The global pandemic increased the public’s demand for information. Almost daily, media and policymakers present numbers on testing, deaths, hospitalization rates, and vaccine distribution. This information often includes data visualizations and tables viewers must interpret to better understand the pandemic’s scope and its impact on local communities and countries worldwide. As a result, there is a need for a new vocabulary around public health and data literacy.
A Statistician's View
Response to ‘Demystifying Apportionment Computations for the US House of Representatives’
ASA Member Michael Fay responds to Tommy Wright’s July 2021 Amstat News article on apportionment computations for the US House of Representatives with an alternative perspective.
Remembering the Past as We Define the Future
Sastry Pantula suggests taking a moment to reflect on your challenges, resilience, network of friends, and support system during the past 15 months.
The Steven Miller Controversy: A Personal Perspective
Richard De Veaux discusses a colleague’s involvement in allegations of fraud in the 2020 election.
Letter to the Editor: Recognize Professional Privilege
The letter writer calls on the profession to recognize the privilege in which we live and to reformulate departmental policies, attitudes, and programs of study with a view toward producing an equitable educational system for women, minorities, and all citizens.
Statistician’s View: The Right Tone Sustains Productive Dialogue
Statisticians and data scientists are in unique positions to set the correct tone for conversations between collaborators. The approaches used when giving advice should be as thoughtful as the advice given.
Lessons Learned and Remaining Challenges for Online Seminars and Conferences
The spread of COVID-19 has slowed economies and stopped travel throughout the world. For academics, classes and research collaborations have moved online. But the pandemic has disrupted two other essential aspects of academic life: conferences and seminars. An obvious solution is to move conferences and seminars online, but this has proven challenging for a number of reasons.
Large Budget Increases for Agency Survey Mask Budget and Staff Challenges
ASA Science Policy Director Steve Pierson responds to a critique of his April Amstat News article about the federal statistical agencies’ FY20 budgets.
How (In)Visible Is Science in ASA?
John Gardenier says an April Amstat News article needed more information about the FY20 budget for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.
East or West: My View on Teaching Elementary Statistics
Meena Doshi discusses her experiences teaching elementary statistics in India and the US, how they differed, and what can be done to improve the teaching experience in both countries.