The title for this episode is a question familiar to ChatGPT users and signals the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the world around us. Tian Zheng, Hongtu Zhu, and Mark Glickman join co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to discuss the implications of AI for our profession. Building on a 2023 workshop on statistics and AI in health care, Tian, Hongtu, and colleagues recently hosted an ASA townhall during which they discussed the impact of AI on the statistical community....

March 14 is Pi Day and the International Day of Mathematics (and Statistics), which has the theme “Play with Math” this year. Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein knew there was no better way to play with math and statistics than to talk with members of the ASA Statistics in Sports Section—chair Guanyu Hu and communications officer Denise Bradford. Bradford, senior data scientist for the Detroit Pistons, and Hu, assistant professor at The University of Texas...

Fortunately, 2024 is a leap year and February has an extra day because David Matteson, professor and associate chair for the statistics and data science and social statistics department at Cornell University, has a full plate. He recently took on the role of director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences and is leading the editorial team for Data Science in Science, the newest open-access addition to the ASA’s portfolio of publications. This month, he joins Practical Significance...

Practical Significance co-hosts Donna Lalonde and Ron Wasserstein kick off season four by welcoming the editor of Real World Data Science, Brian Tarran, to the show. A new initiative from the Royal Statistical Society in partnership with the ASA, Real World Data Science features content developed by data scientists. Tarran’s aim is for the site to be a trusted, go-to source for high-quality and engaging content that supports ethical and impactful practice. Because the target audience for...

As Practical Significance celebrates the end of its third year, we want to express how grateful we are for our devoted listeners. Thank you! We also mark a special podcast tradition this month by speaking with outgoing ASA board members. Co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein “go live” from the second floor of the ASA building during the 2023 fall board meeting, and retiring board members Catherine (Kate) Calder, Kathy Ensor, Alexandra (Alex) Hanlon, Ruixiao Lu, Matilde Kam, and *Bin Nan...

The ASA is stronger because of the perspectives and experiences international members bring to our community. This month, co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein talk with Ingrid Van Keilegom, international representative to the ASA Board, and Afia Owusu-Forfie, founder and executive director of Coders Who Travel, about initiatives and resources that support international members. Van Keilegom, a statistics professor at KU Leuven in Belgium, highlights the work of the Committee on...

Did you know the ASA has a section or special interest group for you? These are subject-area and/or industry-related groups that provide benefits specific to your interests. This month, Practical Significance co-hosts Donna and Ron chat with three section leaders: Wendy Martinez, chair of the newly formed Section on Text Analysis; Susan Paddock, chair of the Council of Sections Governing Board; and Sharina Person, chair of the Biometrics Section, which became the ASA’s first section in...

Derek Curtis II set his sights on accounting when he was in just the 8th grade. Unlike many of us, he went to college knowing exactly what he wanted to do and, today, he is the ASA’s new director of finance and administration. This month, he joins Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to talk about his career path and give shout-outs to a few professional mentors. He also shares how he stays current in the world of finance and, with an eye toward the future,...

On April 21, 2021, the American Statistical Association became a full member of CSAB, joining the world’s two largest professional and technical societies for computing—the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS). This month, Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein welcome to the show newly appointed CSAB Executive Director Andrew (Andy) Phillips to get an update on data science accreditation. In addition to data science...

The ASA recently formed the Caucus of Industry Representatives to promote statistics and data science in the private and public sectors and provide resources to successfully advocate for the discipline. Ginger Holt, who is leading the effort as chair of the executive committee, and committee member Amarjot Kaur talk shop with Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein, touching on everything from the most significant challenges facing industry statisticians and data...

Practical Significance co-hosts Donna and Ron welcome John Bailer and Rosemary Pennington, co-hosts of Stats+Stories, a podcast about “the statistics behind the stories and the stories behind the statistics.” Their show features an eclectic mix of topics, from economics to the environment to media, methods, sports, and more. John and Rosemary come from opposite backgrounds: John, who is a professor emeritus of statistics, is the “Stats” part of the equation. Rosemary, who is an associate...

Did you know the ASA publishes or co-publishes 16 journals focusing on statistics in business and economics, biopharmaceutical research, agriculture, biology, the environment, sports, surveys, and so much more? Eric Sampson oversees production (a Herculean effort) and has served as the ASA journals manager since 2008. Practical Significance co-hosts Donna and Ron talk with Eric in depth about his role and what changes he anticipates in the publishing world. Eric also gives advice for authors...

