This column is written for those interested in learning about the world of Data for Good, where statistical analysis is dedicated to good causes that benefit our lives, our communities, and our world. If you would like to know more or have ideas for articles, contact David Corliss.

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.

Susan Ellenberg—emerita professor of statistics, medical ethics, and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania—was recently honored with the ASA’s Karl E. Peace Award for Outstanding Statistical Contributions for the Betterment of Society. Recognizing many years of accomplished service using statistics for the good of society, Ellenberg’s work is as diverse as it is distinguished, as reflected in the citation from the award committee:

The Karl E. Peace Award has been awarded in recognition of accomplishments in many areas. In Ellenberg’s case, the award honors service in just about all the ways a statistician can serve.

Established in 2012, the award honors leaders “who have made substantial contributions to the statistical profession and to society in general.” It is one of the highest honors the ASA bestows and is particularly distinguished for recognizing the beneficial impact of the recipient’s work.

Ellenberg’s scientific work has contributed to the science of clinical trials, including data monitoring and statistical best practices for study design and execution. This has played an important role in improving vaccine safety. She is also a distinguished teacher and mentor, strengthening the future of statistical science by developing future scientists.

Ellenberg earned a PhD in mathematical statistics from The George Washington University in 1980. Combining this theoretical background with applications in clinical study design led to a number of important advances affecting public welfare. After working at the National Cancer Institute for six years, Ellenberg began research on AIDS in 1988 at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. She led a new biostatistics branch in their AIDS research group at a time when the epidemic was growing rapidly. Networking with other AIDS researchers at the National Institutes of Health and US Food and Drug Administration, she played an important role in developing standards and best practices for AIDS clinical research and clinical research in general. Ellenberg served as the director of the Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA from 1993 to 2004, before she began work at the University of Pennsylvania.

This career of distinguished service has been recognized in many ways. Ellenberg was named a fellow of the American Statistical Association in 1991 and the National Association for the Advancement of Science in 1992. She was honored with the ASA Founders Award in 1996 and went on to serve as chair of the board of trustees for the National Institute of Statistical Sciences, receiving their distinguished service award in 2014.

While the discipline of data management for clinical trials may seem to focus on biostatistics, the effects are far more wide-reaching. The science of biostatistics developed for clinical trials often influences researchers in other areas. It’s something I have seen in my own research on human rights and social justice. When the issue arose of managing and sharing data on human trafficking victims in a consistent, scientific, and disciplined manner, I turned to the work of distinguished experts—including Ellenberg—to develop a data protocol for organizations serving trafficking survivors. This is just one of the many ways biostatistics serves the wider community, both directly and indirectly.