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 the principal data scientist at Grafham Analytics and the founder of Peace-Work, a Data for Good nongovernmental organization.

With the new year, Stats4Good presents our Data for Good Challenge List. This annual call to action highlights a challenge in five areas: biostatistics; environmental advocacy; human rights; data; and organization and infrastructure. The list is presented to draw attention to important current cases, with a particular interest in problems that might be overlooked. We hope the list will inspire and guide new research, student projects, collaborations, conference presentations, and government action. Without further ado, here is our Data for Good Challenge List for 2024.

Biostatistics: Local and Community Studies

Much of the work in biostatistics involves major projects undertaken by large organizations with a global reach, but biostatisticians also have the opportunity to take on local projects conducted by small teams or individuals. This year’s biostatistics challenge highlights these local projects, often leveraging community-based partnerships.

Statistical skills are needed to investigate the effects of environmental hazards like toxic waste or smoke from forest fires and prevalence studies of local health risks. This can also include effects of larger problems such as a community’s response to the opioid crisis or long COVID.

Biostatistics in the community offers the opportunity to make an impact where we live and work while driving changes in how science is perceived by the public, leading to stronger support in the future for the benefit of everyone.

Environmental Advocacy: Threatened and Endangered Species

The data is in: We are in the midst of a mass extinction event. Unlike earlier events in recorded history, this sixth mass extinction is driven by human activity.

Responding to this challenge is a global issue. Statisticians in environmental advocacy should note that while a loss of apex predators can attract a lot of attention, harm at the bottom of the food chain threatens entire ecosystems. Another important but sometimes overlooked dimension of this problem is a loss of biodiversity, as a handful of species most able to adapt to human habitation thrive while species loss accelerates.

This D4G challenge seeks to drive the science that will lead to a more sustainable future for everyone.

Human Rights: Ethical AI

Best practices for ethical and responsible artificial intelligence, AI, are important for all areas of Data for Good. This is especially the case in human rights analytics, where issues include the ethics of large language models, algorithm problems such as bias and unintended consequences, data ownership, and privacy.

The needs in ethical AI are diverse and significant, and the opportunity for D4G projects to have an impact on people’s lives has never been greater.

Data: Globalization

The world we live in becomes smaller and more interconnected every day. This is especially true of Data for Good, with more projects leveraging data that needs to cross borders to be effective.

Globalization presents several important challenges for the storage, use, and protection of data—both across borders and between societies, where expectations of privacy can differ. Innovative D4G research offers the promise of informing new projects around the world, but only if data globalization is addressed first. This makes developing best practices for data in a global ecosystem a priority in Data for Good.

Organization and Infrastructure: Collaboration with Industry

Data and analytics serving the greater good thrive best in an environment in which all voices are included and we draw inspiration, innovation, and best practices from everyone.

Following an opportunity to serve as the nonacademic representative for the Statistics Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2023, I have to say the ASA and
other statistical societies often could do a better job reaching beyond academia and governmental organizations to partner with industry.

Now is the time to take up your own challenge. Chose an area that speaks to you, identify data sources and collaborators, and plan your work. Be inspired and be an inspiration to others.