The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Outreach Group Corner is a regular component of Amstat News in which statisticians write about and educate our community about JEDI-related matters. If you have an idea or article for the column, email the JEDI Corner manager at jedicorner@datascijedi.org.

David Corliss is the principal data scientist at Grafham Analytics. He is the author of Amstat News’s Stats4Good and the founder of Peace-Work, a Data for Good nongovernmental organization.

Each year, the Joint Statistical Meetings brings together the largest group of statisticians and data scientists in North America. Since the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Outreach Group’s establishment in 2021, JSM has also become a focus of the group’s activities. Now that the 2023 conference is a wrap, it’s time to plan for next year, when the JEDI community will once again come together to share, teach, meet old friends, and make new friends.

The 2023 conference offers inspiration for 2024 presentations. For example, in Imposter Syndrome and the Hidden Curriculum Manifestation Within and Between Sectors, panelists described their experiences of doubting their own intellect, skills, and accomplishments and discussed how to address these challenges.

The session titled Critical Race Theory for Statisticians: Incorporating CRT into Statistical Analyses focused on incorporating critical race theory into research in statistics and data science, with presentations from some of the most distinguished voices in critical race theory as a statistical practice. Expanding on this for 2024, each area of practice could develop into its own critical race theory session, exploring the impact of systemic racism on health, public policy, education, and the legal system. The growth of critical race theory as a statistical practice can also inspire JEDIs to lead research on issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation, immigration and language, disability, and ageism.

Additionally, JSM 2024 sessions can develop sessions such as the JSM 2023 session Teaching with Datasets That Recognize the Intersectional Perspectives of Students. It focused on teaching and curriculum development strategies that help educators strengthen classes with diverse data and perspectives and teach the methods used in analyses related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Another great opportunity comes through partnerships with ASA organizations that have interests closely related to JEDI, such as the Professional Ethics, Scientific Freedom and Human Rights, Women in Statistics, and Statistics and Disability committees.

JEDI-related sessions are well attended and bring in people from many areas of statistics and data science, so we can expect the JEDI footprint at JSM to grow, especially since these sessions offer so many opportunities for students and early-career statisticians and data scientists to participate. One such session at JSM 2023, Statistical Scientists of the Math Alliance: A Focus on Diversity and Recent Graduates, was sponsored by the JEDI Outreach Group and showcased the research accomplishments of recent graduates associated with the Math Alliance.

Early-career statisticians and data scientists can also become involved with JSM by presenting a poster or volunteering to chair a session. Posters are an important opportunity for people making their first conference presentation, and JSM poster sessions introduce students and early-career statisticians and data scientists to a wide audience. As far as volunteering to chair a session, several chairs for JEDI-related sessions were emerging scholars and leaders in 2023.

The questions and methodologies of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion affect all areas of statistical science. The Council of Chapters sponsored a session titled Metrics and Statistical Analyses of JEDI-Related Data. The Health Policy Statistics Section hosted a session examining the impact of historical structural racism on present-day health outcomes in Measures and Applications for Relating Historical Structural Racism with Contemporary Health Outcomes. And technical methodology presentations such as the Biometrics Section–sponsored session titled Statistical Innovation in Emerging Fields of Clinical Research: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Learning Health System (LHS); Dissemination and Implementation Science (D&I) teach methods needed to address diversity and equity questions.

In all, statisticians and data scientists sponsored or contributed more than 60 papers, posters, short courses, and roundtable discussions in dozens of research areas with a JEDI lens. Many are highlighted on the JEDI Outreach Group’s website.

The strong presence of the JEDI Outreach Group at JSM demonstrates how the group has grown to become a major resource for the support and dissemination of new projects across the statistical landscape.

Planning is underway for JSM 2024. Contributed abstracts will be accepted until February 1, so consider submitting one. I would like to see more presentations about diversity issues in different areas, pursuits, and industries; more international sessions to leverage the accomplishments of groups throughout the world; and more opportunities for students and early-career statisticians and data scientists.