Welcome to a new year in Data for Good! The year 2025 was tumultuous, bringing a constant stream of changes into the world around us and leading to many pressing issues to address. Each year in January, I identify a top issue in each of five areas to focus on for the year. While some areas are a clear necessity, others can represent overlooked problems. All have the potential for a large impact on society, with new projects and collaborations addressing some of the most pressing issues in statistics and data science today.
Biostatistics: Preparing for the Next Pandemic
In my view, the most important scholarly work on the COVID-19 pandemic was written three years before it began, which is why it was so important. The 2017 book Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by epidemiologist Michael Osterholm and writer Mark Olshaker included a chapter on the coronaviruses that predicted the cause, course, and impact of the pandemic that followed. Now is the time to raise awareness about the risks presented by future pandemics and prepare for their inevitable impact.
Getting Involved
In opportunities this month, consider the D4G challenges outlined here. Always be sure to check out Amstat News each month for ideas, inspiration, and resources to support your projects. Also, as I have said earlier, there has been an unprecedented level of disruption for our work and colleagues. Be sure to take care of yourself and your well-being.
Environmental Advocacy: Deforestation
Deforestation is such a complex problem, driven by a wide array of causes such as climate change, pollution, and overpopulation. The impacts are just as wide, with habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity, desertification, and damage to air and water environments. This is a great area for hackathons, bringing together people on a single day to address an important question and collaborate on new solutions to preserve and protect forest ecosystems. Local community groups engaged in environmental advocacy can be an excellent source of data for the analysis.
Data: Data Rescue Goes Local
In the past year, with so many vitally important data sources disappearing and more at risk, data rescue has become one of the most important avenues for high-impact work in Data for Good. While federal data sources may have attracted a lot of attention, the loss of funding, talent, and support at the national level reverberates in every state, county, and community. This is why data rescue is a local problem, as well, calling for local action to identify and archive data for each geography.
Data for Good Organization and Infrastructure: Support for Displaced Scientists
In the past year, the scientific community in America has endured disruption at a level never seen before. The 2026 Stats4Good Challenge highlights key areas like pandemic preparedness, deforestation, local data rescue, displaced scientists, and conflict zone analysis for impactful data projects.One effect has been the displacement of a multitude of scientists through work force reductions and the wider effects of funding loss. Ultimately, this is a question of infrastructure. The loss has been so extensive that it tears at the very fabric of how science is accomplished.
The most powerful scientific tool we have at our disposal is each other, which is why a critical part of saving science needs to be saving scientists. So, what can be done? Industry, state, and local governments still need scientists to support making data-driven decisions. This has led to an increase in support for scientists in areas away from the federal system. Through networking with our peers, we can help connect displaced scientists with new opportunities. New research that would have been presented at conferences before the loss of funding can be presented online. ASA chapters are playing a vital role in supporting displaced scientists, sharing their research and connecting them with new opportunities.
Human Rights: Statistics and Analysis on Conflict Zones
This can be one of the most challenging areas of Data for Good, only matched by the potential for affecting peoples’ lives. Conflicts large and small share a common problem: Data is available for analysis, but not enough statisticians and data scientists are available to do the work. The number of conflicts around the world continues to be so great that many still receive relatively little attention. It should be mentioned that statistical analysis of conflict zones does not require being physically present. Data from UN agencies, country-level data from the World Bank, and data from advocacy groups are available—what are lacking are talented, dedicated scientists to do the work.
Consider whether one of these areas connects with your interests in D4G, investigate the data sources, and reach out to potential collaborators to launch your own Data for Good project for 2026.
David Corliss
With a PhD in statistical astrophysics, David Corliss works as a data scientist in industry. He serves on the ASA Board as a Council of Chapters representative and is the founder of Peace-Work, a data for good nongovernmental organization.
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