Current ASA Science Policy Fellow Daniel Elchert reflects on this unique fellowship and its many benefits.
congress
New Law Offers Reforms to Improve Access to Data, Confidentiality Protections
Congress endorsed a suite of major bipartisan data reforms that will likely shape statistical policy for decades and the president enacted the provisions into law in January 2019.
ASA Visits Capitol Hill During Seventh Climate Science Day
On March 21, statisticians Peter Bloomfield, Noel Cressie, Dorit Hammerling, and Leonard Smith joined 23 other scientists for the 7th annual Climate Science Day (CSD), which puts scientists in the same room as lawmakers and their staffs for discussions about climate science research.
NIH, NSF, Statistical Agencies Receive Final FY14 Budgets
Just over three months into the current fiscal year, Congress and the president finalized the fiscal year 2014 (FY14) budgets, a move facilitated by the December budget deal easing sequestration for both FY14 and FY15.
ASA Applauds Sen. Hagan on Resolution Designating 2013 as International Year of Statistics
The American Statistical Association praised Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) for the introduction of a resolution designating this year as the International Year of Statistics.
End-of-Year SRMS Report from Past-Chair
John Czajka, past-chair, reviews 2012’s challenges and successes. He also announces two new member benefits. Read all about it.
First ‘Stats for Staffers’ Class Brings Statistics to the Hill
The ASA offered its first “Stats for Staffers” class on April 27 in conjunction with the Senate Office of Education and Training (OET). The class, titled “How Sound Are the Data?,” was the first in the OET’s Critical Statistical Thinking series. Taught by Mary Foulkes of The George Washington University, the class lasted 90 minutes and was attended by 22 staffers from both personal and committee offices.
Science Advocacy: What Is It and What Is the Role of Professional Societies?
Steve Pierson, ASA director of science policy, addresses what science advocacy is and how it benefits scientific professional associations.
Prioritizing ASA’s Science Policy
In March of 2008, the ASA created an Office of Science Policy to better integrate statisticians into the policymaking process. With the ASA’s office located so close to Washington, DC, the opportunity to interact with national policymakers beckoned and creation of this office took advantage of the opportunity to make the ASA’s presence and interests known to Congress and more broadly. The office also actively advocates for statistics research funding and funding for the federal statistical agencies. This month, ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson describes how the ASA chooses the policy issues in which to engage.
What Statisticians Should Watch in Congress in 2011
The 112th Congress is well under way, with federal budget discussions grabbing most of the headlines. Once the fiscal year 2011 (FY11) budget is resolved, what are the issues that might interest ASA members in 2011? Which issues should ASA members contact their members of Congress about?