With the Joint Statistical Meetings right around the corner, I present my annual review of presentations, meetings, and resources so you can make the most of the event and support your work in Data for Good. JSM’s theme this year is perfectly suited for that purpose: “Statistics, Data Science, and AI Enriching Society.”
The place to begin planning for the event is the JSM online program. Here, you can search by key word, speaker name or affiliation, category, and more. Search by category to find presentations by the sponsoring section, committee, or other organization. Be sure to search for both the main sponsors of sessions and the cosponsors. In my experience, searching using both text search and category is helpful to find the sessions you want. In text searches, using root words for a subject is often helpful. For example, a search on “ethic” will find presentations with either “ethics” or “ethical” in the title or description.
Leading Data for Good organizations use JSM as a focal point for getting out the word about their work and connecting with new collaborators. This year will feature sessions sponsored by Statistics Without Borders; the ASA Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights; the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Outreach Group; and the Caucus for Women in Statistics and Data Science, among others. In the June issue of Amstat News, JEDI Corner focused on JSM presentations about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. ASA organizations and affiliates will often sponsor poster sessions, which are popular with students and early-career statisticians and data scientists. This year, Statistics Without Borders and JEDI have organized contributed poster sessions.
With AI applications growing every day, ethical AI is a major subject at JSM. The ASA’s Committee on Professional Ethics is sponsoring a session on the role of professional ethical practice standards for AI August 4 at 8:30 a.m. The Committee on Statistical Partnerships Among Academe, Industry, and Government is sponsoring a session on multisector collaboration in statistics and AI for social welfare. Statistics Without Borders is a cosponsor for the session, which is also August 4 at 8:30 a.m. Another interesting session, on August 5 at 10:30 a.m., focuses on applications in traditional and generative AI in the federal government.
Many talks about statistical methodology can be applied to a wide variety of use cases in Data for Good, which is great. When mining the JSM online program for papers, panels, and presentations, take time to search for the verbs in your work as well as the nouns. In other words, look for papers using the same methods you need in addition to those focusing on the same subject. An excellent example of this is Measuring the Marginalized August 7 at 10:30 a.m. Methods described include combining survey with government agency data, metrics on transgender persons identified through changes in gender data collected by government agencies, combining health and education data, and capturing economic data for hard-to-count populations. In these presentations, the statistical methods they teach are the most important part because they can be applied to other subjects and questions.
JSM is such a huge event it is simply not possible to take it all in. Planning for your activities can go a long way toward getting the most out your experience without over-committing. Plan for each day’s activities and include enough time to get between them.
While we might think JSM is all about the papers, the fact is we can always read them later and reach out to the authors to discuss the most interesting points. People who have been to many conferences often say making personal connections is the most important part. It’s also important to include down time in your plan because it’s simple to become overwhelmed by all the opportunities and activities.
If you will not be in Nashville, remember you can still use the online program to find papers and people in your areas of interest. As the largest Data for Good event on our calendar, JSM marks the changing of the year, as presentations are made on work completed and future research is envisioned. Now is the time to make your plans for your next project in Data for Good.
If you are going to JSM this year, I hope to see you and talk with you about your work in Data for Good.
Getting Involved
In opportunities this month, check out the Data Rescue Project. With so much federal data at risk today, the DRP is the leading effort to coordinate work by citizen scientists to preserve and protect federal data. Also, have a look at the JSM online program for connections and resources and start thinking about what you might want to present at JSM 2026 in Boston.
David Corliss
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.
I visited the 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings: Data for Good article and was genuinely encouraged by how it centers the power of data not as a cold abstraction but as a tool for tangible good in communities, policy, health, and the human condition; the writing honors the integrity and responsibility of statisticians who seek to use their craft ethically and with purpose, reminding readers that numbers have names and that insight paired with compassion can lead to meaningful impact. It invites the reader to see statistical work as more than analysis, but as stewardship of information that can illuminate truth, improve lives, and guide decisions with wisdom and care — a reminder that when expertise is harnessed for good, it reflects our best hopes for justice, understanding, and flourishing in a complex world.