The 2024 Symposium on Data Science and Statistics will feature plenary speakers from a variety of backgrounds who will offer thought-provoking sessions exploring topics such as data journalism, ethics and fairness, and the evolving AI research landscape.
DATAWorks 2024 to Focus on Statistical Approaches in Defense, Aerospace
The ASA’s Section on Statistics in Defense and National Security is co-sponsoring the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop April 16–18, which will take place both virtually and in person at the Institute for Defense Analysis in Alexandria, Virginia.
Statistics: A Core Competency for Collaborative Science
The ASA recently added the open access journal Data Science in Science to its portfolio of publications to showcase statistical science as a core competency for interdisciplinary collaborations. Here, ASA President Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar shares excerpts of an interview with the journal’s founding editor, David Matteson, and former ASA President Kathy Ensor.
Kobi Abayomi
Kobi Abayomi once dreamed of becoming a physicist, but switched majors after he took his first class in statistics at Georgia Institute of Technology. Today, is head of science for Gumbel Demand Acceleration—a Software as a Service (SaaS) company for digital media—and Betaside Recordings, both data science startups at the intersection of demand and supply curves for musicians, artists, and music listeners. He also holds an appointment at Seton Hall University, where he teaches in the undergraduate and master’s in data science program.
Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education: January Issue Takes on Difficult History of Statistics
The January issue of JSDSE leads with a paper that recounts the difficult past of statistics, notably the role of eugenics in the development of the field. The author argues we must confront our history to move forward and provides guidance for addressing the troubling history in the classroom.
Celebrating Black History Month 2024
In celebration of Black History Month, we recognize eight individuals from the Black/African American collective who have made contributions to the statistics field as mentors, professors, and entrepreneurs.
Christophe Toukam Tchakoute
Christophe Toukam Tchakoute grew up in Cameroon during the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is how he became interested in STEM. His interest was reinforced when he attended the University of Cape Town in South Africa and became curious about the chemistry and cell biology of HIV and how the virus can hijack the immune system for its own benefit. Consequently, he interned in the HIV/AIDS department at the World Health Organization and was introduced to epidemiology and biostatistics. He now works at Genentech and leverages statistics and real-world data to inform clinical trial design for different oncology programs.
Lloyd J. Edwards
Lloyd Edwards earned a master’s in mathematical statistics at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1982 and then worked for TRW Defense Systems for three years as a software engineer focusing on antisubmarine warfare. He graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1990 with a PhD in biostatistics, leading to a career as a faculty member in the University of North Carolina Department of Biostatistics for close to 25 years. Since 2017, Edwards has been a professor in the department of biostatistics in the school of public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Chandra Erdman
Chandra Erdman started college at 15 and earned her first degree in mathematics by 20. Eventually, she become the first Black person to earn a PhD in statistics from Yale University.
Nicholas Horton Honored with Mosteller Statistician of the Year Award
Horton was recognized for his numerous innovative contributions to statistics and data science education and his significant participation in regional statistics activities for more than 25 years.