Shakespeare asks, “What’s in a name?” in the play Romeo and Juliet, the purpose of which is to focus our attention on what’s important. This month, Practical Significance explores what’s important for an ASA meeting or conference to be successful as co-hosts Donna and Ron welcome Julia Sharp, chair of the ASA Meetings Task Force, to the show. The ASA Board charged the task force with developing recommendations for ensuring those attending the ASA’s smaller meetings such as the Conference on...

The Coit Tower offers a 360-degree view of San Francisco and, this month, Practical Significance offers a 360 of the 2023 Conference on Statistical Practice, recently held in the beautiful “City by the Bay.” Co-hosts Donna and Ron took the show on the road and recorded this episode live at the conference, which brought together nearly 400 statisticians and data scientists who shared insights on and solutions to real-world problems. On the conference’s final day, a gathering of brave souls...

With a nod to Valentine’s Day, the February edition of Practical Significance embraces the theme, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” and features three couples who truly appreciate the perks of having a statistician as a partner. Co-hosts Donna and Ron welcome Emily and Eric Griffith, Jeri and Ed Mulrow, and Jack Miller and Melinda Baham to the show. The three couples share a bit about their day jobs and how they met and offer strategies for maintaining that elusive goal of work-life balance....

Practical Significance kicks off the new year with its January tradition of featuring the new ASA president. Co-hosts Donna and Ron welcome to the show Dionne Price, the 118th president of the American Statistical Association. Dionne—who is the deputy director of the Office of Biostatistics, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration—shares aspects of her “day” job and her goals for the year ahead. Listen to how an internship...

Practical Significance is celebrating its second year, and we are grateful to our devoted listeners—thank you! Over the last 24 months, we’ve developed a few traditions, including honoring our outgoing ASA board members. For the final episode of 2022, co-hosts Donna and Ron welcome to the show Scarlett Bellamy, Rebecca Hubbard, Ji-Hyun Lee, and Alexandra Schmidt, who will each end their tenure this month. They share what they’ve learned from serving and how it’s influenced their view of the...

Did you know the ASA is a member of the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), a nonprofit advocacy organization working to promote and advance the social and behavioral sciences in federal policymaking? COSSA member benefits are available to all ASA members. COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus joins co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein for this month’s edition of Practical Significance to discuss the consortium’s mission and initiatives and the impact of its work on ASA...

In February 2022, the ASA Board of Directors approved revisions to the Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice, and this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at that process. Committee on Professional Ethics members Jing Cao and Stephanie Shipp join us to discuss their evolving understanding of the ethical practice and the two-year endeavor by the Committee on Professional Ethics to complete the revisions. They share the process by which the committee approached the revisions, the...

This edition of Practical Significance spotlights the National Data Mine Network, a project funded by a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to the ASA. The project enables undergraduate students at minority-serving institutions to learn data science via hands-on research or data science projects informed by industry partners or faculty mentors. Our guests this month are Mark Daniel Ward, professor of statistics and director of the Purdue University Data Mine...

Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein have known each other for more than 30 years—since their days at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. In 2015, he invited her to join the American Statistical Association as the director of strategic initiatives and outreach. This month, he turns the tables on her, providing a fantastic opportunity to get to know her a little better. Donna discusses what she sees as the ASA’s biggest challenges, including “feeling connected.”...

The ASA’s initiatives ThisIsStatistics and Count on Stats serve to inform and increase public awareness of statistics⁠—from educating students about a career in statistics to fostering knowledge about the federal statistics system and the impact of data on all facets vital to society. Lori Russo and Emily Wenstrom of Stanton Communications, who lead the teams working on these initiatives, join co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein on this episode of Practical Significance. They share the...

June is Pride Month and Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein welcome to the show the first ASA Pride Scholarship recipients, Holly Bossart and Evan Boyle. The ASA Pride Scholarship was established to raise awareness for and support the success of LGBTQ+ statisticians and data scientists and allies. Through the scholarship, we celebrate the diverse perspectives of our community. Evan, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Diego, and Holly, a...

The ASA Anti-Racism Task Force has developed recommendations to support positive cultural change within the association and broader community. In this edition of Practical Significance, task force co-chairs Adrian Coles and David Marker present some of those recommendations and share insights they gained while working on this monumental project. The task force reviewed the ASA’s internal structure and governance, as well as ways statistics can be used positively or negatively in matters of...