistical astrophysics, specifically time series analysis of evolving populations). Despite this, I was able to find support from professors and even funding from the National Science Foundation all because of the advocacy of people who understood the importance of basic science research and the impact it can have on our society for the greater good. I didn’t realize until years later how useful this science is for, in my case, human rights research. But others who supported me and funded my work understood the potential.

The mission statement of the American Statistical Association calls on us “to promote the practice and profession of statistics.” In carrying out this mission, the ASA’s efforts necessarily extend beyond science to areas such as education, public awareness, and conferences, just to name a few. One of the ASA’s most important functions—and one that has a particularly strong impact on promoting data for good—is science policy and advocacy. The many dimensions of this work include advocating for using statistics in the development of data-driven policy at the state and federal levels, seeking funding for statistical research and methods, promoting scientific freedom, and upholding standards for scientific integrity and ­ethical practices.

These efforts are organized and led by Steve Pierson, the ASA’s director of science policy. Steve has supported the ASA and the wider statistical community in this role for more than 14 years, during which he has had a large and enduring influence on the prestige of statistics as a profession, the role of statistical science in government, funding support, and the beneficial impact of statistics on society.

The ASA also supports a science policy fellow, who works for one to two years in Washington, DC, and serves as an advocate for statistics, statistical agencies, and funding at the federal level. Our current fellow is Edward Wu, who recently earned his PhD in statistics and has a background in economic consulting.

The science policy team works with many others in ­academia, government, industry, and nongovernmental organizations—often on D4G projects and research. As one example, 2020–2022 Science Policy Fellow Jonathan Auerbach, now at George Mason University, and Steve recently authored a study about the effect voting by mail has on voter fraud.

One of the most important aspects of science advocacy at the ASA is support for funding of federal statistical agencies and financial support for research grants, with an emphasis on the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. These advocacy efforts include directly contacting policymakers, sending letters, and partnering with other groups to support essential funding for agencies, staff, grants, and resource development. At the Joint Statistical Meetings in August, the ASA Committee on Funded Research will again host a session on funding opportunities, during which attendees will have the opportunity to talk with people from granting agencies. It’s an ideal way to get in touch with sources of funding and ask questions about your next D4G project.

Another way the science policy team carries out the ASA’s mission is through Count on Stats, a public awareness campaign that fosters the importance of properly performing statistical analysis. The ASA science policy team also files amicus briefs in legal cases involving statistics. (The briefs are great places to get bits of language to quote in educational materials and grant proposals—for example, “Statistics is a noble science with a rich history of benefiting humanity” from the Supreme Court case Wolf v. Innovation Law Lab.)

The driving force behind the ASA’s advocacy is simple and straightforward: Good science makes for good policy, which makes it possible to direct staff, funds, and resources to where they will do the most good. Sound data-driven policy benefits everyone and helps us make our ASA story a Data for Good story, as well.