american statistical association iaos conference shanghai october 2008 the role of national...

American Statistical

Association

IAOS conferenceShanghai October 2008

The role of national statistical societiesProfessor Denise Lievesley

ISI andKing’s College London


Association

Three parts

• The roles and activities of the three largest statistical societies (ISI (incorporating IAOS) , ASA, RSS)

• The role of the ISI in relation to the developing world

• Establishing new statistical societies across the world


Association

All three societies have missions, visions and strategic plans

ASA mission• Support excellence in statistical practice,

research, journals, and meetings • Work for the improvement of statistical

education at all levels • Promote the proper application of statistics • Anticipate and meet the needs of our

members • Use our discipline to enhance human welfare • Seek opportunities to advance the statistics

profession


Association

RSS purpose

• Nurture the discipline of statistics by publishing a Journal, organising meetings, setting and maintaining professional standards, accrediting university courses and operating examinations.

• Promote the discipline of statistics by disseminating and encouraging statistical knowledge and good practice with both producers and consumers of statistics, and in society at large.

• Provide effective and efficient services to our members which support their professional and academic interests and their endeavours to advance the other objectives of the Society.


Association

The ISI will pursue its mission by

• promoting excellence in statistical research and research training;

• promoting excellence in statistical education;• promoting excellence in the practice of Statistics;• supporting the international statistical community in

promoting the establishment and maintenance of sound statistical institutions;

• fostering the appreciation in governments and the public at large of the true value of Statistics and statistical methods to all aspects of human endeavour

• facilitating collaboration among diverse groups of ISI members, and among statistical societies and other national and international organisations having statistical interests;

• providing coordinating services, such as a broad-based website, the biennial Sessions, appropriate publications, promotion of professional standards, outreach programs, and affiliation with other international bodies;

• continually evolving and developing new initiatives to maintain leadership of an evolving discipline in changing environments.


Association

Sources of funds

individual membership feesinstitutional and corporate feessales of journals and booksconference registrationgrants and subventionssponsorshiprental of accommodationexamination feescharges for ‘professionalservices’gifts and legaciessales of ‘souvenirs’interest on investments‘in kind’ support


Association

Main categories of expenditure

staff salaries/ pensionsother staff costsaccommodation costsIT, telephone etc office costsprinting and postage for journals and newsletterstranslationsimultaneous interpretationconference accommodationlegal costssupport for volunteerssupport for poorer members


Association

challenges

• Finance• Lack of flexibility over expenditure• Electronic journals – who pays?• Continuity and sustainability when

depending upon volunteers• Greater support for developing country

statisticians• Involving younger people in the

societies• Tension re. people representing

organisations v. being there in their own professional right

• How to reach isolated statisticians• The term statistics itself can be

restricting


Association

Integration of statistics

• Across users and producers• Across educators and employers• Across practitioners and theoreticians

Through NewslettersJournalsIntegrated conferencesRegular scientific programmeSocial activities Balance between general and special

activities, and between national and local activities


Association

Education

- providing training- running exams- certification of statisticians- authentication of courses- meetings of young statisticians- holding competitions- awarding prizes, and scholarships- mentoring systems- career fairs- publicising job opportunities


Association

Professional activities

• Ethics committees/ committees on issues of public interest

• Professional ethics/ codes of conduct• Training on ethics • Environment in which people can

discuss problems• Mentoring• Public statements on issues of public

interest• Condemnation? Elimination of

members?


Association

ISI declaration on professional ethics

• http://isi.cbs.nl/ethics

• highlights the tensions, even inherent conflicts, between the different goals

• sensitises statisticians to the issues • informs the debate • advocates the discussion of ethical dilemmas • encourages openness in relation to the decisions• Discusses obligations to

– society– funders and employers– colleagues– subjects of our research

• Currently being reviewed


Association

Route to users?

• Affiliated Users Forum • Specialist user groups• Consultation mechanisms• Nominating representatives to

committees


Association

outreach

• Training for journalists• Prizes for good media coverage of

statistical issues• Press releases• Training in communication for

statisticians• Production of statistical magazines• Press office• Scientific spokesman


Association

Other activities

• Proving information about new statistical products and services

• Providing lists of potential consultants• Web developments for networking• Building relationships with sister

societies


Association

Role of the ISI vis à vis developing countries

• Representing the profession at the UN and UNESCO• Reduced fees for developing country participants (but

still expensive – can pay in UNESCO coupons)• Competitions/prizes for developing country

statisticians• Mahalanobis prize• Regional committees • Improving membership from developing country

statisticians• Increasing participation of developing country

statisticians in conferences, committees etc• Ensuring the topics addressed are of relevance to

developing world• Hosting meetings and conferences in developing

countries• Women in statistics committee• Briefing sessions for heads of NSOs • Mainstreaming developing country statistical issues


Association

ISI family

• ISI elected body• Sections

– Survey Statisticians IASS– Official Statistics IAOS including SCORUS– Environmetrics TIES– Statistical Computing IASC– Statistical Education IASE including statistical literacy– Business and Industrial Statistics ISBIS– Bernoulli for theoretical statistics and probability

• Committees– Risk– Life sciences– Women in statistics– Agricultural statistics– Sports statistics– Tourism statistics– Financial statistics (Irving Fisher)– Ethics– History of statistics– Young statisticians


Association

ISI wants to do more

• Proposal to organise and support a meeting with other societies to help– New statistical societies in developing

countries get established in a sustainable way

– Existing statistical societies to expand activities, and enhance their influence

– Network these societies and explore what needs to be done at regional level

– Review how this network relates to the ISI and other international, regional and national societies of relevance to statistics


Association

What more should the ISI do?

• Blank slide for your ideas?

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